2009 NEWS ARCHIVE
U-BALL A Hit
With over 250 people in attendance, La Trobe’s first university wide end-of-year ball was a huge success, and possibly the start of something big. Held at the Powerhouse over looking Albert Park Lake in Melbourne, the La Trobe U-Ball was a feature packed night full of great food, dancing and entertainment. Horseshoes, frocks and fascinators filled the room as many took up the ball’s spring carnival theme with gusto. La Trobe cheerleaders kicked the night off with an energetic and impressive display of agility and talent, showcasing their award winning routines, while comedian Michael Chamberlin helped get everyone in a festive and jovial mood with his stand up routine. The festivities continued through the night, as many filled the dance floor and kept the spirit of the night alive.
The U-Ball is the first non-school or faculty specific ball, encompassing all facets of the University, from students and academics, to staff. Organised by La Trobe’s Young Alumni Group in conjunction with the Guild, the aim was to provide students with a fun and entertaining end-of-year celebration endorsed by the university, but less formal than a graduation ceremony. Judging by many of the comments of the night, this aim was achieved. “I was a bit unsure at first, but I am glad I came. I hope this continues every year!” said one student, while others in their final years lamented that this type of event should have been offered in pervious years.
The La Trobe student community is growing every year. With initiatives like the U-ball, engagement between the University and the student community will continue to strengthen, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship that pays off for both parties.
U-Ball pictures are available in the gallery!
REMEMBER:
YAG is also on facebook!
Search for “La Trobe University Young Alumni Group”
The U-Ball is the first non-school or faculty specific ball, encompassing all facets of the University, from students and academics, to staff. Organised by La Trobe’s Young Alumni Group in conjunction with the Guild, the aim was to provide students with a fun and entertaining end-of-year celebration endorsed by the university, but less formal than a graduation ceremony. Judging by many of the comments of the night, this aim was achieved. “I was a bit unsure at first, but I am glad I came. I hope this continues every year!” said one student, while others in their final years lamented that this type of event should have been offered in pervious years.
The La Trobe student community is growing every year. With initiatives like the U-ball, engagement between the University and the student community will continue to strengthen, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship that pays off for both parties.
U-Ball pictures are available in the gallery!
REMEMBER:
YAG is also on facebook!
Search for “La Trobe University Young Alumni Group”
Work Ready Program
YAG met recently with staff and students from Careers & Employment’s Work Ready Program to find out more about this worthwhile program for international students. The aim of the program is to help international students to integrate into the Australian culture and provide advice about applying for work in Australia.
Watch the video below to hear the views of staff, students and alumni who have been involved in this program.
Watch the video below to hear the views of staff, students and alumni who have been involved in this program.
Mildura YAG Launch
More than 25 people attended the inaugural Mildura YAG event enjoying the opportunity to meet with classmates, fellow students from other ‘schools’ and teaching staff to make new contacts in the pleasant surrounds of the campus’ court yard.
The theme of the evening was WHACKIEST PAIR OF SHOES and included games and a BBQ.
To join YAG Mildura contact John Kotroulas via e-mail: j.kotroulas@latrobe.edu.au
The theme of the evening was WHACKIEST PAIR OF SHOES and included games and a BBQ.
To join YAG Mildura contact John Kotroulas via e-mail: j.kotroulas@latrobe.edu.au
Alumnights Rolls On
Around fifty La Trobe University alumni and friends made their way along to Ondergonds bar on Wednesday 9 September for this the second chapter in the Alumnights seminar series.
Kelly Magowan, La Trobe alumna and CEO of Executive Job Site Six Figures, delivered expert risk management advise on the the topic "Your Career: What's Your Plan B". The interactive presentation explored various issues such as resume writing, online profiling and interview techniques.
The crowd enjoyed the comfortable surroundings, with many opting to stay long after the presentation to mingle with fellow University alumni.
