We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Emeritus Professor Michael Alpers AO CSM FAA FRS (St Mark’s 1953-54).
Honoured internationally as a “pioneering scientist and compassionate humanitarian”, and most famous for his work in Papua New Guinea (PNG) on the disease kuru and his transformative role as Director of the PNG Institute of Medical Research, Professor Alpers led a remarkable life in service of others.
Michael Philip Alpers was born in Adelaide on 21 August 1934. He attended St Peter’s College, where he excelled academically, in many extracurricular activities, and in leadership. Awarded the Da Costa Open Scholarship in 1949, he was Dux of the school in 1951, winning the Young Exhibition.
A School Prefect in 1951 and 1952, and School Captain in 1952, he played in the first XVIII and the second XI, and was involved in the Dramatic, Science, Music, Debating, and Literary Societies. He later recollected “the excitement of science” at school, but “it wasn’t only science: I was equally passionate about literature, language and history”. These broad interests continued throughout his life and helped to shape his approach to the cultural and community context of the diseases he studied.
As Michael neared the end of his secondary education, his father (Dr Philip Alpers) wrote to the Master of St Mark’s, Dr Archibald Grenfell Price, requesting vocational counselling to help Michael choose a degree to study at the University of Adelaide. Those Dr Price consulted recommended that Michael study for the Bachelor of Science (Mathematical Physics) and Dr Alpers thanked the Master for “your kind assistance and personal interest re vocational guidance and your interview with Professor Green in reference to mathematical physics”.
While studying mathematical physics at the University of Adelaide, Michael was a resident student at St Mark’s in 1953-54. He was joined by his younger brother, John Henry “Jack” Alpers, at the College in 1954 when Jack commenced studies in medicine.
Mick Alpers was actively involved in College life, and is warmly remembered by College contemporaries to this day. As his partner, Professor Deborah Lehmann AO, has recently said, “he enjoyed his time at St Mark’s immensely and made lifelong friends there”. These included, among others, those who came from Western Australia to Adelaide to begin medical training before there was a medical school in Western Australia.
At St Mark’s Mick was member of the Chapel Committee and the Library Committee and played in the College XVIII, earning Football Colours in 1954. In the University he served on the Student Representative Council and in the University Regiment.
Completing the Bachelor of Science in 1955, Michael went to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, on a Makin Scholarship. On arrival in Cambridge, after a brief discussion with his tutor, he switched from mathematics to medicine. On his graduation from Cambridge in 1957 (M.A.), he returned to the University of Adelaide to continue his medical studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1961.
As a medical student in Adelaide, Michael read a news article that sparked an interest and set his remarkable career in motion: it detailed an obscure neurological disease called kuru that was causing the deaths of hundreds of Fore people in Papua New Guinea’s Eastern Highlands Province.
Equipped with his multi-disciplinary training and eager to delve into the mystery of kuru, Michael set off for PNG, taking on a research doctor role at the Okapa patrol post with the Department of Public Health in New Guinea. Michael served as a research officer in kuru research there in 1961-63, continuing this work as a visiting scientist at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1964-67, and a research fellow in the department of microbiology at the University of Western Australia in 1968-76, making annual field trips to PNG.
In 1977, Michael became Director of the PNG Institute of Medical Research. He served in that role until 2000, before returning to Perth where he became the John Curtin Distinguished Professor of International Health at Curtin University, serving also for some time as a senior scientist at the Medical Research Council Prion Unit at University College London.
Image credit: Australian Academy of Science
The nature and significance of Michael’s work on kuru is well summarised by the Royal Society in London, which awarded him the high honour (rare for an Australian) of election as a Fellow (FRS) in 2008:
“Michael Alpers combined a sensitive understanding of the isolated Fore people in Papua New Guinea with his medical training to reveal how the degenerative brain disease kuru was transmitted. His findings are of central importance in understanding related prion diseases, including BSE [bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease] and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.
“Collaborating in the 1960s [in PNG and the US] with Carleton Gajdusek, who later won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Michael collected samples of brain tissue from deceased victims in their villages. Their experiments confirmed that women and children contracted kuru through the recently outlawed funerary ritual of eating the brains of dead relatives. Michael continued to monitor the population: the last death from kuru occurred in 2009.”
Under his leadership from 1977 to 2000, Michael and his colleagues transformed the PNG Institute of Medical Research “from a dying institution to one of world renown”. He was known to mentor and train many young researchers in culturally competent ways of advancing knowledge, and he was generous in his support for the peoples, including the children, of the regions in which he worked.
Image credit: Jerome Whitfield
At the PNG Institute of Medical Research Professor Alpers established multidisciplinary research programs in the major health problems of PNG, namely pneumonia, malaria and filariasis, malnutrition, enteric diseases and sexual health. As a scholar of science and the humanities, including anthropology, he captured the imagination of authors and filmmakers who documented his ground-breaking approach through books and films.
Among many other honours recognising his outstanding work, Michael was elected a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, which promotes the advancement of science in developing countries, in 1991. His work has been the subject of academic study, such as the piece found here.
In 2005, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) “for service to medical science as a leading international researcher in the fields of tropical medicine and public health, including research on the disease Kuru, and for contributions to improving health and economic development in Papua New Guinea”. In 2008, the year in which he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in London, Michael was made a Companion of the Papua New Guinea Order of the Star of Melanesia (CSM).
In 2011, Michael was recognised by the University of Adelaide with a Distinguished Alumni Award (for which he was nominated by St Mark’s College), and in 2012 with “the degree of Doctor of the University (honoris causa) as a person who has made distinguished creative contributions in the service of society”.
Michael had retained warm links with St Mark’s friends and with the College over the decades from his time as a resident student in 1953-54. In 2011, he was recognised by St Mark’s as a Distinguished Collegian. He loyally attended College reunions whenever he could and was a generous annual donor to support St Mark’s students.
