In Principio v14 no3 (2003)

• John lnverarity appointed FORMER Australian Test cricketer John lnverarity has been appointed visiting professor at The University of Notre Dame Australia. Professor lnverarity has joined the University's College of Education where he will lecture in t he postgraduate program. Professor lnverarity, a former headmaster at Hale School, will combine his Notre Dame teaching appointment with his role as Coaching Director at England's Warwickshire County Cricket Club. He said he would be coaching in England between Ma rch and September, and returning to Notre Dame's Fremantle Campus from October to February. " I'm looking fo rward to resuming my teaching career, this t ime at a university," Professor lnverarity said. "It's a situation very remin iscent of my early teaching and cricket career when I combined the two." Professor lnverarity, who played test cricket for Australia and captained Western Australia and South Australia in a career spanning some 23 seasons, has held teaching positions in Australia at Applecross Sen ior High School, Guildford Grammar School, Scotch College and Adelaide's Pembroke School and in England at King's College, Wimbledon and Tonbridge School. Notre Dame's College of Education Dean Jennifer Nicol said Professor lnverarity would bring a wealth of experience and leadership to the University. • Farewell THE University of Notre Dame Australia's Head of the School Religious Education, Wayne Tinsey, will leave Perth early next year. Associate Professor Tinsey will move to the eastern states to take up the position of Director of Catholic Education in the Maitland/Newcastle Diocese. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my three years at Notre Dame, and am grateful for the friendship and welcome," Associate Professor Tinsey said. "It has been a privilege to work at this most special of places." Associate Professor Tinsey was also Acting Director of the Edmund Rice Centre. US students value Notre Dame .._ Toby Hicks, Alumni President IF ever I needed confirmation that our University has had an impact around the world, I got it during my recent travels t o the United States. "It was the most important semester of my undergraduate career" was a sent– iment I heard repeated on many occasions from the 50 or so former study abroad students I managed to catch up with while in the US. Former students like Jane Pater, an environmental consultant and former Fu lbright Scholar in the Phi lippines, said it was a pivotal experience in her life. " It opened my eyes to a completely different way of looking at the world, and reminded me that the learning I did in the classroom needed to be applied in a practical setting," Ms Pater said. Jennifer Getman, a former classmate of Ms Pater's now studying to be a pediatrician's assistant, agreed. "The opportunity to sit on a star-l it stretch of beach sharing stories about an ancient culture is an experience that so few people get to share, so you can't help but feel privileged to have had that opportunity," Ms Getman said. The experience was just as helpful t o Michael Flynn, a final year student currently being interviewed by various firms for employment. " The experience of assimilati ng t o a different culture by learning new words and phrases, and having t o do math every time you purchased something, is not an experience that can be under– estimated," Mr Flynn said. Th is support and ent h usiasm from around t he wo rld is crucial to the A lumni Association. The stories and the passion w ith which these people so far away spea k about ou r University is a reminder t o all of us that our network of friends stret ches far and w ide, and t hat our work has an impact extending fa r beyond our ow n shores. On behalf of the Alumn i Associat ion Committee I w ould li ke to t hank everyone who has supported ust his year, and wish you all a Happy and Holy Christmas. In these t imes of trouble, remember that just over 2000 years ago, in a t ime of simi lar trouble, a chi ld was born in a simple st able, cradled by his mother, with only sheep and cattle looking on. May the birth of Jesus remind us t hat even in turmo il, there lies great hope. May we remember that in the eyes of a chi ld, all things seem possible, and may this Ch rist mas season be one of peace and hope for you and all your family. Toby Hicks -Alumni Association President & Former study abroad students Jennifer Getman and Jane Pater.