With the success of the Alumnights seminar series cementing its place on the alumni calendar, the Young Alumni working group are looking forward to next year with a new range of hot topics to cover.
If you can think of a topic to be adressed at an upcoming Alumnights, please e-mail your idea to alumni@latrobe.edu.au
Kelly Magowan, La Trobe alumna and CEO of Executive Job Site Six Figures, delivered expert risk management advise on the the topic "Your Career: What's Your Plan B". The interactive presentation explored various issues such as resume writing, online profiling and interview techniques.
The crowd enjoyed the comfortable surroundings, with many opting to stay long after the presentation to mingle with fellow University alumni.
With the success of the Alumnights seminar series cementing its place on the alumni calendar, the Young Alumni working group are looking forward to next year with a new range of hot topics to cover.
If you can think of a topic to be adressed at an upcoming Alumnights, please e-mail your idea to alumni@latrobe.edu.au
| Plan B - Checklist |
| plan_b_article.pdf |
TRIVIA MANIA GOES OFF!
Trivia mania gripped the Eagle Bar on Wednesday September 2 as over 100 students, staff, alumni and friends battled it out for intellectual glory at Golden Key’s annual fundraising event.
Each year Golden Key chapters around the country work simultaneously throughout Literacy Week to raise awareness and much needed funds in support of indigenous literacy.
This year’s event took on epic proportion as Golden Key joined forces with La Trobe’s Young Alumni Group to put on the trivia extravaganza.
Having sourced terrific prizes from the Co-op Bookshop, Alumni Relations and the Eagle Bar, the planning group had the ambitious aim of raising over $1000 for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, having fallen just shy of the mark last year.
After six intense rounds of competition, team ‘default’ took the honours ahead of the other twelve tables rising to ultimate trivia royalty, while Emily from ‘default’ took the crown of trivia champion with a victory in the grand final ‘who am I?’ stage.
The festivities were capped off with the news that thanks to everyone’s contributions, the target of $1000 had been exceeded.
Golden Key and the Young Alumni Group would like to thank everyone who assisted in making the event such a great success.
Matthew Gardner
President, La Trobe Golden Key
Young Alumni Group Team Member
Each year Golden Key chapters around the country work simultaneously throughout Literacy Week to raise awareness and much needed funds in support of indigenous literacy.
This year’s event took on epic proportion as Golden Key joined forces with La Trobe’s Young Alumni Group to put on the trivia extravaganza.
Having sourced terrific prizes from the Co-op Bookshop, Alumni Relations and the Eagle Bar, the planning group had the ambitious aim of raising over $1000 for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, having fallen just shy of the mark last year.
After six intense rounds of competition, team ‘default’ took the honours ahead of the other twelve tables rising to ultimate trivia royalty, while Emily from ‘default’ took the crown of trivia champion with a victory in the grand final ‘who am I?’ stage.
The festivities were capped off with the news that thanks to everyone’s contributions, the target of $1000 had been exceeded.
Golden Key and the Young Alumni Group would like to thank everyone who assisted in making the event such a great success.
Matthew Gardner
President, La Trobe Golden Key
Young Alumni Group Team Member
MC YAG - SURROGATES
The final MC YAG for 2009 was held on Tuesday 29 September. Around 20 YAG members took advantage of the free movie tickets on offer, and made their way along to the local cinema to meet other YAG members and watch Bruce Willis' latest action movie Surrogates.
The group, comprised of a diverse range of students and friends - some international students and some local students undertaking studies in a range of disciplines - busilly socialised and were treated to coffee and cake before the session.
Don't forget to post your movie and dvd reviews on the movie club blog and keep an eye out for the next MC YAG and other upcoming YAG events.
The group, comprised of a diverse range of students and friends - some international students and some local students undertaking studies in a range of disciplines - busilly socialised and were treated to coffee and cake before the session.
Don't forget to post your movie and dvd reviews on the movie club blog and keep an eye out for the next MC YAG and other upcoming YAG events.