We most recently enjoyed the delightful company of Michael and Deborah at our Perth reunion in September this year, where the Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, had a warm and engaging conversation with Michael about his time at St Mark’s and his remarkable work on kuru.
Professor Alpers passed away peacefully in Perth on 3 December 2024, aged 90.
A family tribute on his passing fittingly described Michael:
“A loving partner, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, brother-in-law and dear friend to many. A great humanitarian, a champion for all, for science and the environment, for art and music. He touched so many with his wisdom and love and will be greatly missed by his family in Australia, Papua New Guinea and beyond.”
Our deepest condolences to Deborah and to Michael’s children and all their family members on the loss of a man whose warmth was known by all he encountered, and whose legacy will endure, including in the hearts of those he helped and mentored.
It is always a pleasure to welcome Old Collegians and friends of the College back to St Mark’s.
Recently Old Collegians and friends from various parts of the world have called in to visit and share reminiscences of their College days, or to learn more about their forebears and the College.
It was a delight to welcome back Dr Raymond Vickers (1969) who was visiting with his wife Priscilla, from Boston. Ray, a Fulbright Research Scholar, came to St Mark’s as a resident tutor in Law and then undertook the role of Acting Dean when Dr Ivan Shearer went on a short-term study leave in Germany. Raymond met his wife, Priscilla, who was a Law student at the University of Adelaide, and when he returned in 1970 they married at St Andrew’s Church, Walkerville, with the Master of St Mark’s, the Rev’d Malcolm Mackenzie, as their Best Man.
Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, with Priscilla and Dr Raymond Vickers.
Christopher Hay (1988-91) enjoyed catching up with the Head of College, when visiting from Hong Kong where he is the CEO of HayCo. Christopher is a table captain for the Centenary Gala Dinner and looks forward to seeing other Old Collegians at the historic event on 15 March 2025.
Although only in Adelaide for a few days, Aimee Church (2012-15) joined with current Collegians for lunch in the Dining Hall with her partner Mario, before jumping on a flight back to Vancouver. Aimee was thrilled to be able to catch up with other Old Collegians while in Adelaide including Nick Holloway (2012-15) and Sophy Cohen (2012) from Santa Monica, California.
Aimee Church and her partner, Mario, on the porch of Downer House.
Grandson of one of the founders of St Mark’s, Reverend Canon Docker, Max Thompson and his wife Christine were very impressed with the St Mark’s Archives and especially the rare book collection in the library. Of special interest were some items that related to Canon Docker’s service as a member of the Executive Committee elected in 1922 to prepare for the establishment of the College, and then as a member of Council in 1925, and later as College Chaplain (1948-1952 and 1954).
The College’s Librarian and Archivist, Amanda Ward, with Max and Christine Thompson.
It is our pleasure to welcome Old Collegians back to the College and to meet the descendants of the founders and early students of the College. We warmly encourage our alumni and wider community to participate in the Centenary events in 2025 and to celebrate their special relationship and connection with St Mark’s College.
Details of the College’s Centenary events are here.
Alumni and friends of St Mark’s from many generations recently enjoyed an evening of recollection and celebration at our Perth reunion.
Perth treated alumni and friends of St Mark’s to a gloriously sunny spring evening for a reunion at the University of Western Australia’s Club Café & Bar, where views of the university gardens and the beautiful Matilda Bay provided the perfect backdrop for recollection and celebration.
Alumni and friends were joined by Professor Don Markwell AM, Head of College, and Ms Karin Dunsford, Director of Centenary Engagement, who had travelled from Adelaide to be with them.
Bringing together a group of Old Collegians who were at St Mark’s across different generations yielded some interesting stories that illustrated the arc of the College’s history.
One of many highlights was the reunion of a group of Old Collegians who all came to St Mark’s from Western Australia in the 1950s because, at the time, there was no medical school in Perth. Many medicine hopefuls found themselves needing to relocate to the nearest university that did, which happened to be the University of Adelaide.
St Mark’s provided an enriching home for these self-proclaimed “West Australian Invaders” while they completed their studies, and they in turn enriched the College with their contributions. In fact, between 1948-1957, four of the College Club Committee’s Presidents, five Secretaries (one serving for two years), and two Treasurers were students from WA.
After finishing their studies and leaving St Mark’s, these Old Collegians went on to enjoy impactful careers in diverse areas of medicine. Despite the years that have passed, they’ve retained a sense of pride in being amongst the West Aussies to come to – and, indeed, help to define – St Mark’s.
Representing another important part of our history at the reunion were Old Collegians who were amongst the first female students to enter St Mark’s when the College became coeducational in 1982.
Going to Perth also allowed Professor Markwell to share our plans for our Centenary Gala Dinner. As the headlining event of our Centenary Gala weekend, the dinner will be 100 years to the day of our founding in 1925.
Ms Dunsford spoke with guests about the opportunity to become a Table Captain for the Gala Dinner, eliciting much interest in bringing old friends together in celebration (if you’d like to express an interest in being a Table Captain, please contact Karin here).
Adding to the excitement, Professor Markwell also presented the Centenary flag at the reunion. The design, combining nostalgic elements with a jubilant “100” in acknowledgement of this special milestone, struck a chord and was met with much enthusiasm.
We’re delighted that many of our Western Australian friends are planning to visit Adelaide for our Centenary Gala weekend. With people coming from all over Australia and the world, it’s going to be a fantastic and memorable event! You can learn more about the special events we have in store on our Centenary page.
Our thanks to St Mark’s Old Collegian Dr Glenn Cardwell and Karin Dunsford for capturing these lovely photos of the reunion.
A generous bequest by the late Professor Ivan Shearer AM RFD has enabled the creation of the Ivan Shearer Scholarship to support St Mark’s Collegians to study at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.
An international law academic and practitioner who developed a high global reputation, Ivan Shearer (1938-2019) was Dean of St Mark’s College from 1968 to 1971, and an Honorary Fellow of the College from 2005.
