Posts Tagged ‘Faculty of Business’

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Well versed

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Lecturer a multi-published poet

An Avondale lecturer has found a peer-reviewed publisher for her poetic take on academic life.

Lyn Daff’s poetry regularly appears in two accounting journals. Credit: Aaron Bellette.

Lyn Daff has now had six of her poems published in the Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal and Critical Perspectives on Accounting. Two of the poems are inspired by Lyn’s PhD. The most recent, “The ethics application,” published in the March 2012 issue of the Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, likens preparing an ethics application to the biblical character of David facing the giant Goliath. The other poem, “The research proposal” (April 2011), also published by the journal, reflects on the nonlinear process of preparing a proposal.

“The thing I like about this type of poetry is you can raise issues in a humourous way, and that gets people’s attention,” says Lyn.

Lyn, a senior lecturer in accounting in the Faculty of Business at Avondale College of Higher Education, began writing academic-themed poetry only in 2010. But her broader interest in it began at an early age—she remembers visiting her grandmother’s brother and sister, who enjoyed reciting poetry.

She can thank her father for the gift. “Dad writes poetry for birthdays and weddings, and I enjoy doing that, too,” says Lyn. A case in point: the event at which Lyn first shared one of her poems in public? “My wedding.”

 

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PA GM gives boost to business

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Partnership continues to benefit students

A five-year partnership between information technology consultancy Professional Advantage (PA) and Avondale College of Higher Education continues to benefit students in the Faculty of Business. As part of the partnership, PA provides staff members for guest lectures. The most recent: general manager for consultancy Chris Pennington, who spoke about the importance of communication in the workplace. “The majority of my time is spent not on technical issues but sorting out communication issues,” he told the students. Chris manages 70 staff members, most of who work in Melbourne and in Sydney, from his home in Forster. His point: a message is not given until it is received, understood and acknowledged. Chris also commented on career success. Most people do what is required, he said, but “doing that little bit extra” gets you noticed.—Lyn Daff, senior lecturer, Faculty of Business, Avondale College of Higher Education

 

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Prizewinning potential

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Avondale honours its top students

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Jared Benard, Kristen Hankins and 24 of their classmates are Avondale College of Higher Education’s top students after receiving academic prizes during Forum this past Wednesday (October 26).

Pr Pablo Lillo from Adventist Media Network presents the Journalism Prize to Sonja Larsen. Credit: Ben Turner.

Jared, president of the Avondale Students’ Association, and Kristen each received $1500 for winning Avondale’s most prestigious prize, the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Prize for Excellence.

Jared is the third consecutive management major to win the prize—after Hannah Rowe this past year and Charles Muirhead in 2009. He also won a second prize—sharing the Bachelor of Business Excellence Prize with Faye Saville ($500 each). His advice for those in earlier stages of their study: seek leadership roles because they help you discover what you enjoy doing. Jared will coordinate a new business course and teach physical education at Noosa Christian College next year.

Kristen, a Bachelor of Education (Primary) student, did not know the Prize for Excellence existed until receiving it. The recognition for personal initiative, leadership qualities and academic, social and spiritual balance is an “honour,” she says. Kristen thanks her lecturers for “helping me reach my goals”—they helped her complete a four-year course in three. Her advice: what appears irrelevant in class is relevant in the workplace—Kristen will teach Year 1 at Northpine Christian College next year.

Communication and international development studies major Sonja Larsen joined Jared as a multiple prizewinner. She received the Adventist Media Network Journalism Prize ($1000) and the W A Townend Christian Journalism Prize ($500), recognising in part her work as an editorial assistant for Connections.

A piano solo at the beginning of Forum confirmed Ben Milis as a worthy recipient of the Alan and Yvonne Thrift Perpetual Shield for Musical Excellence Prize ($1000). The performance of “We Shall Behold Him” impressed not only staff members and students but also one of the presenters, who concurred with president Dr Ray Roennfeldt in thanking Ben.

