by Charlie Coorey
I was a student in Social Welfare 1980-81 and have many great memories of MCAE. This course was my second chance after dropping out of a science degree at Uni of Sydney. I have since been on the Field Education Committee in the 90s and even came back to UWS to fill in as a temp coordinator for the Professional Context of Youth work for a semester with Vaughan Bowie (one of my original mentors/lecturer/tutor back in 1980-81). I am still in the community sector and am still passionate and energetic as a local government youth strategic projects officer. Aside from the learning heaps about life and getting my ‘pieces of paper’ I was also the social coordinator of the Students association and used to organise the lunchtime concerts/parties with the wonderful support and friendship of Margaret Zito, our only paid staff support to the students association. By far the best gig was getting Dynamic Hipnotics to perform at our lunch gig. The beer and wine were overflowing and enjoyable lectures in the afternoon followed. After this gig Dynamic Hipnotics agreed to play at our end of year graduation party before they attracted a manager and became expensive. Aside from the great lectures from many inspiring lecturers and tutors student life and friendships made attendance attractive and enjoyable. Congrats on 35 years and thanks.
Hi I was in the second lot of welfare students at what was then the College of Advanced Education. I did the two year welfare diploma fullltime and graduated in 1979 december that year. I enjoyed every bit of that welfare course DR Frank Hayse Helen Boyle and I can never remember the name of the other woman were ex corrective service Officers/directors. Dr Margaret Sargent was our Sociology Lecturer , and Hugh Kelly was the stats lecturer. That College then gave me a chance to re educate myself and get gainful employment. I returned and did the Social Science degree and then came back for more to do the masters in counselling but withdrew after a year. ( I knew my limitations) our greatest coup was when we overthrew the teacher ed students who had control of and proceeded to drink the profits from the student union fees. we won . We also threatened to superglue all the glass message cabinets unless they allowed us to put up posters for womens health places because they also did terminations. We won that one too . it was a glorious time, we were so young and we were going to change the world weren’t we.?? I’m now retired and wondering what has happened to Dr Margaret Sargen.t The college then became a University. One day Nevil Wran was to visit the college Milperra was in flood so he flew in by helicopter imagine the roar when Geoff Whitlham also got off the copter. we nearly lifted the roof. good memories a place that gave so many their first chance to re educate themselves. I owe them everything dawnjude smith nee Robertson .