Each year, the Professor Judyth Sachs PACE Prize awards recognise outstanding achievements of Macquarie University students during their PACE activities. Winners receive a monetary reward and a record of the Prize on their academic transcript. The evening provides a great opportunity to applaud the efforts of our PACE students, as well as to meet and thank the host supervisors who generously support our students during their PACE experience.
In August 2019, students who completed their PACE placements in 2018 were presented with their awards at an event attended by the Vice-Chancellor S Bruce Dowton and Emeritus Professor Judyth Sachs, the founder of the awards. Award winners from all Faculties are pictured below:
This year the Faculty of Human Sciences winners included students from PSY399 Psychological Science: Putting Theory into Practice, HLTH300 Health Placement and TEP402 Professional Experience in the Secondary School II.Seven separate prizes were awarded, both to students working individually and as part of a group, including one Leadership Award to a student who was highly commended for her contribution to her group activity.
The Faculty of Human Sciences had three overall individual / group winners: Bethany Shaw from PSY399, winner of the Short Activity, and as joint winners of the Long Activity, the HLTH300 team of Lauren MacLean, Matilda Meehan and Takudzwa Nokwara, along with the PSY team of Maddison O’Gradey-Lee, Inuri Wettasinghe, Abbey Hendy, Jesse Mathew and Meg Comino.
Bethany (pictured below with Raise Foundation supervisor, Rebecca Carr) joined Raise Foundation, undertook their mentor training program and worked as a volunteer mentor with two high school students during Terms 2 and 3 of 2018. She provided weekly support to each student and “worked with intelligence and a professional approach at all times, and with a gift for asking meaningful questions, while remaining impartial and empathetic” (Raise Foundation supervisor). Bethany’s students reported positive outcomes including increased confidence and trust, together with improved academic results and engagement.
Lauren, Matilda and Takudzwa (pictured below with Your Side staff) all worked with the not for profit organisation Your Side Australia who had received very recent funding for the newly proposed ‘Friendship Space’ program. Friendship Space had been proposed to enhance social inclusion and promote health issues through community connections and social interaction with the ageing, disabled and disadvantaged population of north Sydney. The students were involved in the planning, development, promotion and implementation of this brand new program from early July through to November.
Maddison, Inuri, Abbey, Jesse and Meg travelled to Vietnam to work with PACE International’s long term partner, Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. They were required to research, develop and produce resources for BDCF’s prevention and education initiatives. These resources were to support the crisis care, education, rehabilitation and prevention services that BDCF provides to children impacted by homelessness, rural poverty, drug and alcohol issues, disability and human trafficking. The students worked particularly well as a team, mentoring BDCF youth leaders to enhance their leadership and facilitation skills in supporting younger children.
Congratulations to all the winners and students who received Highly Commended awards.
Article by Linda Barach, FOHS PACE Manager.
Share this: