Past recipients

Tarang Chawla was presented with the Rising Star Award for his leadership and contribution to community advocacy against domestic violence in Australia. A 2017 Young Australian of the Year finalist, Tarang founded "Not One More Niki," a campaign to end violence against women and children in memory of his sister. Tarang is a frequent speaker on violence against women, gender and diversity, and a role-model for young men to adopt non-violence and healthy masculinity. He is an Ambassador for Victoria Against Violence, White Ribbon, Our Watch, Safe Steps, InTouch and the AFL Multicultural Program. He works as an independent advisor to governments, businesses and organisations on their efforts to end domestic and family violence and is a Board Member of the Victim Survivors Advisory Council (VSAC), the Diversity and Intersectionality Working Group and the Ministerial Taskforce on the Prevention of Violence Against Women.

Upon receiving his award, Tarang said, 'I applaud you all for making that choice today [to study an Arts degree], to further critical reasoning, which in today's world is so much more vital than ever. It's such a pervasive belief in some of our communities that these fields don't lend themselves to money, so why should we bother with them? Ultimately, I'm glad I did this degree from the University of Melbourne because it's the grounding by which I think I might make a difference in years to come. I hope that when all is said and done, I can make my late 23-year old sister Niki very proud of her older brother. For current students, I encourage you to enjoy your time here, to make the most of it, to be emboldened by unconventional ideas and to have the confidence to express your own. Because when we do that, together, we create a better future for all of us.'

Ms Morgan Koegel

BA 2013

Morgan Koegel was presented with the Rising Star Award for her outstanding contribution to the fields of social advocacy and education, particularly in her role as CEO of One Girl.

One Girl is an organisation on a mission to educate 1 million girls across the developing world. Following the completion of her Arts degree, Morgan took up the post of CEO at the age of 24 after working as the CEO of Engage Education, a not-for-profit focused on keeping Australian students in the classroom. Morgan's roles in the charity sector have seen her in classrooms across Australia, in prisons providing legal education and now with One Girl, travelling across West and Central Africa. She is a passionate believer in the power of education and the capacity for young people to do anything they set their mind to.

Upon receiving her award, Morgan said, 'When the chair of the board [of One Girl] called me to offer me the role, he told me that I was actually the youngest person who had applied for it. And that surprised me. But what he said next surprised me even more. He said from your background, from the way you spoke, from your application that you handed in, we can see that you are someone who is creative, who thinks confidently, who thinks outside of the box when challenged by things you haven't heard before. Perhaps that was the first time that I saw the skills that I developed in this degree, from arguing with my classmates, from submitting papers, to having the opportunity to engage with my professors.'

Leadership Award

An individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in business, community or government

Mr Jack Heath

BA (Hons) 1984, LLB

Jack Heath was presented with the Leadership Award for his outstanding leadership in government and community sectors, particularly his contribution to mental health awareness and advocacy as the CEO of SANE Australia.

Jack has been working to build better lives and give voice to the challenges and achievements of Australians affected by mental illness for close to two decades. In 1997, following the suicide of his 20-year-old cousin, Jack founded the Inspire Foundation, with the idea of using the internet to prevent youth suicide. The Inspire Foundation, which runs the ReachOut.com youth mental health service, brought to life Jack's vision of using technology to enable young people to stay connected and get the help they need, where and when they need it.

Prior to Inspire, Jack spent 10 years working in government as a diplomat, public servant and senior adviser to Prime Minister Paul Keating. After returning from the United States, where he ran the Inspire USA Foundation in 2010 and 2011, he worked with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and then moved back to working in mental health. In 2012, inspired by people with mental illness, and driven by his personal experience, Jack seized the opportunity to become the CEO of SANE Australia, an organisation that strives to help and support people with complex mental illness to live better and safer lives.

Upon receiving his award, Jack said, 'I got approached to run SANE and I did not want the job. And I did not want the job because of my cousin who had had schizophrenia and died of suicide, because of my mother who at that time was his primary carer and ended up at the Melbourne clinic in Richmond, and also because of an aunt who had paranoid schizophrenia as well … [But] every time I tried pushing against the door and saying, I don't want this, no I don't want this, the door kept on opening. And what happened was when I walked into SANE I came across people who are living with complex mental illness, about 700,000 of us who live with that on an annual basis, people with bipolar or schizophrenia are holding down full-time or part-time jobs, and despite having worked in mental health for over 15 years I had no idea that people could live with these terrible conditions and still show up for work and do amazing things … What I know from my work is that there can be a hunger to learn, or a hunger for hope and without benefactors and supporter, nothing happens. I want to wish each and every one of the students here the very best, and for those of us who are dealing with very difficult mental health issues or know someone who is, know that there’s hope and that we can build a better future for everyone.'

