During his remarks at the 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, Chair of Council and Board Greg Mills shared the following messages sent from alumni in absentia:
The Honourable Dr Kevin Rudd AC (1976-1977)
I have so many reasons to be grateful for Burgmann College. First is for my education. Having come from country Queensland, the two standard career choices, beef or dairy, never held much appeal. I can only imagine how many doors of opportunity Burgmann has opened over the years. Second, Burgmann was the setting for so many fond memories. From riding around in my friend’s brilliant yellow Leyland Mini to games of croquet – surely the most genteel yet aggressive game ever invented – on the college lawn, these are moments I still treasure. And, most of all, for being the stage where, in 1976, a psychology student from Adelaide named Thérèse entered my life for the first time. To be honest, she was less impressed with me than I was with her, but after three years at Burgmann we were inseparable.
While I regret being unable to join you tonight, I send my warmest wishes on Burgmann’s fiftieth year and wish you at least fifty more years of changing lives in the way you changed mine.
Dr John C Mitchell OAM (1975–1978)
I am unable to get to the dinner on the 20th August due to health and commitments. I am sorry to miss the anniversary dinner. I recently put down a founding donation to set an example for others. For today’s tertiary students, the average HECS fee is $30,000 and according to government figures takes 9.5 years to pay off. Those who were at Burgmann between 1974 and 1988, people like me and my fellow graduates, we did not have that encumbrance.
Noting neither the College nor myself is asking anyone to contribute above their capacity, if you are in a position to do so, your donations to the College will strengthen the College's balance sheet and help advance with renovations.
Ian Darling AO (1981–1983)
Happy 50th birthday Burgmann from Ian Darling! You were such a dynamic place in the early 80’s with an incredible group of residents. I have so many wonderful memories of my years staying with you in College. I especially loved playing St Beryl and blessing the brick on Burgmann Day, having the role of Terry Shakespeare in the college production of Boys Own McBeth, doing regular late-night gigs on college radio 2RS, and being full-back in the victorious college Aussie Rules team. Such great days! I hope I passed my exams too - but I can’t remember.
May the next 50 years be full of happy residents, with a connected alumni, that builds leaders and contributors across all sectors of the community.
Happy anniversary - and I hope you all have a great night!
John Dauth AO, LVO, OBE (1972–1974)
Burgmann’s 50th is a reminder of how ancient I have become! As an ancient, I have owed a lifelong debt to Burgmann which literally rescued me from a bad place and gave me a whole new spirit to carry on with for the next 49 years! When I arrived, in late 1972, I was overweight, recovering from a chaotic first posting in west Africa and awful personal family losses.
Burgmann turned all that around and restored purpose and, above all, joy to my life. We had enough fun for me to make up for lost years and to generate much more in later years.
Thank you Burgmann. May you continue to do the same for others...as I know that you have already done for so many already.