The first Ivan Shearer Scholarship was awarded in 2022 to Rebecca Keeley (St Mark’s 2012-14) for study in the 2022-23 academic year in Oxford. Ivan Shearer Scholarships have subsequently been awarded to Mark Hautop (St Mark’s 2010-13) and to Katherine Radoslovich (St Mark’s 2008-10) for study in the 2024-25 academic year in Oxford and in Cambridge respectively.
The College now invites applications for the Ivan Shearer Scholarship from members of the College who meet the eligibility criteria and who will be, or expect to be, studying at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge in the 2025-26 academic year (including from members of the College currently studying at Oxford or Cambridge).
Eligibility
Under the terms of Professor Shearer’s will, the Ivan Shearer Scholarship is open to current and Old Collegians of St Mark’s College, Adelaide, who have resided at St Mark’s for at least one academic year.
Purpose and value
The Scholarship will be paid towards the travel, accommodation, tuition, and/or general living expenses of the Scholar/s to support them to study at either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. Any part of the Scholarship used for payment of fees will be paid directly by St Mark’s College to the relevant college in the University of Oxford or Cambridge, or to the relevant university, and any part to be used for travel, accommodation, and general living expenses will be paid to the Scholar/s by St Mark’s College.
The award for the 2025-26 academic year will comprise a single Scholarship with a value up to approximately $35,000 (AUD), or a number of Scholarships totalling not more than that (the value available will be confirmed here early in 2025). In the case of more than one award, the selection committee will allocate funds to Scholars according to assessed merit and need. As tuition and living costs in Oxford or Cambridge will exceed $35,000 per annum, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for other scholarships and sources of financial support.
At the absolute discretion of the College, a Scholarship may be renewed for up to two further academic years subject to satisfactory performance by the Scholar and the Scholar demonstrating need for the renewal of the Scholarship. In exceptional circumstances, the College may give consideration to a further award to enable a doctoral student to complete their doctorate at Oxford or Cambridge; no Scholar should assume that such further funding will be possible.
Criteria for award
The award will be based on:
excellence in intellect, character, leadership, and service; and
demonstrated need for financial support to study at Oxford or Cambridge.
Candidates must have applied to, or been admitted to study at, or be studying at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge at the time of application. (If a candidate is already studying at Oxford or Cambridge, the Scholarship could support them either to move to a new course, or to complete a course for which they are currently enrolled; in either case, financial need would need to be demonstrated.)
The academic standards for admission to Oxford and Cambridge are very high, and the selection committee will offer the Scholarship only to a candidate or candidates who, in its judgement, is/are likely to be admitted to Oxford or Cambridge, and to achieve at a satisfactory standard there.
The Scholarship will only be confirmed upon successful admission to the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, and will not be paid if the Scholar does not take up their place at Oxford or Cambridge. The College may apply other terms if judged appropriate.
Preference will be given to candidates undertaking or intending to undertake a graduate degree.
The Scholarship will not be offered if there is not a sufficiently qualified candidate who is also in need of financial support.
The names of Ivan Shearer Scholars are recorded on an honour board in the Junior Common Room at St Mark’s.
Application process
Applications should comprise a letter of application, addressed to the Head of St Mark’s College, and enclosing:
1. a full curriculum vitae (of up to three pages);
2. a complete transcript or transcripts of all your university study to date;
3. an academic statement (of up to 1000 words) outlining:
details of the course of study proposed to be (or being) undertaken at Oxford or Cambridge, and the status of your application for admission to that University and any of its colleges (including, if relevant, second preference for a course);
your reasons for undertaking this course; and
your likely or intended further study (if any) and career after undertaking this course;
4. a personal statement (of up to 1000 words) outlining your interests, priorities, and motivation, which reflects how you fulfil the criteria of excellence in intellect, character, leadership, and service;
5. a financial support statement (of up to two pages) setting out your need for financial support to study at Oxford or Cambridge. This statement should include:
details of other scholarships or sources of financial support applied for or likely to be applied for, and the status of those applications;
all anticipated costs associated with undertaking the proposed program of study, including:
Course fees / Composition Fee
Living costs / maintenance
Travel costs to and from the UK
Travel insurance
Visa and immigration health surcharge
Any additional costs you anticipate you will incur;
how you anticipate meeting those elements of the costs which would not be covered by the Ivan Shearer Scholarship or other scholarships (for example, by drawing on personal savings or taking out a personal loan).
6. Three written references should be sent directly by the referee to rachel.buxton@stmarkscollege.com.au by the deadline of 5pm, Monday 12 May 2025. At least two of the references should be the references that have already been submitted in support of your application for graduate study at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. They do not need to be altered in any way for us to consider them as part of your application for the Ivan Shearer Scholarship. Your third reference may also be a reference written in support of your university application or application for another scholarship if you wish.
All application material should be emailed to Dr Rachel Buxton at rachel.buxton@stmarkscollege.com.au by the deadline of 5pm, Monday 12 May 2025.
It is your responsibility to make sure that your referees submit the references by the application deadline, and to remind them as the deadline approaches.
Selection process
Selection will be by a committee appointed by the College, comprising individuals of high academic and/or professional standing.
The committee will interview only short-listed candidates. Interviews may be held either in person or remotely.
It is likely that interviews will be held in the week commencing Monday 2 June 2025.
The award of the Scholarship is at the absolute discretion of the College.
For further information…
Please consult the Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM.
Over 70 alumni and friends of St Mark’s have already volunteered to be Table Captains for the Centenary Gala Dinner on 15 March 2025, organising tables of 10 for this historic night.
The Centenary Gala Dinner, 100 years to the day from the official opening of the College on 15 March 1925, will be the highlight of our Centenary celebrations next year.
At a recent reception in his home, the Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, thanked those who have already offered to serve as Table Captains. Their enthusiasm was infectious!
