Month: May 2025

College Life Flourishes at Sydney University in 2025

Posted on by Richard Morgan

A recent Sydney Morning Herald article (17 May 2025) by Education Reporter Christopher Harris has shone a spotlight on the vibrant and evolving experience of residential college life at the University of Sydney. Featuring St Paul’s alongside St Andrew’s, St John’s, Sancta Sophia, and Wesley Colleges, the piece highlights a renewed enthusiasm for the traditional college experience.

Harris describes an “early autumn evening at St Paul’s” where “dinner is more Downton Abbey or Harry Potter,” capturing the unique blend of tradition, community, and academic focus that defines college life. Since the pandemic, applications to residential colleges have surged—with St Paul’s seeing a five-fold increase.

This resurgence reflects a broader trend: as the vitality of campus life has declined in recent decades, students are increasingly seeking the connection, support, and enrichment that college communities provide. At St Paul’s, students benefit from shared learning, lifelong friendships, and a strong sense of belonging—key ingredients for both academic success and personal growth.

Importantly, the college community is becoming more diverse. Students from public schools, regional and remote areas, interstate, and overseas are finding a welcoming and inclusive environment where they can thrive. Many describe the experience as transformative, grounded, and deeply human.

While college fees are often discussed in the context of affordability, the value offered by St Paul’s is significant—especially in today’s challenging rental market. Students enjoy high-quality accommodation, meals, study spaces, music, sport, and a vibrant social life. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and philanthropic partners, scholarships and financial support are available to ensure that cost is not a barrier to opportunity.

As interest in college life continues to grow, so too does the need for support. The St Paul’s College Foundation is currently running its mid-year appeal to expand scholarship opportunities and ensure that more students can access the transformative experience of college life.

🔗 Learn more about the Foundation and how to support the appeal: CLICK HERE

See SMH (17 May 2025) CLICK HERE

Student-led Investment Club with a Charitable Purpose

Posted on by Richard Morgan

The Boomalakka Investment Club is a student-run, not-for-profit investment fund managing approximately A$40,000 in global equities. Founded in 2008, the club provides St Paul’s students with an unparalleled, hands-on opportunity to engage in active investment management while promoting financial education, professional development, and social impact.

The club is structured around a comprehensive governance model with a Chief Investment Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer, supported by sector leaders covering key industry verticals. Ryan Lynch, Chief Investment Officer says: “Investment decisions are democratically voted upon by members and guided by a formal Investor Policy Statement, ensuring discipline, accountability, and transparency in portfolio management.”

The club’s mission is twofold: to develop future finance professionals and to give back to the community. All dividends from the investments are donated to The Smith Family, helping support disadvantaged Australian youth. This charitable angle reinforces the members’ commitment to using finance for social good.

Key initiatives include:

• Shark Pitch Night: A flagship event where student teams pitch investment ideas to a panel of

professionals, including representatives from UBS.

• Educational Seminars: Regular workshops and guest lectures from alumni and industry

leaders to deepen investment knowledge and career insights.

• Daily Financial Newsletter: A student-run publication offering market analysis and updates

to promote financial literacy among members.

The club fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment where students learn by developing and defending investment theses, managing risk, and navigating real-world market dynamics. Members gain exposure to a structured investment process, professional-grade analysis, and direct interaction with practitioners in the finance industry.

As part of its ongoing development, the Club is actively working to strengthen relationships with old Paulines, recognising the immense value their industry experience and professional insights can offer. By fostering deeper alumni engagement, the aim is to create opportunities for Paulines to connect with current students through mentorship and guest speaking. This mutual exchange not only enriches the educational experience of students but also allows alumni to play a meaningful role in shaping the next generation of finance professionals within the College community.

If you are interested in helping as a guest speaker please contact Richard Morgan at the College on community@stpauls.edu.au or 02 9550 7444.

Young Pauline Achiever

Posted on by Richard Morgan

Where the Study of Languages can take you …

Heath Slone, in College 2013-16, completed BA(Languages) majoring in Chinese, Hebrew, and French and immediately picked up post-uni work in public affairs at the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. Here he spear-headed the campaign to successfully reform NSW anti-discrimination legislation and strengthen inter-community relations.


In 2019 he received a Yenching Fellowship to undertake a fully-funded Masters in Law (Politics and International Relations) at the Yenching Academy of Peking University, which he completed in 2021.[1]


Since 2020 Heath has worked as a Senior Research Analyst at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington DC- and Jerusalem-based think tank, that focuses on foreign language media, strategic affairs, and counter-extremism.[2] Today’s remote working opportunities allow Heath to live in Vienna. His language skills acquired at university have been greatly expanded through his Middle East work and the study in China. Heath posses a high level of proficiency in Mandarin, Hebrew, French, German, Arabic, Farsi, and Hungarian. For this old Pauline the value of the study of languages is helping Heath to shape economies, cultures, and societies in our increasingly interconnected world.

