From the Chancellor – Summer 2011

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Welcome to the Summer 2011 edition of Contact.

UQ Chancellor Mr John Story

Attending the Courting the Greats dinner at St Lucia recently, I was struck by the collected achievements of our growing alumni network, which now numbers almost 200,000 people from every corner of the globe.

In addition to acknowledging our highest achieving graduates, the event provided an opportunity to reflect on the efforts of the extended community – alumni, students, staff, partners and friends – who rallied behind the University in the wake of the January floods. Part of that legacy is the positive impact of the Student Emergency Welfare Fund Appeal, which was supported by hundreds of people and combines with the physical transformation of refurbished buildings and facilities in recent months.

There is no shortage of hardworking and inspirational people with a UQ connection, and this year we have marked the achievements of several outstanding individuals with an honorary doctorate. They include leading businessman and philanthropist Graeme Wood, pioneering electrical engineer Else Shepherd, and music educators Max Olding and Pamela Page.

A person with many letters and awards to her name is the late Margaret Olley AC. In this edition we pay tribute to one of Australia’s favourite artists, who had a special connection to UQ. A retrospective of Margaret’s artworks, Life’s journey, brought thousands of people to St Lucia in 2009, and her generosity ensures her spirit lives on in art museums across the country, including our own.

One of the University’s first benefactors, Thomas Charles Beirne, would have been entertained by a debate which took place at Customs House in August. The event marked the 75th anniversary of the UQ law school, which bears his name and is now one of the country’s largest.

To ensure Contact keeps you connected with the University, I invite you to complete an online readership survey. This is the first such exercise since the magazine went online in 2009, and we welcome your feedback.

Thank you in advance for your input, and happy reading.

John Story
Chancellor

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