If you would like to be a Table Captain for this Centenary event, contact Karin Dunsford, Director of Centenary Engagement, at centenary@stmarkscollege.com.au or on +61 8 8334 5607.
This is a perfect opportunity to contact friends and colleagues who perhaps you haven’t seen for some time and to celebrate this special occasion together.
All are welcome at the Centenary Gala Dinner – current and Old Collegians and their family members and friends, friends of the College, our generous donors, past and current parents, descendants of founders and of past Collegians, past and present staff, and more. It will be a great night for connection and celebration.
Invitations for the Centenary Gala Dinner are being posted in coming weeks, and further details will be included in future e-newsletters.
Would you like to be a sponsor for the Centenary Gala Weekend?
The Centenary Gala Weekend from Friday 14 March to Sunday 16 March 2025 will be attended by our Old Collegians and our extended community from around Australia and around the world.
There is no doubt that it will be a weekend that will live in people’s memories and be talked about for the decades ahead.
From the Welcome Drinks at the Queen’s Head on Friday night to the Gala Dinner the following day at the Convention Centre, and concluding with Sunday brunch at the College, it is anticipated that all events will be attended to capacity.
Opportunities are available to contribute to the success of the Gala Weekend events through financial or in-kind sponsorship. To find out more about the promotional opportunities for your business, product or service, please contact the Director of Centenary Engagement, Karin Dunsford. Email: centenary@stmarkscollege.com.au or phone (08) 8334 5600.
This is a once-in-100-years chance to partner with the College in celebrating the Centenary of St Mark’s.
To commemorate St Mark’s Centenary in 2025, the Old Collegians’ Association has gifted $100,000 to the College. This gift will create a second bursary to support a student with a family member who was a Collegian to be at St Mark’s.
For many years, the Old Collegians’ Association has provided a bursary for an incoming student with a family member who was a Collegian and who is in genuine financial need. This bursary has been funded from the Association’s annual income, and will continue to be awarded.
The Association’s gift of $100,000 to the College will endow a second bursary, which will be awarded to a student of any year at St Mark’s who has a family member who was a Collegian and who is in genuine financial need. This endowment will be managed along with other College scholarship endowments with the aim of being able to make an annual award in perpetuity.
The Old Collegians’ Association Bursaries will be awarded (as the existing Old Colls’ bursary is) as part of the College’s usual scholarship award process. Details of College scholarships are here.
The generous Centenary gift to the College and creation of the second bursary were decided at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Old Collegians’ Association on 16 August. Reports on the bursaries will be made to future AGMs each year.
The President of the Old Collegians’ Association, Mr Riley Glynn, said that the Association was delighted to help celebrate the Centenary and to provide support to students from Old Collegians’ families to enable them to enjoy the many benefits of being at St Mark’s.
The Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, said, “Even with St Mark’s extensive scholarship program, the need for increased support for students is very real.”
Professor Markwell warmly welcomed the Association’s Centenary gift to the College and the creation of the second Old Colls’ bursary as “visionary, generous, and historic”.
Many thanks to the Old Collegians’ Association for this great initiative which will help St Mark’s students for generations to come!
Alumni and friends of St Mark’s enjoyed connecting with each other and with the Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, in several North American cities in late June and early July.
Professor Markwell met with Old Collegians and friends of the College in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Boston, Toronto, Chicago, Denver, and San Francisco.
The photos below show some of those who took part.
Professor Markwell caught up with Old Collegians from Australia and New Zealand living in the US, and Americans and Canadians who spent time at St Mark’s, including as Study Abroad students or more senior scholars.
“It was a joy to connect with members of the St Mark’s community in North America,” Professor Markwell said.
“However long or short their time in College, a recurring theme of conversation was how formative their experience at St Mark’s was.”
Several alumni and friends of St Mark’s shared plans to visit Adelaide for the College’s Centenary Gala Weekend of 14-16 March 2025. We very much look forward to celebrating with them!
The largest reunion was at the American Australian Association in New York City with Professor Markwell and the College’s Director of Centenary Engagement, Karin Dunsford.
In New York, Old Collegians and partners from the early 1950s to the 2010s were joined by Mrs Okche Ashwin, who was at St Mark’s throughout the 1990s when Mr Robin Ashwin was Master, and their daughter, Mulan, who lives in New York. A presentation was made to express the College’s gratitude to Okche Ashwin.
Another presentation was made to the most senior Collegian to attend any of the reunions, Dr Dennis Bloomfield (St Marks 1952-56), who attended with his wife, Elaine.
As we look ahead to the College’s Centenary next year, a special welcome was also given to Ms Plern Bonython, a descendant of one of our founders, Sir John Langdon Bonython, and her husband, Tanner.
Lively conversation, delicious fare, and panoramic views of Manhattan were greatly enjoyed by all.
As in other cities, Professor Markwell updated alumni and friends of St Mark’s on College news. He also encouraged all to come to Centenary events next year.
The College reunions in North America led many alumni and friends to reconnect with the College, and update their contact details. If you’d like to stay in touch with us and be the first to know about College events, such as the Centenary and future reunions, you can easily update your contact details here.
As well as meeting with members of the St Mark’s community in North America, Professor Markwell also visited a number of universities and colleges. This included the Claremont colleges near Los Angeles (including Pitzer College, from which many Study Abroad students have come to St Mark’s), Princeton and Harvard Universities, and the University of California, Berkeley.
A former Warden of Rhodes House, Oxford, and global CEO of the Rhodes Scholarships, Professor Markwell also met with Rhodes Scholars of several generations in the United States and Canada.
Two Old Collegians, Mark Hautop and Kathy Radoslovich, have both been awarded Ivan Shearer Scholarships. These scholarships will support them to undertake postgraduate study at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, respectively.
Many congratulations to Mark and Kathy on this significant award, and on their admission to Oxford and Cambridge!
