Vice-Chancellor's Student Award for Achievement

Mr Richard Geddes – commendation
Richard Geddes is an MBA student who has shown his broad commitment to the MBA program by being a founding member of the MBA Consultative Committee, and by writing a discussion paper on a Mentoring Program for MBA students.

Richard has played a leading role in development of support structures for fellow students, most notably for students from African nations. In 2004 he was President of the African Student Association, for which he developed the constitution and procedures, and he worked to forge strong links with the internal and external community.

Among other things, Richard organised the inaugural African Cup of Nations soccer tournament, open to students from all nations and attended by over 300 people. He has also managed some key student orientation functions, and has played an advocacy role for African students.

Richard was nominated in the category of Professionalism.

Mr Fozzil Jaffar – commendation
Fozzil Jaffar is studying for his Bachelor of Business (Marketing and International Business) degree. Fozzil was the Volunteer Coordinator for the 2004 Semester 2 Orientation Volunteer Program, maintaining rosters for over 200 volunteers and developing team structures for function coordinators. Fozzil was also the Performance Manager for the 2004 Multicultural Day @ECU Committee.

In 2004 Fozzil initiated and was the founding President of the Singapore Students Association, launched to coincide with the Singapore National Day. He also initiated the 2004 Iftar Gathering for Muslim students at ECU.

Fozzil was a senior collective member of the International Students Council, and acted as the Council’s representative on 4 ECU Orientation Steering Committees. Externally, he has represented ECU’s international students at the students’ state representative body.

Fozzil was nominated in the category of Enterprise.

Ms Pooja Patel – commendation
Pooja Patel is a Bachelor of Business student who has played a key role in developing student life for international students on the Joondalup Campus. As Joondalup’s Event Coordinator for the 2004 Multicultural Day @ ECU celebrations, she managed 10 key committee members and 50 volunteers in the planning and organisation of the event.

Pooja was a Volunteer Coordinator with specific responsibilities at Joondalup for the 2004 Semester 1 Orientation Volunteer Program. She managed a team of over 30 volunteers, and coordinated and rostered student activities. She was also a contributing member to the Orientation Steering Committee.

Outside the University, Pooja was a volunteer at the Joondalup Festival, acting as assistant parade coordinator, which involved fielding enquiries from the public, escorting judges to events and being responsible for audience management.

Pooja was nominated in the category of Service.

Mr Shadreck Thokozani – commendation
Shadreck Thokozani is studying for his MBA. With Richard, he was a founding member of the MBA Consultative Committee.

Shadreck has served his fellow African students as President of the Karibu Mentoring program, a joint initiative of ECU International and the Perth Institute of Business and Technology. During his presidency of Karibu, which features a social mentoring program embedded in an overarching social program, Shadreck broadened the program’s reach and membership, and assisted in establishing it at other institutions.

Shadreck has also served as a member of both the ECU Orientation Steering Committee and the Multicultural Day @ ECU organising Committee.

In 2004 Shadreck was Chairperson of the ‘Water for Malawi’ Charity Organisation, overseeing fundraising for, and management of, the development of wells. In 2004, the charity installed 5 wells in Malawi (compared with the usual 3).

Shadreck was nominated in the category of Service.

Mrs Fiona Fraser – award winner
Fiona Fraser is a student in the Faculty of CSESS completing her Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Studies).

During her studies, Fiona worked to enable fellow student Jayde Moyle, who suffers from Dystonia (Spasmodic Torticolllis), to attend the international symposium of the American Dystonia Association. Mrs Fraser organised a plan for raising funds for Ms Moyle, requesting assistance from the third year student body and from the University administration. In the process of supporting Ms Moyle, Mrs Fraser helped to raise awareness of the disability from which Ms Moyle suffers, and contributed to the development of a cohesive student body amongst third year early childhood students.

Fiona was also the Student Representative for her cohort, and a Peer Mentor for first year Early Childhood Students. Outside ECU, Fiona was a volunteer in the Vaulting Centre at the Riding for the Disabled Assocation of Western Australia, and a volunteer for Swan Health Services’ Community Mothers Programme.

Fiona was nominated in the categories of Service and Professionalism.