Bachelor of Ministry and Theology (Honours) student Abel Iorgulescu added the Clifford Anderson Prize ($1000), which he shared with James London, to the Arthur Ferch Prize for Hebrew Studies he received this past year. The prize recognises ministerial potential.

The Edna Ferris Heise Prize for female theology students recognises excellence in communication. The winner: the new faith columnist for Connections, Bethany Turner.

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Teaching (Honours) student Rebekah Bamford won the first Australian Indigenous Student Teaching Prize ($1000).

Avondale will announce other prize recipients, including the third recipient of the Prize for Excellence, during the consecration service on the Sydney campus.

Academic Prizes

Faculty of Arts and Theology
School of Humanities and Creative Arts

Adventist Media Network Digital Media Prize
Adventist Media Network
Josh Bolst ($1000)

Adventist Media Network Journalism Prize
Adventist Media Network
Sonja Larsen ($1000)

Alan and Yvonne Thrift Perpetual Shield for Musical Excellence Prize
School of Humanities and Creative Arts, Avondale College of Higher Education
Ben Milis ($1000)

Bachelor of Arts Excellence Prize
Willobee Floor Service
Rhianon Bougaardt ($1000)

Huguenot History Prize
Dr Allen and Andrea Steele
Hayley Blagden ($1000)

W A Townend Christian Journalism Prize
Townend family
Sonja Larsen ($500)

School of Ministry and Theology

Arthur Ferch Prize for Hebrew Studies
Ferch-Johnson family
Martin Thomson ($1000)

Clifford Anderson Prize
Clifford Anderson bequest
Abel Iorgulescu and James London ($1000 each)

Edna Ferris Heise Prize for Excellence in Communication
Heise family
Bethany Turner ($1000)

Elwin Currow Prize for New Testament Apocalyptic
Dr Elwin Currow
Brendan Hayes ($100)

Graham Miller Memorial Prize for Excellence in Youth Ministry
Graham Miller Memorial Fund
Alina Coccetti ($1000)

Faculty of Business

Bachelor of Business Excellence Prize
Williams Premium Wholesale
Jared Benard and Faye Saville ($500 each)

Bachelor of Business (Accounting) Excellence Prize
Williamson and Chaseling
Carl Thompson ($500)

Faculty of Education and Science
School of Education

Australian Indigenous Student Teaching Prize
AusCoaching
Rebekah Bamford ($1000)

Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) Prize for Excellence
Adventist Education Department, Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific
Theresa Yeates ($1000)

Bachelor of Education (Primary) Prize for Excellence
Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Zealand and the Pacific islands
Kate Mahony ($1000)

Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Prize for Excellence
Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia
Amy-Lyn Marks ($1000)

Diploma of Outdoor Recreation Leadership Prize
Adventure 195
Luke Metz ($500 Adventure 195 gift voucher)

Health and Physical Education Prize
Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Alese Bottrill (Certificate plus 12-month membership to Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation)

Primary Teacher’s Literacy Prize
School of Education, Avondale College of Higher Education
Michelle Pratt (Certificate plus 12-month membership to e:lit)

School of Science and Mathematics

Bachelor of Science Excellence Prize
School of Science and Mathematics, Avondale College of Higher Education
Keaton Humphries ($600)

Faculty of Nursing and Health

Academic Excellence Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Ingrid Kruger ($250 plus gold medallion)

Clinical Excellence Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Erin McDonald ($250 plus gold medallion)

Medical Nursing Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Hartono Sutanto ($100)

Mental Health Nursing Excellence Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Lucy Galeano ($100)

Prize for Consistent Effort and Accomplishment*
Faculty of Nursing and Health
David Wrennall ($100)

Surgical Nursing Award*
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Emily Walsh ($100)

Other

Avondale Alumni Association Community Service Prize
Avondale Alumni Association
Ketannah Hope (Lake Macquarie campus) and Shirley Fatnowna (Sydney campus*) ($500 each)