Kathy and Mark will embark on their postgraduate studies in the UK later this year. Mark will study for a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at Oxford as a member of Linacre College. Kathy will study for a Masters degree (MPhil) in medieval history at Cambridge as a member of King’s College.
Their names will soon join that of the inaugural Ivan Shearer Scholar, Rebecca Keeley (St Mark’s 2012-14), on the Ivan Shearer Scholarship honour board in the Junior Common Room at St Mark’s.
They will commence their studies in England at the same time as St Mark’s most recent Rhodes Scholar, Oliver Douglas (St Mark’s 2020-23). Rhodes Scholar for South Australia for 2024, Oliver will commence postgraduate studies in history at Oxford in October as a member of Merton College.
About the Ivan Shearer Scholarship
The Ivan Shearer Scholarship was created through a generous bequest to St Mark’s College from the late Professor Ivan Shearer AM RFD to support current or Old Collegians to study at Oxford or Cambridge. A distinguished international lawyer, Ivan Shearer (1938-2019) was Dean of St Mark’s from 1968 to 1971. He was appointed as an Honorary Fellow of the College in 2005.
The Ivan Shearer Scholarship is awarded through a rigorous application process on the basis of excellence in intellect, character, leadership, and service, and demonstrated need for financial support to study at Oxford or Cambridge. The selection committee for the Scholarship comprises academics at the University of Adelaide and St Mark’s with significant experience with scholarship awards.
Mark Hautop
Mark Hautop
Mark Hautop (St Mark’s 2010-13) was born and raised in Bordertown, South Australia. A scholarship enabled him to undertake three years of secondary school at St Peter’s College, Adelaide, where he became a School Prefect, Boarding House co-vice captain, and co-captain of the First V Basketball team. He also represented South Australia in basketball at a national junior level.
A number of scholarships and prizes enabled Mark to be at St Mark’s for four years. A member of the College Club Committee in 2012, he served as President of the College Club for 2013. He also tutored in law and economics for the College, and played basketball at a semi-professional level.
The first member of his family to attend university, Mark graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Economics. Recognition of his academic achievements included his selection as an editor of the Adelaide Law Review and researcher for the South Australian Law Reform Institute, and an award for the highest overall grade in Commercial Equity Law. He later secured a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University, and was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor.
Mark worked from 2014 to 2021 as a commercial lawyer with the legal firm MinterEllison in Darwin and Adelaide, working principally on real estate transactions, including Australia’s largest real estate deal in 2019. Since 2021, he has served as Manager, Legal and Executive Operations, for the Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC) in Darwin. The ALC is a statutory entity established under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) to represent the interests of the Traditional Aboriginal Owners of the Groote Archipelago in the remote Gulf of Carpentaria.
In this role, alongside support to the ALC Chair, Board, and CEO on legal and executive business, Mark has overseen the implementation of six Groote Archipelago Local Decision-Making Agreements, advised on the establishment of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Investment Corporation, helped transfer the Groote Archipelago Township Lease to an Anindilyakwa-controlled corporation, and provided support to the Anindilyakwa Mining Trust.
In 2022, Mark was a finalist in the Australian Lawyer’s Weekly 30 Under 30 (Corporate Counsel), and he has published several articles in the Australian Property Law Bulletin.
Mark wishes to undertake an MBA in Oxford to help him develop the modern business skills and techniques needed to “contribute in a greater way to a fairer and more inclusive society through the advancement of First Nations (or Aboriginal) self-determination in Australia”.
Kathy Radoslovich
Kathy Radoslovich
Kathy Radoslovich (St Mark’s 2008-10) entered St Mark’s as a C.A.S. Hawker Scholar after completing the International Baccalaureate at Glenunga International High School.
Kathy graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of International Studies with First Class Honours, and a Bachelor of Development Studies. Her academic distinction was recognised with several University of Adelaide and St Mark’s College scholarships and prizes, and she served as an academic tutor at the College (as she does today).
Active over many years in the Scouts, in 2011-12 she served as a Capacity Development Officer with the Scouts Association of Timor Leste, including running the National Office for six months. This was a highly formative experience for Kathy.
Before returning to St Mark’s in 2018 as Director of Learning, Kathy worked as an Analyst with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, as a Research Assistant with Helping Hand Aged Care, in various roles with South Australia Police, and as a Youth Worker with the Wiltja Residential Program supporting Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara speaking Aboriginal high school students from remote areas. Over many years she has also worked as an academic tutor and mentor with Wirltu Yarlu Indigenous Education at the University of Adelaide.
Since returning to St Mark’s as Director of Learning (2018-20), responsible for running the College’s academic program of support for students, Kathy has worked also as Registrar (2020-23), responsible for marketing the College and student enrolments (which have reached record levels in 2023 and 2024), and since July 2023 as Research and Scholarships Manager. In these roles, her wide-ranging contributions to the College, including providing academic support and mentoring to many students, have been outstanding. She has several academic and professional publications.
Kathy will take unpaid leave from the College while she undertakes the MPhil in medieval history at Cambridge, one of the strongest universities in the world in this field. She wishes in this course to strengthen her skills as a historian with strong grounding in historiological methodologies and advanced archival research skills. An enthusiastic linguist, Kathy will also strengthen her command of Latin and palaeography (the study of pre-modern manuscripts).
Many congratulations again to Kathy and Mark. They are both worthy recipients of the Ivan Shearer Scholarship and ambassadors for St Mark’s in Cambridge and Oxford!
2024 is off to a strong start, with celebrations of the academic success and adventures of the St Mark’s community.
Academic Awards Dinner
We celebrated our 2023 academic high achievers at the annual Academic Awards Dinner on 27 March. The awards were presented at a special Formal Hall after a reception at the Lodge.
Madalyn Toet, Eloise Wills, Zac Meakin, and Emma Mattiske.Cass Joubert, Ella Browne, Cam Akehurst, Harry Yous, and Cate Lin Loo.
Here’s a round-up of the winners.