Contribution to the Faculty and University Award

An individual who has made a significant and sustained contribution to the Faculty and University through outstanding leadership, impact on students, research and teaching, engagement or philanthropy.

Professor Emeritus Margaret M. Manion AO

MA Bed, PhD (Bryn Mawr) Llitt D (HON) FACE FAHA

Professor Margaret Manion was presented with the Contribution to the Faculty and University Award for her outstanding and ongoing contribution to the Faculty and University, in particular, her extraordinary international influence in the field of art history.

Professor Manion is one of Australia's pre-eminent art historians, whose scholarship on Medieval and Renaissance art is acclaimed internationally. As Herald Chair of Fine Arts at the University of Melbourne from 1979 to 1995, Professor Manion set directions in the teaching of art history that have had far reaching consequences. She brought passion, generosity, dedication and creativity to her work as a scholar and teacher; and the art history program which she fostered at Melbourne has equipped generations of students, many of whom now hold positions as directors, curators and academics in major art institutions in Australia and around the world. She was the first woman to be appointed to an established Chair at the University and the first woman to chair the Academic Board. She served as Deputy Dean and Acting Dean in the Faculty of Arts, and Associate Dean for Research. Her leadership in these roles included the development of supportive programs for staff and postgraduate research, with other key achievements across the University including her major role in the establishment of the Ian Potter Museum of Art.

Professor Manion has also played a highly significant role in many organisations, particularly the National Gallery of Victoria, which has made her a Trustee Emeritus in line with her outstanding contribution to the life of that institution over many years. Margaret was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to the arts and education in 1988, received a Centenary Medal in 2001, an honorary Doctor of Letters in 2007, and the Tucker Medal in 2016. Professor Manion's publications include ground-breaking studies of Medieval and Renaissance Art; she has curated major exhibitions; and she continues to be at the forefront of research and publications on medieval illuminated manuscripts in particular.

Upon receiving her award, Margaret said, 'I have very affectionate and long standing memories of the University of Melbourne, which was quite a foreign place for me when I arrived from Sydney. My commitment in the Herald Chair was to promote the principle of the arts in the wider community. It's been a wonderful experience to be honoured to teach and I think if you look at the arts, they're not separate and contained. The Arts faculty has a long tradition, not only of learning, but also of being engaged in [the wider community] and this can [lead graduates] to all sorts of unexpected places.'

Lifetime Achievement Award

An individual who has made an outstanding, long-term and internationally-recognised contribution to their field of endeavour.

Sir James Gobbo AC CVO KSJ QC

BA (Hons) 1952, LLD

Sir James Gobbo was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to government, community, the arts, literature, history, law, international relations and the Italian community in Melbourne, and particularly for his role as Governor of Victoria and service on many community boards.

Sir James Gobbo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in 1952 and was admitted to practice law in 1956. After a year as a solicitor, he went to the Bar where he practiced for 21 years. He took silk in 1971 and was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1978. He retired from the Court in 1994 and in 1995 was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Victoria and served as Governor of Victoria between 1997 and 2000. Sir James has maintained a long interest in Italian Community affairs, as reflected in his former Presidency of Co.As.It. (Italian assistance organisation). Since 1975, Sir James has served on advisory bodies to the Federal Government in connection with immigration and refugee affairs. He was a founding member in 1960 of the Immigration Reform Group, which played a key role in ending the White Australia Policy, and he was the Founding Chairman of the Australia Council of Multicultural Affairs in 1989.

Among his many community commitments, Sir James has served on the Catholic Archdiocese Finance Advisory Council and was Chairman of Mercy Private Hospital, Chairman of the Council of Caritas Christi Hospital and Board Member of Mercy Maternity Hospital. Sir James was President of the Scout Association (Victoria) from 1987 to 1997. He has also served as Chairman of the Council of the National Library of Australia and of the Council of the Order of Australia. In 1990, Sir James co-founded the International Specialised Skills Institute, he has held positions as a Victorian Commissioner to Italy, and in 1998 was conferred the highest honour bestowed by the Republic of Italy, the Order of Grand Merit of the Republic of Italy. A member also of our Melbourne Humanities Foundation Board, Sir James continues to work to provide wise counsel to the University and to develop opportunities for students to understand the richness and depth of their multicultural heritage and promote cross-cultural understanding.

