Duval Life
Aussie Night
The most true-blue event of the year with a live band, DJ and bar all within the walls of Duval. Get keen for some fair dinkum fun with your mates and come dressed up as your favorite Aussie icon.
Ball
With a different, extravagant theme each year, ball is one of the biggest events in Duval’s calendar. Taking months to prepare, this memorable evening is your chance to get dressed up, sit down for a formal meal and dance the night away with friends.
Christmas in July
Get out your Santa Suit, or your favourite Christmas sweater, or simply come in red! This fun filled night kicks off with a traditional Christmas dinner followed by dancing and singing in the JCR! Don’t forget to buy and wrap a present to go under the Christmas tree. There's always a mad rush to get the biggest present, but remember good things come in small packages.
DuVegas
Get out that feather boa, or that fancy suit, maybe you’re having a mock Vegas wedding! Whichever way you decide to come to this themed night, be prepared to win big with fake money and prizes. Card games, roulette, blackjack and more...... the theme is Vegas and it's an awesome night!
Commencement
Commence the year with a formal dinner, commemorating the past academic achievements of our residents and celebrating the new year ahead with the freshers. Afterwards, enjoy an evening of dancing with new and old friends in the JCR.
Valedicts
The last and most bittersweet event at college saying goodbye and good luck to Duval residents who have completed their degrees and will be moving on. We celebrate their college journey and share in telling the stories of the fun times they had while at Duval.
Woolshed
A memorable country hoedown at an old homestead just outside of Armidale. Put on your ‘flannie’ and best country attire for a good time and country bangers.
Duval has a strong connection to proud sporting traditions of both UNE and the greater Armidale community. The SportUNE complex is within walking distance of the college and has some of the highest standard facilities in Australia with expansive outdoor playing fields, basketball courts, tennis/netball courts, pool and modern gym. In addition, the college's own gym allows students to keep themselves in great shape in between times.
The Armidale Blues Rugby Union Club enjoys strong community support within Duval College — we have a strong affiliation with this local rugby club. Great life-long friendships have been forged through the Club.
The Kayaking Club sends a group of paddlers and land crew to participate in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic fundraising paddle. It's an amazing, memorable and challenging experience for all.
Inter-collegiate sporting competitions (MB/PT) - The President's Trophy (PT) and the Mary Bagnall Trophy (MB) are both contested by UNE college residents, across a wide range of sports.
Duval College celebrates the rich, individual talents and multicultural influences of our diverse student community.
Inter-College events The college is also a great competitor in the annual Sir Frank Kitto (SFK) intercollegiate cultural competition.
| Theatre Sports | Debating | Trivia | Art & Crafts | Public Speaking | Small Music Ensemble | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The SFK competition allows students to extend and develop their talents in a wide range of areas. Your SFK rep at Duval organises events by setting up dates, venues and judges. | ||||||
Duval College prides itself on its engagement with the community in which we live. Our residents have been involved in many community, charity and fundraising activities such as: | |
|---|---|
| Duval High Tea raising money for the McGrath Foundation | Mullets for Mental Health - money raised going to the Black Dog Institute |
| Kayaking Club raises money throughout the year for Arrow Bone Marrow Foundation | Each year Duval are proud participants of the May50k raising funds for Multiple Sclerosis research |
| Xmas in July Winter Drive - donations of food, blankets, warm clothes, toiletries etc were given to the Armidale Neighbourhood Centre | Our annual Charity formal dinners have supported charities in the past including, Stay Kind, BackTrack, Save the Bilby Foundation and Are You Bogged Mate |
| Dracula’s Cup is a favourite of Duval, competing with other colleges to donate as much blood as possible | |
Study Help
A foundation stone of the academic support at Duval College is the peer support provided by our resident leadership team. They are selected from various faculties and have consistently achieved high academic success. They help residents with their time management skills, essay writing techniques, communication and organisational skills.
The weekly College study night 'Might As Well Monday' involves all students bringing their books, notes, and their laptops to the dining hall to study together. Leaders are on hand to help with any questions and to help get the brain working.
- Approaching each exam period, a noise curfew is put in place to ensure that an ideal study environment is provided for students to study effectively.
- The annual Commencement Dinner celebrates the academic achievements of Duval College students. High achievers in each university year are rewarded for their academic effort and success.
- The College recognises academic excellence in a visible way. Awards for Highly Commended Academic Achievement (Silver) and for High Academic Achievement (Gold) are displayed on the Honour Boards in the College dining hall. Along with this public recognition, the silver award for achieving a Credit average and gold award for Distinction average or higher, offer monetary reward as well, donated by the Duval College Senior Common Room (SCR).
Senior Common Room
Another important part of the Duval academic support network is the Senior Common Room; a group that provides a link between students, faculty support, and the community. The SCR meet every month to discuss and plan ongoing mentoring and activities for all students, and are actively involved throughout the year.
Personal Support and Pastoral Care
The Senior Resident Leader (SRL) is primarily responsible for helping the Head of College in supporting you during your time at Duval. This role involves working closely and leading the Resident Leadership team to ensure the best pastoral care possible is on offer to residents.
The Resident Leadership team undertakes the functions of pastoral care and academic support. They are each allocated one or two blocks and are responsible for the academic, cultural, social and sporting well-being of the members of their block(s). Out of College Office hours, the Resident Leaders look out for the safety of the residents and the College premises and see that social activities do not disturb other students.
| Duval Resident Leaders 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
Sarah Reeves - Senior Resident Leader |
Holly Newsome - Deputy Senior Resident Leader |
Amber Gordon - Resident Leader |
Annabel Robinson - Resident Leader |
Lily Burnham - Resident Leader |
Lucy Fuge - Resident Leader |
Peter Iuso - Resident Leader |
Rory Frost - Resident Leader |
Adam McGuirk - Resident Leader |
At all times a Duty Resident Leader is rostered on to deal with the running of College outside normal office hours. The Duty Resident Leader is your help in an emergency, if you have locked yourself out of your room or if you need any other immediate practical assistance.
