Alumni Awards applaud achievement

FEDERATION University of Australia recognised prominent and successful graduates, both nationally and internationally, at its annual Alumni Awards.

Leaders in high performance sport, electronic gaming, business and information were among eleven distinguished graduates commended this month.

Professor Helen Bartlett, Vice-Chancellor and President of Fed Uni, said the awards are an opportunity to recognise the success and achievements of the alumni and to inspire current students to chase their dreams once they graduate.

“I congratulate our alumni award recipients and share with our whole university community an enormous sense of pride in their achievements,” she said.

Michael Poulton, CEO of Committee for Ballarat, was awarded the 2019 Alumnus of the Year.

His field of endeavour and career success is the arena of high performance sport.

After receiving undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Education at University of Ballarat he was involved with the institution, lecturing and redesigning degrees in exercise and sports science and management for over 17 years.

Mr Poulton said he was surprised and very humbled to receive the award.

“I was amazed at the calibre of the other recipients and had to ask myself ‘what am I doing here’,” he said. “Alumni Awards lift the profile of the university and demonstrate the accomplishments of its graduates.”

Other recipients of the 2019 Alumni Awards included Dayle Stevens, Samuel Mayo, Dr Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, Rodney Beach, Dr Jeanette Watson, Benjamin Cole, Dr Gregory McRae, Vernon Wall, Julia Margaret Guerin (posthumously) and Dr David Stratton (posthumously).