Snack to the Future Bendigo
The Young Alumni Group took the show on the road on Thursday 27 August, bringing the popular networking training event series: Snack to the Future to La Trobe's Bendigo Campus.
Supported by Golden Key and the Bendigo Students' Association, the event included an interactive networking training component, a personal testimony from La Trobe alumna and former Pharamacy Students' Association President Katherine Hancy, and of course the tastiest snacks around.
A group of students from a range of disciplines enjoyed the event, and were rewarded for their participation with prizes generously donated by the Alumni Office.
Plans are now underway for a follow up event at the Bendigo campus sometime early in the New Year.
Supported by Golden Key and the Bendigo Students' Association, the event included an interactive networking training component, a personal testimony from La Trobe alumna and former Pharamacy Students' Association President Katherine Hancy, and of course the tastiest snacks around.
A group of students from a range of disciplines enjoyed the event, and were rewarded for their participation with prizes generously donated by the Alumni Office.
Plans are now underway for a follow up event at the Bendigo campus sometime early in the New Year.
Snack to the Future III
The third edition of the Snack to the Future seminar series was held at the eminent John Scott Meeting House Council Chamber on Thursday 24 September.
Following the success of the Bendigo launch event in August, Snack to the Future returned to Bundoora and once again attracted a number of students from a broad range if disciplines.
Attendees were given an alumni perspective on the value of networking from Bachelor of Commerce graduate Darren Fantone, who generously shared his experience on the subject.
Darren, a Management Accountant with BP, discussed his own career progression since leaving La Trobe University in 2004 and advised students to utilise the various programs offered through the University and expand their networks by joining students groups and professional associations.
The event also contained a networking skills session and practical training activities hosted by Anne Stansfeld, Associate Director of Careers and Employment. Students learned best practice techniques and applied them in simulated exercises.
All who attended opted to stay well after the end of the seminar to enjoy the complementary food and drinks, and put into practice their new found savvy networking skills.
Following the success of the Bendigo launch event in August, Snack to the Future returned to Bundoora and once again attracted a number of students from a broad range if disciplines.
Attendees were given an alumni perspective on the value of networking from Bachelor of Commerce graduate Darren Fantone, who generously shared his experience on the subject.
Darren, a Management Accountant with BP, discussed his own career progression since leaving La Trobe University in 2004 and advised students to utilise the various programs offered through the University and expand their networks by joining students groups and professional associations.
The event also contained a networking skills session and practical training activities hosted by Anne Stansfeld, Associate Director of Careers and Employment. Students learned best practice techniques and applied them in simulated exercises.
All who attended opted to stay well after the end of the seminar to enjoy the complementary food and drinks, and put into practice their new found savvy networking skills.
Alumnights - BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME: An insider's guide!
Escaping the winter chill, alumni and friends flocked to the ultra funky city bar/lounge Ondergronds on July 8 for an insider’s guide into home buying.
The launch of the Alumnights seminar series saw Realestateview.com.au General Manager and La Trobe alumna Petra Spekos deliver an engaging presentation on the do’s and don’ts and 'are you crazy’s?' of home buying.
Realestateview.com.au Ltd is a joint venture between the Real Estate Institute of Victoria Ltd. (REIV) and Victoria's leading real estate agencies. The website records more than 16,000 unique visitors a day and has more than 40,000 properties for sale or rent nationally.
Petra’s half hour presentation delved into a variety of issues relating to home buying including advice on all the usual suspects: public auction versus private sale, fixed versus variable interest rates, and Melbourne’s hot and not-so-hotspots. With the state of the economy creating such uncertainty within the market, Petra’s words ‘now is a good time to buy’ pricked the ears of some.
Despite lingering unemployment, data shows that the market has somewhat stabilized in the last quarter. Buoyed by lower interest rates and government grants, first home buyers can enjoy these enticements and can expect to be attracted by lower prices. ‘Pick the right area, make sure ready, and go for it,' she advised.