Scholarships and Prizes
Returning students Mackenzie Walter and Nathan Rokebrand were jointly awarded the Edward A. Radcliff Scholarship as the 2023 College Duxes. Mackenzie, who is studying Forensic and Analytical Science at Flinders University, was also awarded the Sir Ronald Fisher Medal for the most outstanding student in science. Nathan, a student at the University of Adelaide, also received a prize for outstanding results in engineering.
Third-year University of Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences student Oscar Hemmings was awarded the G. Angas Parsons Scholarship as the runner-up to the Duxes.
Prizes for outstanding academic performance were also awarded to Robyn Coles (Allied Health) and Zoe Raynes (Medical Science).
Dino Macri, who is studying Italian alongside a Bachelor of Computer Science, won the BP Wait Prize for the best student in Classics or Modern Languages.
Media and Communications student Cameron Dixon won the WF Wehrstedt Prize for an outstanding performance in Arts and Humanities.
Back row: Dr Katrina Stats, Nathan Rokebrand, and Oscar Hemmings. Front row: Dino Macri, Cameron Dixon, Mackenzie Walter, Zoe Raynes, and Professor Don Markwell AM.The Distinguished Scholars Book, now including 2023’s award recipients.
Distinctions and High Distinctions
Overall, our community earned a total of over 800 High Distinctions and Distinctions throughout 2023.
To achieve seven or eight High Distinctions in a single academic year is an impressive feat – and 11 St Mark’s students did just that, earning Commendations for Exceptional Academic Achievement. Three of these students received High Distinctions in all their subjects.
Eight more students achieved five or six High Distinctions and were awarded Commendations for Outstanding Academic Achievement. A further 34 students were awarded Commendations for Academic Excellence for earning two, three, or four High Distinctions. 27 of these students received High Distinctions in at least half of their subjects.
We are very pleased to report that an incredible 199 students (approximately 81% of our community) earned at least one Distinction or High Distinction in the year. 31 of these students achieved either High Distinctions or Distinctions in all their subjects.
All three of our Honours students were awarded First Class Honours in Arts, Engineering, and Law respectively. One of these students, Oliver Douglas, was also selected as the South Australian Rhodes Scholar for 2024.
Additionally, Flinders students Eliza Corbin, Charli Dodson, Cate Lin Loo, Zac Meakin, Georgie Orchard, and Mackenzie Walter all received Chancellor’s Letters of Commendation for their outstanding results in 2023.
The 2023 academic performance of St Mark’s College students is very much reflective of the College motto, Spernit Virtus Humum, which roughly translates to “excellence reaches for the stars”.
Playford Trust Scholarships
The 2024 Playford Trust Scholarships Ceremony saw two St Mark’s collegians awarded prestigious scholarships to support their studies.
Jemima Lloyd, a first-year student undertaking a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at the University of Adelaide, was awarded a Playford Trust Rural and Regional STEM Scholarship.
Fellow first-year University of Adelaide student Lucas Cockshell, who is working towards a double degree in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematical and Computer Sciences, was awarded one of the Andy Thomas Space Foundation/Playford Trust Scholarships.
The Playford Trust was created in 1983 to honour the memory of South Australia’s longest-serving Premier, Sir Thomas Playford. The Trust provides scholarships to South Australian university and TAFE students, especially to support them in university studies or research in STEM or related priority areas for South Australia.
Lucas Cockshell (far right) pictured with other scholarship recipients.
An award-winning Yarn with Rebecca Keeley, inaugural Ivan Shearer Scholar
Old Collegian Rebecca Keeley was named the NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award winner for 2024! The award recognises Bec’s innovative approach to improving speech pathology services for children and families across rural and regional Australia.
Originally from Darwin, Bec was a resident student at St Mark’s from 2012-14 while she studied a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Flinders University. She was later awarded our prestigious Ivan Shearer Scholarship in 2022, which helped enable her to undertake an MBA at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
Bec used the learnings from her postgraduate studies to establish Yarn, an innovative app designed to enhance the impact of speech pathology services. Yarn provides regional clients with access to allied health support, reduces wait times and wait lists, and gives families ongoing support between sessions.
Congratulations, Bec!
Rebecca Keeley (middle) at the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award ceremony.
Speaking from Experience with Oliver Douglas
We welcomed back recent Old Collegian and 2024 Rhodes Scholar, Oliver Douglas, for the first Speaking from Experience for the year.
In a fireside conversation with our Senior Academic Tutor, Cam Akehurst, Oliver offered his best tips and advice for making the most of university, College, scholarships, and other opportunities. Oliver certainly offered a wealth of information, having served as Charitable President and College Club Vice President during his time at St Mark’s and jointly winning the 2023 Collegian’s Prize!
Current students listened eagerly as Oliver spoke of his search for purpose and the importance of introspection for growth. It was an illuminating and inspiring evening.
Oliver studied a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws at the University of Adelaide and was awarded First Class Honours in History. Later this year, he will head to Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar to undertake postgraduate study in modern British history.
Oliver Douglas.
Ink drinking at St Mark’s
The St Mark’s College Book Club is a small but enthusiastic group of buveur d’encre, or ink drinkers, as the French say!
The Book Club meet once a term to talk books over supper. Our first meeting for 2024 took place in March in the Senior Common Room, where we reviewed Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. The discussion was led by our well-read Librarian, Amanda Ward. Topics ranged from critiquing the style of writing and the unusual structure of the book to exploring its key themes, such as gender inequality, the complexity of relationships, and the idea of video games as art.
From left to right: Cooper Ferguson, Andie Hallgath, Oscar Hemmings, Emma Neuhaus, Zoe Hughes, and Amanda Ward.
Club members are currently reading Bonnie Garmus’s bestseller, Lessons in Chemistry. Excitingly, they got to attend a talk with the author at Regal Theatre.
