Foundation
A very warm welcome to Term 2! I hope all our families had a relaxing Easter break and ANZAC celebration and managed to have some downtime after a very busy Term 1.
I enjoyed a few days away with the family in South West Rocks which we like for its fabulous coastline and family connections. We also attended a wedding of our god daughter – third time lucky after being rescheduled twice due to COVID.
Science and Innovation Luncheon – Book Now!
This highly anticipated event, open to all Redlands parents, friends and alumni, is only three weeks away. Thank you to all members of our community who purchased tickets, donated prizes and secured sponsorship. Your support is greatly appreciated!
An exciting panel of Alumni Speakers will share their experiences in this field as guests enjoy a magnificent gourmet luncheon with spectacular Sydney Harbour views, see their profiles below.
Proceeds from this event will be dedicated to the Dr Sue Morey AM Scholarship, the fifth Redlands Foundation Scholarship which honours and celebrates Dr Morey’s outstanding contribution and service achievements within community health in Australia.
We anticipate another sell out event, so please buy your tickets early to avoid disappointment.
BOOK NOW
Meet Redlander Alumni Speakers
Dr Sue Morey AM (Redlander 1959) will share her fascinating journey from Redlands to present day, including her experience as Chief Health Officer of NSW from 1988 to 1994.
Sue was the Co-Founder of the Australian Association of Community Physicians 1985, and President from 1986 to 1988, and has held similar positions in other organisations.
Sue was a member of the Doherty Inquiry into Medical Education and the Medical Workforce in 1987 and of the RACP Workforce Committee and the Rural Task Force for many years. She also serves on the Council of the Medical Benevolent Association of NSW.
Joshua-Rohan Gould (Redlander 2016) is a Junior Analyst at Sabre Astronautics, an aspiring astronaut and creative problem-solver with experience in Design and Quality Engineering, Sales, and Start-up Operations. Joshua is currently studying a Double Degree in a Bachelor of Engineering – Mechatronics, and a Bachelor of Science – Computer Science.
Dr Lisa Beeren (Redlander 1999) Head of Technology Operations at 5B, focusing on the inspiring mission of bringing rapid, low-cost, re-deployable solar to the world. Lisa completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the University College of London, having studied Molecular Genetics at the University of NSW prior to this.
Professor Diana Horvath AO (Redlander 1961) winner of the prestigious Centenary Medal, Sid Sax Medal, and International Hospital Federation Award. Diana served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Sydney Health Services for 14 years.
ANZAC Day Commemoration Assembly
We were honoured to have Major Jean-Marc Grant (Redlander 2002) and Lieutenant William Samios (Redlander 2016) join our ANZAC Commemoration Assembly us and talk to students about what ANZAC Day means to them and share their experiences. Please enjoy an update from Will about his journey including what it is like to study at ADFA and Duntroon.
Lieutenant William Samios
Message from William
I first heard of the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Year 11 when the Redlands Career Advisor took a group of students to Canberra to look at opportunities in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). I had found that whenever I was exposed to the military, I felt an urge to join. After discussing it with a friend, I decided to apply that night. I’ve always been comfortable with taking risks and see myself as a bit adventurous. Above all else, I wanted a challenging and unique career.
Joining the military had rarely crossed my mind let alone that of my peers. I was one of the first Redlands students to have joined in several years and it left me feeling a little daunted. For those that are unsure about joining, you join the Army to do something that matters, that has value, not just to Australia but to other people’s lives. And I love what I do.
ADFA is a unique place. The academy itself is a military institution, charged with developing future officers for the ADF. Concurrent to military training, all cadets and midshipmen study a degree through UNSW. Lecture groups are much smaller than at other university campuses – the average class size was about 15 students for a lecture in my third year.
Unlike traditional universities, there are not as many holidays. That’s not to say there are none, just fewer. Instead, trainees undergo their service-specific training, myself being an Army trainee that was mostly comprised of field activities. Time management was challenging, you are expected to conduct your military training and university studies simultaneously. A roll call is conducted every lesson, so there is no skipping class. The normal aspects of military life such as room inspections, physical training and an overarching expectation of how you hold yourself are all-encompassing.
There are two major benefits of this arrangement: personal growth and setting yourself up for success in life. In terms of personal growth, you are constantly pushed outside your comfort zone and a high degree of resilience is demanded from you – everything is intentionally challenging. The rationale is that you graduate as a well-rounded, professional and resilient individual. As far as setting yourself up for life, you undertake a fully funded tertiary degree and are on a salary from the time you begin. When you leave, you are a fully commissioned military officer, with a tertiary degree from a respected academic institution.
In terms of what I studied, I started out doing an Electrical Engineering degree. Whilst I performed well in the theory components, I struggled with practicals and labs. I changed my degree to a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science after about 6 months. A message for current students is that there are opportunities to change degrees and switch courses after you commence university. There is no shame in changing what you started off doing.
After graduation from ADFA, I started at the Royal Military College – Duntroon. This is where Army Officers are made. All graduates of the college receive their commission from the Governor-General, giving lawful authority for them to command soldiers. It is a difficult course that demands a lot from you, though the juice is worth the squeeze. I am extremely proud of graduating from Duntroon as this experience taught me more about myself than anything I’d ever done. After finishing in 2020, based on my performance and preferences, I received my first choice of corps and became a Signals Officer.
Mrs Dana Casimaty
Director of Development
dcasimaty@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9858