70th Anniversary Alumni Sessions

A series of panel events telling the history of UNE through the eyes of our Alumni and Staff and how our history can shape our future

Join us as UNE celebrates our history of 70 years in a series of panel discussions that will take you on a trip down memory lane. Focusing on the last seven decades, UNE will be hosting panellists from Alumni, Staff and Students to talk about their experiences and how our history has shaped their future. Culminating in a final panel discussion that will focus on the future of UNE and how you can be a part of it.

These free events will be held in Armidale, Tamworth and Sydney and we are inviting and encouraging anyone and everyone from our staff, students, alumni, community and future students to attend and participate. All events will have a networking opportunity following the panel discussion.

Share your memories

To help us celebrate our 70 years we would love you to share your UNE memories with us! Share your photos and stories via our dedicated "Remember when" site.

Share your memories here

Session 1: The beginning - Madgwick and McClymont (1954 – 1973)

Date: 10th April 2024 - Armidale

Hear about the beginning of the University of New England from 1954 - 1973 through the recollections of three special guests:

Wendy McCarthy AO: Wendy McCarthy completed her teaching degree at UNE and was a Duval College resident. She went on to become a champion of education and feminism, business woman, mentor and author.

Professor Edward (Snow) Barlow: UNE Rural Science graduate and Earle Page resident, Snow Barlow is an outstanding science educator, eminent plant physiologist, agricultural scientist and climate change advocate.

Jill Spilsbury: Jill Spilsbury is one of UNE’s earliest students, studying in 1954. She was a long-time head of Mary White and is an Honorary Fellow of Mary White College.

In this Q&A style panel session, we chat with our alumni about their UNE experiences, what they did after UNE and what they see for the future of UNE and our students.

Session 2:  Creative and Cultural Change (1974 – 1993)

Date: 26th June 2024

Step back in time to hear the fascinating stories of cultural and creative change that have shaped UNE's legacy. Three special guests will share their personal accounts and unique perspectives of UNE from 1974-1993:

Rod Noble:  Rod graduated from UNE with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History and Sociology and was a founding member of the Armidale based Socialist Action Movement from 1971 - 1976. His interests in workers' rights and global travel led to a career in academia and activism.

Mandy Bishop:  Receiving a Bachelor of Music from UNE, she then trained at WAAPA, Perth. Mandy has been living and working in Sydney and New York, as an actor, producer, singer and writer. She is known for her comedy portrayals of Julia Gillard, the former Prime Minister of Australia, in the television comedy At Home with Julia.

Dr Lynette Riley AO: Lynette is a Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi woman, she is currently the Chair, Aboriginal Education & Indigenous Studies in the School for Education & Social Work at the University of Sydney, she is co-chair of the National NAIDOC Committee, and on the board of the Aboriginal Languages Trust. Whilst at UNE, she founded UNE's ground-breaking Oorala Aboriginal Centre.

Session 3:  Regional to Global Impact (1994 – 2013)

Date: Thursday 1 August 2024

Join us at our new UNE Sydney campus to hear from our special guests about their time at UNE and how the university impacted their lives and made them who they are today.

Mingan Choct: Founder and CEO of the Australian Poultry CRC for its entire 14 years, served as UNE Pro Vice-Chancellor for External Relations from 2017 to 2020.

Rachel Chant: Director for various prominent Australian theatre companies, and Festival Director of Bondi Festival from 2015 to 2024.

Ben Thompson: CEO and Co-founder of Employment Hero, a global leader in employment management platforms valued at over $2 billion.

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Session 4: Shaping UNE's Tomorrow (2014 and beyond)

Date: Thursday 24th October 2024

Join us for our last panel discussion in the series, celebrating UNE's history and envisioning its future through the perspectives of our esteemed alumni and staff at our UNE Tamworth campus.

• Anna Barwick Senior Lecturer, School of Health
  Founder of PharmOnline, award-winning health advocate, and 2022 NSW Premier's Woman of the Year.
• Peter McGilchrist Bachelor of Rural Science, Professor in Meat Science, and President of the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association, dedicated to advancing the red meat industry.
• Brooke Kennedy Bachelor of Zoology with Honours (2016), PhD (2021), Proud Kamilaroi Woman, Lecturer in Anthrozoology, and 2024 UNE Alumni Rising Star award recipient.

This was the last alumni session as part of the 70th Anniversary Alumni Sessions.