From left to right: Andie Hallgath, Kathy Radoslovich, Zoe Hughes, Amanda Ward, Karin Dunsford, Cooper Ferguson, Will Gillet, Cam Akehurst, and Dr Katrina Stats.Author Bonnie Garmus is interviewed about her book, “Lessons in Chemistry”.
Getting down to business
On May 1, our Business, Finance, Commerce, and Economics students enjoyed a dynamic Q&A. The discussion was hosted by our 2024 SAT and Business/Law Academic Coordinator, Cameron Akehurst.
From left to right: Cameron Akehurst, Andrew Stevens, Lauren Stevens, Craig Mudge, Sarah Ware, and Edwina Page.
The panel included:
Old Collegian Dr Craig Mudge AO (St Mark’s 1960), who has had a long and distinguished career in IT and innovation in Australia and abroad.
Edwina Page (St Mark’s 2020-22), auditor and Old Collegian.
Lauren Stevens, now a Marketing Director and business owner.
Andrew Stevens, Financial Controller at Flinders Port Holdings.
St Mark’s own Business Manager, Sara Ware.
The panellists offered thoughtful advice. The discussion spanned work-life balance (or work-life integration, as one guest described it), invaluable interview tips, and entertaining stories from the coal face of the business world.
Students enjoying the event.
A wine-derful evening
Academic Coordinator Rachael Bird organised a faculty evening with a twist for members of the Agriculture, Viticulture, Veterinary, Marine, and Animal Science Faculty on Thursday, 9 May.
Students were treated to a sampling of professions in between a formal wine tasting experience! With the Ballroom set up to resemble a grand wine bar, fifth generation winemaker Simon Tolley led the group in an expert tasting of a selection of his finest wines.
In between drinks, students heard from:
Simon (owner of Simon Tolley Wines).
Veterinarian Dr Andrew Dunn, co-founder and surgeon, Small Animal Specialist Hospital, Adelaide.
Marine biologist Georgina Kenning, who works at the Marine Discovery Centre in Henley Beach.
Livestock industry development consultant Bruce Hancock.
The panel shared tips for salvaging smoke-tainted grapes, hand-rearing seahorses, surviving burnout, and distinguishing oneself as a graduate applicant. It was a delicious and delightful evening!
Rachael Bird, Simon Tolley, Andrew Dunn, Georgina Kenning, and Bruce Hancock.
Re:Marks re:Vived
We congratulate 2024 Lion Editors, Juliette Parlange, Roslyn Thomas, and Zoe Raynes for the long-awaited revival of Re:Marks. The Lion Editors were encouraged and supported in this endeavour by College Club Committee member and Outreach Officer Zoe Hughes.
Re:Marks is an informal student publication first established in 1990 as a forum for students’ work. Showcasing creative writing, visual arts, news, and information about forthcoming events, the latest edition of Re:Marks was enthusiastically received at the recent College Club OGM. We eagerly anticipate the second edition for 2024!
Micho Milanovic with his copy of Re:Marks.Gemma Garraway with her copy of Re:Marks.
Women’s health on the menu
Zoe Hughes was also responsible for organising the fantastic Women’s Health Formal Hall and Q&A on 13 March. There was a large turnout at the panel discussion in the Ballroom after dinner. While the crowd was predominantly female students, they were joined by some of our male students.
Zoe, together with Dorisa Nasserian, did a brilliant job of chairing the panel session. Guest speakers included:
Eloise Hall, the co-founder and Managing Director of TABOO Period Products.
Gynaecologist, pain physician, Chair of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia, and Founder and CEO of Alyra Biotech, Associate Professor Susan Evans.
Tiffany Brooks, a health psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide.
Nawal Church, a women’s health specialist physiotherapist.
Former College Club President Sophie Ludbrook (St Mark’s 2019-21), who is currently completing her final year of medicine.
The guests shared different personal, medical, and therapeutic perspectives on endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and adenomyosis. They spoke about changing approaches to treating women’s pain, and the importance of destigmatising and improving education about women’s health.
From left to right: Zoe Hughes, Dr Tiffany Brooks, Sophie Ludbrook, Eloise Hall, Nawal Church, Prof. Susan Evans, and Dorisa Nasserian.
Zoe says: “In a college that values inclusiveness and having a voice, it was time to start the conversation about women’s health in an open and candid way. We were lucky enough to have five brilliant women join us and share insights from their various backgrounds.
“Even after many years of fighting to be heard and believed, thousands of women are still turned away from medical help and told that ‘period pain is normal’. Spoiler alert: it’s not. That’s why it’s so important to have honest and open conversations about women’s health even when it’s hard and uncomfortable.
“Although the night is finished now, the conversation is far from over. I urge everyone to continue to have these hard but truthful conversations.”
Read all about it!
Last term, first-year UniSA Psychology student Jack O’Connor successfully petitioned the College for the regular delivery of newspapers. Jack argued that access to quality news sources would help students to become more informed about and engaged with local, national, and global affairs. He believed this would equip students to better fulfil their civic duties; improve their writing, grammar, comprehension, and critical thinking skills; and provide a source of connection and conversation for students.
The College now receives daily print copies of The Advertiser and The Australian. This is in addition to our existing subscriptions to The Guardian Weekly, The Economist, New Scientist, National Geographic, and The Koori Times. Jack has taken on the duty of delivering papers to the JCR and recycling the previous week’s papers. He also runs regular quizzes on current affairs.
Lucas Cockshell and Andy Kariuki enjoying access to the newspapers in the Junior Common Room.
“The rocks were amazing!” – Cooper Ferguson on his NZ Study Tour
University of Adelaide Geology Honours student, Cooper Ferguson, provides us with another compelling reason to study earth sciences: travel!
“At the beginning of semester 1, I had the opportunity to visit New Zealand for two weeks as part of the Earth Sciences Honours Study Tour organised by the University of Adelaide,” Cooper says. “We explored both islands, utilising our geological knowledge and skills to understand the complicated tectonic history that shaped New Zealand.