[1] The Yenching Academy of Peking University offers a fully funded, interdisciplinary Master’s program in China Studies designed to foster global understanding of China’s past, present, and future. Bringing together talented young leaders from around the world, the program emphasizes intercultural exchange, innovation, and academic flexibility. Scholars choose from six research areas, create personalized study paths with mentorship, and engage in a wide range of courses, extracurriculars, and fieldwork. With a curriculum rooted in the humanities and social sciences, the Academy encourages dialogue across disciplines and perspectives, aiming to shape globally minded citizens with a nuanced understanding of China.

[2] The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit that bridges the language gap between the West and the Middle East and South Asia by translating media in languages such as Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, and more. Founded in 1998, MEMRI provides timely translations and original analysis on political, ideological, and cultural trends to governments, security agencies, media, and academia, aiding efforts to combat extremism and inform global understanding of the region.

Postgraduate Achiever: Ines Wen

Posted on by Richard Morgan

[This article is a follow-up to the previous story posted on 31 July 2024 – see Webnews]

Graduate House PhD student Ines Wen has been a University tutor during Semester 1 in #BUSS4907 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation and since 2024 is author of three research papers all accepted for conference presentations about her thesis topic How Disruption Catalyses the Innovation Process in State-Owned Enterprises in Global Contexts. Ines has been accepted to present her most recent research paper Unfolding Innovation Processes for Sustainability within State-Owned Multinational Enterprises at the Academy of International Business (AIB) Sustainability Special Interest Group[1] International Symposium in Shenzhen, China.

The AIB Sustainability SIG symposium is a flagship international event that will bring together leading scholars (including Ines), policymakers, and industry experts to discuss cutting-edge research and practical solutions for integrating sustainability into global business strategies. With a focus on emerging markets and technological innovation, the symposium aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and generate actionable insights for sustainable international business practices.

Ines is also going to the 11th Biennial Conference of the International Association for Chinese Management Research 11-15 June 2025 and at the awards ceremony she is to be presented with a significant cash prize for her first paper. This event is China’s largest management research conference and takes place in the ancient city of Xi’an with over 1,500 participants.

Ines has also been Sydney Area Director at Toastmasters International[2] since July 2024. Ines supports the clubs of NAB, Deloitte, AMP, RMG (Macquarie) Toastmasters clubs and organised the Humorous, Evaluation, Impromptu, and International Speech Contest in Sydney CBD for club development and individual growth during 2024-2025.

Pic above: on the left is Antonia Badger, daughter of Pauline Lloyd Waddy, and Ines is on the right.

Ines joined Toastmasters International at the age of 18 in 2011. Whilst volunteering she has championed the benefits of Toastmasters in each of the cities where she has lived and studied—Taipei and Shanghai and now Sydney. Her contributions and achievements have been significant and across international borders to support communities, particularly during COVID-19. For example, as President of Shanghai CHJ High-Tech Park Toastmasters Club Ines and her colleagues strategized plans for rescuing individual club members locked-down by authorities in Shanghai and Wuhan and achieved significant growth of District 85 (Shanghai).

Ines was born in on the shores of Sun Moon Lake a major tourism site in Nantou near the city of Taichung in Taiwan. Ines joined Graduate House in 2024 and studies in the University of Sydney Business School.

[1] AIB Sustainability Special Interest Group is a community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to advancing research and dialogue on sustainability issues within the field of international business. The SIG fosters collaboration and innovation in addressing global challenges such as climate change, social responsibility, and sustainable development. It serves as a platform for sharing insights, best practices, and research that explore how international firms and institutions can contribute to a more sustainable global economy. AIB is hosted at Michigan State University, USA.

[2] Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organisation that helps people improve their public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Founded in 1924 Toastmasters International has over 300,000 members in more than 14,000 clubs across 150 countries. District 70 is Australia, Central Division is Greater Sydney area and Area 16 is Sydney CBD where Ines is currently Director.

Mummers’ Semester 1 Play: CLUE

Posted on by Richard Morgan

Mummers’ plays in recent years have delved into the comedic genre to provide wholesome entertainment to the masses who now regularly attend their performances in the professional environment of the Waddy Theatre at Paul’s.

Mummers plays are presented for anyone to attend and residents, alumni, parents, fellow uni students and those studying drama in school are all welcome.

With over 4,000 productions, Sandy Rustin’s adaptation of the cult-hit film CLUE was named by American Theatre one of America’s most produced plays and the New York Times called it “a welcome throwback to an era of physical comedy!”

