• Charles Sturt announces winners of University’s inaugural alumni awards
• Charles Sturt’s Distinguished Alumni Awards Program celebrates the personal and professional achievements of the University’s alumni
• Winners were announced in four categories – Professional Achievement, Service to the Community, Young Alumni, and Association Member

Charles Sturt University has announced the winners of its inaugural awards program, celebrating the remarkable contribution of its vibrant alumni community.

The Distinguished Alumni Awards Program was launched for the first time in August with an aim to identify and recognise graduates making a difference in the world, either professionally or as a volunteer.

Nominees were sought in four categories – Professional Achievement, Service to the Community, Young Alumni, and Association Member – with five winners and two highly commended chosen in each category from almost 100 entries.

Recipients in each category are:

Charles Sturt University Alumnus of the Year – Professional Achievement: Alison Michalk

Ms Michalk graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Communications) in 1997. She now lives in Avoca, NSW and is the CEO and Founder of Quiip, a leader in online community management and moderation services.

Charles Sturt University Alumnus of the Year – Professional Achievement (Research): Kathryn Crowe

Dr Crowe completed her PhD studies in 2013, titled ‘Multilingual children with hearing loss: Communication and choices’ and was awarded a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship to pursue research at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in the United States. She is currently residing in Iceland as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Iceland.

Charles Sturt University Alumnus of the Year – Service to the Community: Andrej Verity

Mr Verity graduated in 2010 with a Master of Information Technology (with distinction) and is currently a disaster responder and information management officer at the United Nations. Born in Canada, he is currently living in The Hague, Netherlands, where he leads the Digital Service team within its Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Charles Sturt University Young Alumnus of the Year: Sarah Verdon

Dr Verdon graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Health Science (Speech Pathology) (Honours) and obtained her PhD from Charles Sturt in 2015. Currently residing in Culcairn, Dr Verdon has gained two fellowships since 2015, each valued at more than $300,000. Her research aims to inform the development of high quality, equitable and culturally-responsive health and education services for children.

Charles Sturt University Alumnus of the Year – Association Member: Simon Selvakumar

Mr Selvakumar graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts (Communications – Public Relations and Organisational Communications). Currently living in Singapore, he has been the Charles Sturt University Alumni Coordinator for Singapore since 2002, bringing the group together for social and networking opportunities. He is also the founder of Dark Glass, which helps disadvantaged communities gain access to resources.

Charles Sturt Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor John Germov said there was high calibre of entrants for the inaugural awards and the University was proud of the achievements of its graduates.

“We know our graduates are contributing to the public good and creating a world worth living in,” he said.

“The Distinguished Alumni Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the impact our alumni are making on their communities, and to inspire the next generation of Charles Sturt graduates.

“These inaugural recipients have made a significant difference in a number of important fields and I want to congratulate the 2020 awardees and thank them for their contributions.”

For more information please visit the Charles Sturt Alumni Awards web page.