With this dose of optimism and some serious food for thought (not to mention complementary beverages and comfortable surroundings) many attendees mingled well into the night.
With such a great response to this launch event, Alumni Relations looks forward to presenting the next Alumnights, set to be held on September 9, with a new topic: 'Plan B for your career.' More details to come.
The launch of the Alumnights seminar series saw Realestateview.com.au General Manager and La Trobe alumna Petra Spekos deliver an engaging presentation on the do’s and don’ts and 'are you crazy’s?' of home buying.
Realestateview.com.au Ltd is a joint venture between the Real Estate Institute of Victoria Ltd. (REIV) and Victoria's leading real estate agencies. The website records more than 16,000 unique visitors a day and has more than 40,000 properties for sale or rent nationally.
Petra’s half hour presentation delved into a variety of issues relating to home buying including advice on all the usual suspects: public auction versus private sale, fixed versus variable interest rates, and Melbourne’s hot and not-so-hotspots. With the state of the economy creating such uncertainty within the market, Petra’s words ‘now is a good time to buy’ pricked the ears of some.
Despite lingering unemployment, data shows that the market has somewhat stabilized in the last quarter. Buoyed by lower interest rates and government grants, first home buyers can enjoy these enticements and can expect to be attracted by lower prices. ‘Pick the right area, make sure ready, and go for it,' she advised.
With this dose of optimism and some serious food for thought (not to mention complementary beverages and comfortable surroundings) many attendees mingled well into the night.
With such a great response to this launch event, Alumni Relations looks forward to presenting the next Alumnights, set to be held on September 9, with a new topic: 'Plan B for your career.' More details to come.
BSA Semester Two Careers Cocktail Evening
The Careers Cocktail Evening is one of the most popular events run by the Business Students’ Association. With a range of companies attending from fields such as accounting, finance, business and marketing, they provide an excellent opportunity for you to meet face-to-face with, and impress graduate and vacation work employers before they start hiring.
There were valuable presentations from BDO Kendals, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Pitcher Partners and PricewaterhouseCoopers during the first hour with networking with even more firms in the second, it was an event not to be missed.
For more information about the BSA, please visit http://www.ltubsa.org.au/index.php
There were valuable presentations from BDO Kendals, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Pitcher Partners and PricewaterhouseCoopers during the first hour with networking with even more firms in the second, it was an event not to be missed.
For more information about the BSA, please visit http://www.ltubsa.org.au/index.php
YAG Rocks with Guitar Hero and Sing Star!
La Trobe’s Young Alumni Group (YAG) held the University’s first Guitar Hero™ and Sing Star™ event last Wednesday on May 6th. We had a fantastic night with student’s highlighting their talent on one of the world’s most talked about games!
The skills displayed were astounding, and after a very close and heated battle in the finals, the winner, James McCallum, took home the $700 Epiphone Les Paul Studio Guitar Grand Prize!
Thank you to all who participated and came along to the night!
See the video of the fnale below:
The skills displayed were astounding, and after a very close and heated battle in the finals, the winner, James McCallum, took home the $700 Epiphone Les Paul Studio Guitar Grand Prize!
Thank you to all who participated and came along to the night!
See the video of the fnale below:
YAG Battle Time
Singstar & Guitar Hero Competition
The Eagle Bar rocked to the sounds of Guitar Hero and Singstar on May 6, as YAG unleashed its first social event for the year.
Some sixty students, alumni and friends turned out to either strut their stuff on stage or just admire the spectacle as both the hardcore and would-be gamers alike battled well into the night.
Competing for the guitarist’s dream Epiphone Les-Paul Studio electric, the expert plastic-axe performers amazed the crowd, while karaoke kings and queens performed vocal magic in the race for free recording time at Soundworks Music Studio.
The grand finalists in expert level Guitar Hero had the crowd mesmerized for the entire seven-and-a-half minutes of the infamous Dragon-Force – the longest and toughest track in the Guitar Hero collection – as they battled head-to-head to the death. La Trobe student James McCallum emerged victorious over Jonathan ‘Mad Dog’ Pittas taking home a brand new guitar and ultimate bragging rights.