Upon receiving his award, James said, 'My history teacher Kathleen Fitzpatrick once said to me, "If I'm not mistaken, you're of Italian origin" and I nodded, because I'd come here when I was seven years of age. She said, "you know Italians are very talented people, and what's more, they have the industry to use their talents." Up until then had this feeling that to be Italian was a disability. I danced out of that room on wings of eagles because I realized from that moment on that being Italian was a great asset.’

A warm congratulations to our Arts Alumni Awards recipients from the Faculty of Arts.

Professor Gary Foley was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to Aboriginal Australian advocacy, welfare and rights. Gary was a co-founder of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972, played a pivotal role in organising protests against the Springbok tour in 1971, and was involved in the formation of the Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern and the Aboriginal Medical Service in Melbourne and Sydney. He co-wrote and appeared in the first Aboriginal stage production in 1972, Basically Black, helped to establish the National Black Theatre, and he has starred in films such as Backroads and Dogs in Space, as well as being the first director of the Aboriginal Arts Board of the Australia Council. Gary organised protests to highlight Indigenous issues at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games and, during the Bicentenary, was a consultant to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. He also campaigned successfully against the closure of Northland Secondary College in 1993. From 2001- 2005 Gary was the Senior Curator for South Eastern Australia at Museum Victoria.

Gary was awarded the Chancellor's Medal for this PhD thesis at the University of Melbourne on the development of the Black Power movement within the Aboriginal community, and is the author of a forthcoming book on this topic. He has also been published in numerous journals including Griffith Law Review and the Australian Journal of Human Rights. Gary is now Professor at the Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Unit at Victoria University.

The Faculty of Arts is proud to acknowledge Gary's dedication and contribution to academic writing and research, to advocacy and activism, to film and acting, and particularly to Aboriginal health, welfare and rights. Gary has made an extraordinary mark on the history not only of this campus and its students, but also on a world in which the role of activism and advocacy remains critical.

I got thrown out of school when I was 15 years old on the North coast of New South Wales by a racist headmaster who dismissed me with these words; "We don't want your kind here". Those words demolished my self-esteem, my self-confidence for 30 years. I came to the University almost at the age of 50, so it's a little bit of a concern to get a Lifetime Achievement Award at this age because sort of implies that I'm getting towards the end of my life. I think there's a few bites left in this old dog yet, mate! I want to pay particular tribute to Professor Nikos Papastergiadis, who was my PhD supervisor… he played a key role in helping me discipline my mind and achieve the award I received for my PhD. I also want to pay particular tribute to Dr Tony Birch, who was the first Aboriginal historian to graduate from this University … he was a role-model and a mentor for me. One other person that I'd like to pay tribute to is Dr Steven Welch, who was really one of the truly inspirational historians I studied under at this University. It was a fantastic experience…

Jason Ball was presented with the Rising Star Award for his commendable leadership and outstanding contribution in the fields of anti-discrimination and LGBTIQ advocacy. After publicly coming out in 2012 as the first openly gay Australian Rules footballer at any level of competition, Jason launched a national campaign to challenge homophobia in sport, starting a petition calling on the Australian Football League (AFL) to play 'No To Homophobia' ads on the big screen of the 2012 AFL Grand Final and to commit to a Pride Round the following year. The petition received almost 30,000 signatures and gained national and international media coverage leading to major advances in the AFL's commitment to creating a more inclusive environment for all players and supporters. Jason led the 18th Pride March Victoria with his teammates from the Yarra Glen Football Club, and he initiated the annual Pride Cup, a country football match to celebrate diversity and promote LGBTIQ inclusion. In 2013 Jason was appointed an ambassador for beyondblue to speak about issues of mental health, in schools, sporting clubs and conferences around Australia.

An outspoken political activist, Jason is standing as the Australian Greens candidate for the 2016 federal election in the division of Higgins.

