UQ’s mid-year graduations finish today (Friday July 20) by honouring a Brisbane great and with a St Lucia family celebrating two generations of study success.
The St Lucia campus will host three ceremonies at the UQ Centre, Union Rd, including the disciplines: biological, chemical and health sciences, arts, and social and behavioural sciences.
Sallyanne Atkinson, AO, will receive an honorary degree at the 2pm ceremony and mother and daughter team Frances Kajlich and Yolana Kailichova (nee Kajlich) are eligible to graduate at the 6pm ceremony. (Unfortunately, the Kajlich’s will be unable to attend the ceremony.)
The Kajlich family have a strong connection to UQ’s St Lucia campus. Their first contact with the University was in 1982 when they moved from Washington, USA, so that husband and father Anton Kajlich could coach UQ water polo.
25 years on, all three children have completed degrees at the University and at the 6pm ceremony; Mrs Kajlich graduates with a Master of Arts (Applied Linguistics) at the same ceremony as her elder daughter.
Mrs Kajlich has previously completed a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Education at UQ. Her daughter Yolana will receive her Master of Education, after also completing a BA/BEd earlier in her study career.
“Education was always a valued opportunity in our minds and while watching my children benefit from their experiences, I tried to keep up with them along the way,” Mrs Kajlich said.
“There were many times I would read their assignments and learn a little more useful information for my own part-time studies at UQ.
“The University has been such a big of part our lives from our first day at the UQ pool to now graduating from the Masters program alongside my first child.”
Mrs Kajlich’s eldest child Yolana now lives in Manly, NSW, and teaches at a language institute.
“I have always been passionate about teaching but wanted to step outside the classroom and examine current issues from a policy and research perspective,” Yolana said.
Other Kajlich UQ graduates include Helena (Law) who currently works at McCullough Robertson Lawyers in the area of Indigenous rights.
Son Anton Kajlich has a UQ Bachelor of Environmental Management with honours and now works in the Northern Territory at Litchfield National Park.
Former Brisbane Lord Mayor Sallyanne Atkinson, AO, will receive a Doctor of the University honoris causa at the 2pm ceremony. The UQ Arts graduate of 1967 has had a successful political and business career, beginning her working life as a journalist.
She was elected Lord Mayor of Brisbane in 1985 after roles as Alderman for Indooroopilly in 1979 and Leader of the Opposition in 1982. During her term as Lord Mayor, she introduced major changes in the Council’s organisation, its interaction with the public and the image of Brisbane as a city.
She led Brisbane’s bid for the Olympic Games of 1992 and was subsequently Chairperson of the Australian Olympic Committee’s Sport for All Commission, the Committee to Organise the Sydney Olympics and Deputy Mayor of the Sydney Olympic Athletes Village.
In 1994, Ms Atkinson accepted the position of Senior Trade Commissioner in Paris. Returning to Brisbane in 1997, she was appointed chairperson of Tourism Queensland.
She continues to hold high-level positions including Director of APN News and Media, Millhouse IAG Ltd and The Australian Ballet. She is currently chairperson of ABC Learning Centres, the Federal Ministerial Taskforce on Dementia and the Crawford Fund (Qld). Ms Atkinson is also a Special Representative for the Queensland Government in South East Asia.
Valedictorian at the 2pm ceremony is Bachelor of Social Science student and Highgate Hill resident Sasha Jesperson.
The 6pm ceremony valedictorian is Bachelor of Arts (Literature) student, Kezia Whiting, and the guest speaker is Michael Campbell. Mr Campbell is Festival Director of the Brisbane Writers Festival.
Media: Elizabeth Kerr at UQ Communications (07 3365 2339; 0422 940 572)