This is a very funny farce-meets-murder mystery set in a mansion, with a controlling butler and characters who race to find the killer as the body count stacks up, without the mushroom foraging!

Director: Freya Carmody
Cast: Anna Morrison, Annika Johnson, Abby Long, Bridget Rae, Charlie Bevis, Deuchar Taylor, Felix Power, Helen Jordan, Jack Rowe, Kate Eggleston, Olivia McMillan, Olivia Dight, Ryan Bond, Sam McCredie.

Dates: Thursday 22 May 7:30 pm, Friday 23 May 7:30 pm, Sunday 25 May 4:30 pm

Venue: The Waddy Theatre, St Paul’s College; the lobby bar will be open before the show. Pedestrian entry at 9 City Rd, Camperdown, walk along the driveway to the McMillan Building past the roundabout (please park in City Rd or Carillion Ave).
*Please note there is NO show on Saturday 24 May*

Tickets $10-17: CLICK HERE

Photos from the rehearsals:

VE Day 80th Anniversary

Posted on by Richard Morgan

Victory in Europe Day, holds global significance as it marks the official end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945. This day symbolizes the triumph of Allied forces over Nazi Germany and the collapse of fascist regimes that had plunged the world into years of devastating conflict. The victory represented not only military success but also the preservation of democratic values and human rights in the face of tyranny and genocide. Across the world, VE Day is remembered as a turning point that paved the way for peace, postwar reconstruction, and the establishment of institutions like the United Nations, aimed at preventing future global conflicts. It remains a powerful reminder of the cost of war and the enduring value of international cooperation.

The Pauline of 1945 reported “as we look back at the year 1945, we may say, with justifiable pride, that the College has successfully weathered its darkest hour” (p.4). During the preceding three years many of the College rooms and facilities were occupied by American forces on duty in Sydney under the control of the Royal Australian Air Force who also occupied rooms. This meant many residents were crammed into the Blacket East/Radford Wing, the Warden’s Lodge and the maids’ quarters (above the kitchen) (Alan Atkinson Hearts and Minds 2017, pp. 277-283). There were trenches and a dug-out prepared for any potential air raid.

288 Paulines joined up and lists in The Paulines of the period include those killed, missing, POWs, wounded, decorated, on active service and obituaries. Serving Paulines ranged in rank from Private to Rear Admiral by the end of World War II. 25 were killed or missing and are commemorated on the memorial wall in the Chapel. By the end of the war 16 were decorated and 7 mentioned in dispatches. Lists of those serving at that time were compiled by then Flight Lieutenant E G Whitlam (in College 1935-42), later Prime Minster of Australia. (Ibid.)

We will remember them. Lest we forget.

Pictures below Paulines serving in WWII: (left) Captain E M Robson in North Africa (later Lieutenant Colonel and awarded DSO); (centre) Flight Lieutenant E G Whitlam; (right) Rear Admiral A B Doyle.

Two Paulines to be Re-elected to Federal Parliament

Posted on by Richard Morgan

Paulines will be pleased to know that the College ethos of service is being upheld by two alumni who have been re-elected to the House of Representatives in the May 2025 election.

The Hon Andrew Gee (at St Paul’s 1987-90) stood as an Independent candidate in the Division of Calare in the Central West NSW. Andrew was elected to Federal Parliament in 2016 as a National Party MP and in December 2022 he resigned from the Nationals over his party’s opposition to an Indigenous Voice in Parliament, subsequently rejected by the people at a referendum. Andrew served on numerous Parliamentary Committees between 2017 and 2022, then as Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister (2019-20), then in ministerial roles in the Morrison Government: Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education (2020–2021) and Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment, and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs (2021–2022) and Minister for Defence Personnel (2021–2022). Previously he was member for Orange in the NSW Legislative Assembly (2011-16).

Andrew completed BEc(Hons) in 1991 and LLB in 1994 at the University of Sydney and was a barrister from 2003 to 2011.

Andrew appears to be headed for re-election with an increased majority on a two candidate preferred (TCP) count (subject to declaration of the poll by the Acting Australian Electoral Commissioner). As at 5 May Andrew had gained a 56.35% majority (TCP).

Dr Andrew Charlton (at Paul’s 1997-99) stood as an ALP candidate the Division of Parramatta. Andrew was first elected to Federal Parliament in 2022 when he took the seat from the Liberals. Andrew has served on a number of Parliamentary Committees during the previous Albanese Government.