“The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, allowing us to utilise everything we learnt in our Bachelor degrees. We also got an introduction to presenting and researching through the nightly seminars built into the trip and our overall assessment.
“Of course, the rocks were amazing! Some highlights were the contact between the Australian and Pacific plates, the outcropping near Franz Josef, and the Taupō Volcanic Zone, the site of Mount Ngauruhoe, used in the Lord of the Rings films as Mount Doom.
“A huge thanks to our demonstrators for providing their knowledge and expertise, and their time and energy driving us around and hearing our constant questions. The trip would not have been possible, nor as enjoyable and educating, without them.”
Cooper Ferguson.
Report from the field – Madi Martin
Third-year UniSA speech therapy student, Madi Martin, is the 2024 Academic Coordinator for the Allied Health and Health and Medical Sciences Faculty. She is currently completing her first placement and writes to us from the field.
“I am currently three weeks into my first Fieldwork Placement for my Speech Pathology course! I’ve been placed at the UniSA City West Health and Medical Clinic, which is a student-run allied health clinic. Here, families access the benefits of allied health services without paying full cost for sessions.
“I’m working with three other speech pathology students, and we each have a caseload of four clients over two days. My days consist of planning and administering formal and informal assessments, planning sessions and implementing interventions, and getting feedback from my clinical educators on how I can improve.
“My tip for starting placement is to remember that you (at least in my case) aren’t expected to be the best at everything in your first placement rotation. You are allowed to make mistakes and ask questions. If you’re nervous about starting placement, know that your clinical educators or supervisors are there to help you. They wouldn’t sign up for being a supervisor if they didn’t want to help you become a better professional in your field!”
Madi Martin.
Showcasing skills at Showcase SA – Kellie Lessue
Kellie Lessue, who is studying a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) at UniSA, is completing an internship with Showcase SA. She provided a summary of her experience so far:
“Showcase SA is a marketing company that connects and showcases South Australian businesses, both small and large. I’m excited to use my event planning experience from the Charitable Foundation last year and the College Club Committee this year. This experience has made my transition into this related work a lot easier. I’ve really enjoyed using the skills I’ve learnt at university in a professional environment.”
Kellie Lessue (far right) pictured at a Showcase SA event.
Chillin’ on the other side of the earth – Imogen Dickinson
Imogen Dickinson, a third-year UniSA Human Movement student, has been on exchange in Canada this semester. She recently sent us this update from St. Catharines, Ontario.
Imogen Dickinson (middle) pictured with fellow students on a postcard.
“Hi there from Canada!
“It’s been a whirlwind of experiences over here at Brock University. We’re situated in one of Canada’s biggest wine regions (which has its perks!) and just a short 20 minutes away from the notorious Niagara Falls.
“It’s safe to say that Canadians share a similar lifestyle to us in Australia, it just gets so much colder here with snow and strong winds. It’s nothing a coffee from Canadian chain Tim Hortons can’t fix, especially with friends from all over the globe.
“Apart from the weather, other observable differences include driving on the other side of the road and the content of my university classes. My classes are much easier here in Canada compared to my classes back home. Can’t say I’m unhappy about it!
“One of my favourite experiences so far is the winter expedition I did with my outdoor education class. This involved camping outside in the snow for two nights, pulling all our belongings on a sled across a frozen lake, and taking water from a hole in the ice to use for cooking and drinking. While I’ve never been happier to see my bed in my dorm, it was an amazing experience nonetheless.
“My time here has come to an end, which I can’t quite believe – short but sweet. It’s both exciting and sad to come back home. See you soon, Mark’s!”
An action shot of Imogen’s once-in-a-lifetime expedition.
Service above self
College Club Vice President Will Gillett recently spoke at the Rotary District Conference, celebrating 100 years of Rotary in Loxton. Will shared how his association with Rotary has shaped his life and values so far, and spoke passionately on the topic of service above self. He used Charles Hawker, one of the founders of St Mark’s, and Charles’s sister Lilias Needham, as examples.
“While Charles Hawker’s achievements are well known and widely admired, it is his sister, Lilias Needham, whose selfless commitment is truly extraordinary and does not get acknowledged enough.
“It was Lilias Needham who endowed the lifechanging Hawker Scholarships. Since 1990, these have enabled students like me to reside at St Mark’s and at other Australian colleges, and in Cambridge, like her brother did, while undertaking their university studies.
“She was also part of many service organisations like Rotary and donated a lot. However, with many of these donations, she requested to remain anonymous. It was only after her death that these organisations, including St Mark’s, could acknowledge all she had done.
“Lilias Needham is indeed a true example of selfless service. Her service, which was motivated by the desire to perpetuate that of her brother, now inspires and recognises others.”
He concluded with a powerful assertion. “The motto of service above self is one I aspire to apply throughout my studies and future career.”
Will Gillett (left) speaking at the Rotary event.
In honour of this remarkable and humble woman, the Lilias Needham Medal for Service is now awarded annually at St Mark’s to a student who has demonstrated selfless service, and winners of the Lilias Needham Medal are listed on an honour board in the Junior Common Room. Read more about Lilias Needham here.
Our Melbourne Reunion event was a fabulous night on the beautiful grounds of Trinity College!
Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, and Director of Centenary Engagement, Karin Dunsford, had a wonderful time catching up with Old Collegians and friends of the College from many different generations. There was plenty of laughter as friendships were forged and renewed.
Brisbane Reunion
Some 25 Old Collegians and friends of the College from different generations came together at the riverside Blackbird Bar. They joined the Head of College, Professor Don Markwell AM, and Director of Centenary Engagement, Karin Dunsford, for a lovely evening of laughter and nostalgia against a backdrop of twinkling city lights.
Professor Markwell shared news of the College today and of our Centenary Gala weekend (14 – 16 March, 2025), where we hope to see hundreds of alumni and friends of St Mark’s!
