Top honours for CASS Alumni

CASS Alumni have taken out prestigious awards at the second annual ANU Alumni Awards Gala held on Saturday 1 March at Hotel Realm, as the University took time to reflect on the enormous impact of ANU alumni globally.

Among the CASS recipients honoured was Thérèse Rein, highly successful businesswoman, philanthropist and humanitarian, and wife of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Thérèse was awarded joint winner of the coveted Alumnus of Year Award with Dr Michael Brand, Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

The 2014 ANU Alumni Awards recognised a diverse group of alumni in the following categories: Alumnus of the Year, Young Alumnus of the Year, International Alumnus of the Year, Student of the Year and Alumni Volunteer Leader of the Year, the Vice-Chancellor’s Special Commendation Award for Outstanding Contribution to ANU and the Vice-Chancellor’s Special Commendation Award for Exceptional Service to ANU. CASS graduates were well represented on the night, with winners in the following categories: Alumnus of the Year, Undergraduate Student of the Year, International Alumnus of the Year and Alumni Volunteer Leader of the Year.

Joint Alumnus of the Year
Thérèse Rein BA ‘80, MQual (Psychology) ‘81

Head of a successful international business that now spans ten countries and has helped hundreds of thousands of people battling disability or social disadvantage to find work, Thérèse has raised three successful children, been patron of ten charities and has been the rock beneath her husband’s, former Prime Minister and ANU alumnus Kevin Rudd (BA (Asian Studies) (Hons) ‘81, political career.

ANU Chancellor Garth Evans with Therese Rein.

Undergraduate student of the Year
Tess Kelly LLB/BA (expected 2015)

Tess has changed the way that ANU residence John XXIII College contributes to Indigenous reconciliation.

A resident of the College from 2011 to 2013, Tess gave to the College community through her roles as Sports Representative in the College Residents’ Association in 2012; as a member of the College Senior Resident Team in 2013; and by maintaining an active and dynamic presence in the College’s charity efforts. She organised events to promote the tolerance of homosexuality and gender diversity within the College and the wider ANU community. Tess’s passion for this cause was infectious, and she was able to persuade the Head of College of the need to make a greater contribution to Indigenous reconciliation. With the support of her friend and fellow resident Isabel Doraisamy, Tess helped to deliver a program that saw ten College residents venture to Mutitjulu, in the Northern Territory, in September 2013.

Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington (left) with Tess Kelly (right).

 
International Alumnus of the Year
JuE Wong BA (Hons) ‘87

Business leader, innovator, advocate for women in business and volunteer, JuE has lived by the maxim of never taking the easy option.

Originally from Singapore, JuE chose to do her undergraduate studies in Canberra, away from her friends and family. She sought the challenge of having to re-establish herself in a new community and hoped it would allow her to focus on her studies, and provide an environment that would allow her to mature as a person and be self-sufficient.

Alumni Volunteer Leader of the Year
Bettina Soderbaum, BA ’82

Bettina has had a lengthy career as a policy adviser and senior manager in the Australian Public Service and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, in fields as diverse as tourism, environment, development assistance and climate change.

Highlights of her career have included working on environmental protection for the Great Barrier Reef, representing Australia at international climate talks, encouraging good environmental practices in developing countries, promoting Australian tourism and trade in Europe, and officiating at the Bicentennial Australia Day celebrations.

ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Young with Bettina Soderbaum.

The College wishes to congratulate all winners on their outstanding achievement.

Read more about the 2014 Alumni Award winners.

CASS members and invited guests at the 2014 ANU Alumni Awards.

More photos from the 2014 Alumni Awards can be viewed at the ANU Alumni and Philanthropy Flickr page.