Andrew completed BEc at the University of Sydney 2001; was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for NSW in 2001; MEc and PhD Econ at the University of Oxford; was an analyst for the United Nations Development Programme 2003; research fellow at the London School of Economics from 2005 to 2008; Senior Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister and G20 Sherpa from 2008 to 2010; General Manager at Wesfarmers from 2010 to 2014; Founder and Managing Director of AlphaBeta from 2015 to 2020 and; Managing Director of Accenture from 2020 to 2022.

Andrew appears to be headed for re-election with an increased majority on first preferences count (subject to declaration of the poll by the Acting Australian Electoral Commissioner). As at 5 May Andrew had gained a 62.75% majority (TCP).

The Pauline community sincerely congratulates our two serving Federal MPs on their expected re-elections and we wish them well for the Parliamentary Term.

Pauline Members of the Australian Federal Parliament

  • 1922-37 Member for Richmond NSW (Country Party): Roland Frederick Herbert Green (1885-1947; in College 1910).
  • 1940-49 Member for New England NSW (Country Party); The Hon Joseph Palmer Abbott, OBE MC (1891–1965; in College 1910-13), Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Co-ordination, 1941; Minister Assisting the Minister for the Army, 1941; Minister for Home Security, 1941.
  • 1949-61 Member for Oxley QLD (Liberal Party): The Hon Dr Donald Alastair Cameron, OBE (1900-74; in College 1918-20, 1922-27, Senior Student 1925-27); Minister for Health,1956-61; Minister for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation,1960-61.
  • 1949-82 Member for Lowe NSW (Liberal Party): The Rt Hon Sir William (Billy) Daniel McMahon, GCMG CH PC (1908–88; in College 1927-33); Minister for the Navy, 1951-54; Minister for Air, 1951-54; Minister for Social Services, 1954-56; Minister for Primary Industry,1956-58; Minister for Labour and National Service,1958-66; Vice-President of the Executive Council, 1964-66; Treasurer,1966-69; Minister for External Affairs;1969-70; Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1970-71; Prime Minister of Australia, 10 March 1971 to 05 December 1972.
  • 1952-78 Member for Werriwa NSW (ALP): The Hon Edward Gough Whitlam, AC QC (1916-2014; in College 1935-42, Senior Student 1941); Prime Minister of Australia 05 December1972 to 11 November 1975; Minister for Foreign Affairs,1972-73; served as Treasurer, Attorney-General, Minister for Customs and Excise, Minister for Trade and Industry, Minister for Shipping and Transport, Minister for Education and Science, Minister for Civil Aviation, Minister for Housing, Minister for Works, Minister for External Territories, and Minister for the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts, 05-19 Deceber1972; Minister for Environment, 02-14 July 1975.
  • 1964-73 Member for Parramatta NSW (Liberal Party): The Hon Sir Nigel Hubert Bowen, KBE AC QC (1911–94; in College 1928-30); Attorney-General, 1966-69; Minister for Education and Science, 1969-71; Attorney-General, 1971; Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1971-72.
  • 1966-69 Member for Warringah NSW (Liberal Party): Edward Henry St John QC (1916-94; in College 1934-38).
  • 1969-83 Member for Maribyrnong VIC (ALP): The Hon Dr Moses Henry (Moss) Cass (1927-2022; in College1945); Minister for Environment and Conservation,1972-75; Minister for Environment, 1975; Minister for the Media,1975.
  • 1984-96 Member for Deakin VIC (Liberal): Julian Howard Beale (1934-2021; in College 1952-53).
  • 1984-96 Member for Hughes NSW (ALP): The Hon Robert Edward Tickner AO (b 1951; in College 1970-71); Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, 1990-91; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Reconciliation, 1991-93; Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, 1991-96.
  • 1989-2007 Member for Gwydir NSW (Nationals): The Hon John Duncan Anderson AC (b. 1956; in College 1975- 76), Minister for Primary Industries and Energy, 1996-98; Minister for Transport and Regional Development,1997; Minister for Transport and Regional Services,1998-2005; Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, 1999-2005.
  • 1993-2008 Senator for NSW (Nationals): The Hon John Alexander Lindsay (Sandy) MacDonald (b 1954; in College 1972-73); Parliamentary Secretary for Trade, 2005-06; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, 2006-07.
  • 2001-04 Member for Wentworth NSW (Liberal): Peter Edward King (b 1952; in College 1971-75).
  • 2016– Member for Calare NSW (Nationals to 2022; Independent from 2022): The Hon Andrew Robert Gee (b. 1968; in College 1987-90); Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, 2019-20; Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education, 2020-21; Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment, 2020-21; Minister for Defence Personnel, 2021-22; Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, 2021-22.
  • 2022- Member for Parramatta NSW (ALP): Dr Andrew Henry George Charlton (b. 1978; in College 1997-99).

Source: https://handbook.aph.gov.au/Parliamentarian/ [5 May 2025]