Throughout the event stacks of prizes were dished out. The best-dressed prize supplied by Instant Rock Star Hair Products was awarded to the caped-guitarist Chris ‘Longy’ Long, while a spontaneous freestyle-rap performance by Harkirat ‘Hipnotik H’ Singh lit up the crowd and was justly rewarded with a prize pack supplied by the Eagle Bar.
YAG wishes to thank CML Management, Gallin’s Guitars, Soundworks Music Studio, Instant Rockstar Hair Products and the Eagle Bar for the generous support in making the night a memorable one.
The Eagle Bar rocked to the sounds of Guitar Hero and Singstar on May 6, as YAG unleashed its first social event for the year.
Some sixty students, alumni and friends turned out to either strut their stuff on stage or just admire the spectacle as both the hardcore and would-be gamers alike battled well into the night.
Competing for the guitarist’s dream Epiphone Les-Paul Studio electric, the expert plastic-axe performers amazed the crowd, while karaoke kings and queens performed vocal magic in the race for free recording time at Soundworks Music Studio.
The grand finalists in expert level Guitar Hero had the crowd mesmerized for the entire seven-and-a-half minutes of the infamous Dragon-Force – the longest and toughest track in the Guitar Hero collection – as they battled head-to-head to the death. La Trobe student James McCallum emerged victorious over Jonathan ‘Mad Dog’ Pittas taking home a brand new guitar and ultimate bragging rights.
Throughout the event stacks of prizes were dished out. The best-dressed prize supplied by Instant Rock Star Hair Products was awarded to the caped-guitarist Chris ‘Longy’ Long, while a spontaneous freestyle-rap performance by Harkirat ‘Hipnotik H’ Singh lit up the crowd and was justly rewarded with a prize pack supplied by the Eagle Bar.
YAG wishes to thank CML Management, Gallin’s Guitars, Soundworks Music Studio, Instant Rockstar Hair Products and the Eagle Bar for the generous support in making the night a memorable one.
Snack to the Future - A hit with students!
La Trobe’s Young Alumni Group, or YAG, unveiled its flagship program Snack to the Future on Thursday 26 March. Combining practical networking skills training with insightful words from Neighbours’ Storyliner and La Trobe graduate Sarah Hillman-Stoltz, Snack to the Future attracted some 30 students from a range of disciplines.
After a sensational launch in O Week signing up over 300 members in just two days, and a regular stream of students signing up online, word of YAG is quickly spreading throughout La Trobe and beyond.
An initiative of the Alumni Relations Office, YAG is targeted at both current students and recent graduates, breaching the old line between student and alumnus. YAG offers social and career networking opportunities while introducing students to the global alumni community so that when their time finishes at the University, a lasting connection has been forged.
The pilot year for YAG is brimming with opportunities for students to get connected. The Eagle Bar will morph into a rock stadium on May 6, as it plays host to a Guitar Hero and Sing Star competition extravaganza, with all proceeds to be donated to charity. And later in the year, YAG will facilitate student groups on campus working together to hold the ball to end all balls.
After a sensational launch in O Week signing up over 300 members in just two days, and a regular stream of students signing up online, word of YAG is quickly spreading throughout La Trobe and beyond.
An initiative of the Alumni Relations Office, YAG is targeted at both current students and recent graduates, breaching the old line between student and alumnus. YAG offers social and career networking opportunities while introducing students to the global alumni community so that when their time finishes at the University, a lasting connection has been forged.
The pilot year for YAG is brimming with opportunities for students to get connected. The Eagle Bar will morph into a rock stadium on May 6, as it plays host to a Guitar Hero and Sing Star competition extravaganza, with all proceeds to be donated to charity. And later in the year, YAG will facilitate student groups on campus working together to hold the ball to end all balls.