There's a bit of a stereotype that an Arts degree doesn't give you the workplace-ready, job skills that you need in the community… My Bachelor of Arts developed my abilities to communicate clearly and reach people from a variety of walks in life. Not only that, but it gave me the confidence to stand up for what matters most to me and that is equality.

Lucy Thomas

BCA(Hons), PGradDipPsych

Lucy Thomas was presented with the Rising Star Award for being an outstanding innovator and contributor in the fields of social advocacy and education. Cofounder of PROJECT ROCKIT, Australia's largest youth driven anti-bullying movement combatting hate and prejudice, Lucy has been passionate and tireless in her campaign to fight bullying. Launched in 2006 by Lucy and her sister Rosie, PROJECT ROCKIT has united hundreds of thousands of young people around Australia over the past decade, helping them to feel confident to take a stand against bullying. Lucy and Rosie have served as spokespeople and consultants on cybersafety campaigns lead by research centre Young and Well CRC, headspace, Telstra, Microsoft and the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

In 2015 Lucy became an inaugural member of Twitter's global Trust and Safety Council and took up the post of Australian delegate in Facebook's compassion research summit. Lucy is also a committed LGBTIQ campaigner and sits on the board of Minus18, supporting same sex attracted and gender diverse teens. In 2014 Lucy and her sister were appointed by Unicef as one of 12 Digital Champions around the world for Children's Rights in the Digital Age.

Lucy frequently lends her expertise to consult on issues related to young people and technology contributing to programs such as ABC's Compass, Triple J's Hack, The Herald Sun and Dolly and Cleo magazines.

I'm just going to quickly share an idea; this is the idea on which PROJECT ROCKIT was founded, and I think the University of Melbourne is a great petri dish for ideas. The idea is simple, it's not very original, but it's really powerful: imagine a world where kindness and respect thrive over bullying, hate, and prejudice.

I think our task is to take the grit of our every day; the horrors, the struggles, and the boringness of our lives and transform them into something really valuable for others. And that's what I think we all need to do to make this world a kinder place for everyone, so thank you.

Emeritus Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe was presented with the Contribution to the Faculty and University Award for his extraordinary support for poetry, scholarship and education over many years. Chris is a celebrated poet and academic who,alongside a long career at the University of Melbourne, also held the posts of Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard University and at the University of Venice, Ca'Foscari. He is the founding director of the Australian Centre and currently the Chair of Australian Poetry Limited. A celebrated poet, essayist and critic, Chris has dedicated much of his life to teaching the next generation of creative writers at Melbourne. Chris's academic, creative and intellectual leadership across the disciplines of English, Creative Writing and Australian Studies are widely acknowledged and have benefited innumerable students and staff over his years at the University. The role Chris played in the creation of the Australian Centre in particular has left a significant legacy.

Chris was recently acknowledged by the judges of The Melbourne Prize for his outstanding contribution to Australian literature, cultural and intellectual life. The distinction of his poetry has rightly been recognised by numerous awards, and alumni have commented warmly on his remarkable teaching and supervision of students, his role as a mentor for students and staff, and his generosity in continuing to contribute creatively and intellectually to this institution.

My father, who was a journalist, said: 'There's one thing kid - you've gotta be interested in everything…' What I've found with the University community is an encouragement to be interested in everything, an encouragement to communicate, and I've loved the way in which generation after generation of successive students has come up different and eager to do this…

Lily Yulianti was presented with the Leadership Award for her community and organisational development in the field of media and communications in both Indonesia and Australia. Lily began her career in writing and journalism working for various Indonesian, Japanese and Australian media outlets. After completing her Masters degree at the University of Melbourne, Lily founded Indonesia's first citizen journalism web site, Panyingkul, which provides free writing courses for emerging writers of any background in her home-town Makassar, South Sulawesi Indonesia. Lily spearheaded the "Makkunrai Project", a program raising gender awareness through literature and stage performance. Lily is also the founder of Rumata' Artspace, an independent creative arts centre producing local opportunities and a centre for excellence in culture and arts in the city of Makassar. She is the initiator and director of the "Makassar International Writers Festival."

Lily's strong belief in the transformative power of the written word has seen her publishing her own work and frequently presenting at literary festivals around the world.

I do believe there's beauty in the way people at the grassroots can communicate and connect with each other. I feel connected across both Australia and Indonesia. That's why every time when people ask 'So where do you live now, Lily?,' I say I live in Makassar and Melbourne.