Classmates, lecturers help family celebrate graduation together
Bianca Reynaud/Brenton Stacey
Public relations assistant/Public relations officer
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
One family across two generations will receive three awards in as many levels at Avondale College of Higher Education’s yearend celebration this weekend (December 12-14).
Caleb and Rachel Rankin will graduate with their father, Paul, the first student to begin and end his PhD at Avondale. Credit: Brenton Stacey.
More than 30 years since first enrolling as an undergraduate at Avondale, Paul Rankin will become the second student to graduate with a PhD but the first to begin and end the award at the college of higher education. Son Caleb will receive an undergraduate award—a Bachelor of Environmental Science—and youngest daughter Rachel a vocational education and training award—a Diploma in Outdoor Recreation.
Paul first visited the Lake Macquarie campus as a six-year-old in 1963. Four years later, father Ian graduated from the theology course. Paul returned in 1980, also as a theology student. He helped establish what is now the Avondale Students’ Association and served as its first president before graduating in 1983.
These experiences and the opportunity to study with one of his “great mates,” fellow hang-gliding enthusiast and supervisor Dr Darren Morton, brought Paul back to Avondale. His children have also benefitted from this level of care and encouragement. “The support Avondale’s given to us has impressed me,” says Paul.
Some of Caleb’s lecturers worked out of hours to mentor him throughout his course. Now, his academic achievements have enabled Caleb to consider applying for an honours degree.
Classmates of Rachel—the 18-year-old enrolled after completing Year 10—“almost adopted her as a younger sister,” says Paul. The academic and social support she received helped enhance her leadership skills—Rachel is volunteering at Jombok Hoas, an adventure learning centre operated by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Cambodia, for six months next year.
While academic registrar Dr Gwen Wilkinson enjoys celebrating the success of each graduate, “the level of enjoyment increases when I see the success of a family group such as the Rankins.”
Paul, Caleb and Rachel are three of the 264 graduands eligible to march into the Chan Shun Auditorium during the graduation service on Sunday. The class of 2014 includes the first graduands from the Master of Teaching course.
Addressing them will be Dr Michael Spence, vice-chancellor and principal of The University of Sydney and an ordained Anglican priest.
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