Overseas Volunteer Service Prize*
Anonymous
Matt Barbosa ($500)

Prize for Excellence

Prize for Excellence, Lake Macquarie campus
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing
Jared Benard ($1500)

Prize for Excellence, Lake Macquarie campus
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing
Kristen Hankins ($1500)

Prize for Excellence, Sydney campus*
Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing
Lisa Mason ($1500)

* Awarded during the consecration service on the Sydney campus over the graduation weekend

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Meet the Mission Bars founder

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Student takes business plan from concept to market

Sonja Larsen
Editorial assistant, Connections
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

A Bachelor of Business student at Avondale College of Higher Education has taken a class project from concept to market in support of mission work.

Marketing major Kyle Morisson would probably describe his decision to enrol in the unit New Ventures and the Entrepreneur as a no-brainer. “I wanted to do it as soon as I heard about it,” he says. The unit requires students to submit a plan for a viable business. Kyle not only completed the assessment task, he also took it to market.

Entrepreneur: Kyle Morisson’s home-based not-for-profit health food company generates income to support mission work. Josh Hamilton. Credit: Josh Hamilton.

Mission Bars is now a home-based not-for-profit health food company that generates income to support mission work. “I wanted to create tasty and healthy products to replace chocolate fundraisers,” says Kyle. The products include dried fruit, honey, raw, roasted and salted nuts, nut bars, and seeds and grains. Cafe Rejuve, a project of Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church’s young adult ministry Regeneration, began stocking the products this past month.

“Kyle’s onto a good thing with Mission Bars,” says Bill Truscott, a lecturer in the Faculty of Business at Avondale. “The motivation to succeed based on helping other people has been a key driver to his success and achievement to date.”

Mission Bars is currently supporting the Memorial Creek mission team, which is working in and with a village in the highlands of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The company also raised $100 for a mission trip to Zambia during an auction at Avondale Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church on March 26.

“We’re doing what we can with the time we have,” says Kyle. “We want to provide an outlet for people to support something useful.”

Caption: Entrepreneur: Kyle Morisson’s home-based not-for-profit health food company generates income to support mission work. Josh Hamilton.

Credit: Josh Hamilton.

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No more monopoly on teaching

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Lecturer shows Gen Y need more say in learning

Sonja Larsen
Editorial assistant, Connections
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Playing the board game Monopoly in class engages tech-savvy accounting students, research by an Avondale College of Higher Education lecturer shows.

Keith Howson

Collaborator: Inspired by generational differences in learning preferences, Dr Keith Howson wrote a paper to find new ways of teaching his students. His findings: lecturers have to be more engaged, authentic and involved in learning. Credit: Aaron Bellette.

Collaboration is the key, says Dr Keith Howson, dean of the Faculty of Business and Information Technology. Inspired by generational differences in learning preferences, Keith wrote a paper to find new ways of teaching his students. “I know how to reach generation X, but you have to switch gears to reach generation Y,” he says. “These students require us to more engaged, authentic and involved in learning.”

Keith uses Monopoly in class, although he notes the literature also suggests using technology, such as blogs and wikis, and small group tutorials as ways of engaging students and involving them in learning.

Keith presented his paper, called “Teaching accounting to generation Y: applying current technologies to the education experience. An Australian view,” at the 11th World Congress of Accounting Educators and Researchers in Singapore.

Colleague Lyn Daff, a senior lecturer in accounting, also presented. Her paper, “Lessons for accounting educators from the medical world,” examines how medical training incorporates well-developed approaches to teaching interpersonal skills and how these can be adapted for use in accounting education. Lyn has now received an invitation to present a paper at the Southern African Accounting Association this year.

Following the conference in Singapore, Keith presented another paper, “Teaching business ethics: an Australian perspective” at the 22nd Asian-Pacific Conference on International Accounting Issues on the Gold Coast.

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