Held over the weekend of 9–11 May, the 2025 Family Weekend was a smashing success, with families travelling from all over Australia to Canberra to get a glimpse of their students’ lives at Burgmann College and enjoy the weekend’s capstone event, the Family Weekend Ball.
Burgmann Resident Association (BRA) Vice Presidents Eloise Ridge and Billy Fuller led a team of dedicated resident leaders and volunteers in coordinating a fun weekend to celebrate Burgmann families, fostering new friendships across generations and strengthening familial ties, while deepening connections to the College community.
Beginning Friday, residents and their families enjoyed an evening of laughs and friendly competition during Trivia Night, followed by a Saturday morning Inward Bound Family Run to a cafe on the Black Mountain Peninsula.
Families played relaxing games of lawn bowls at the RUC Saturday afternoon before the weekend’s main event, the elegant Family Weekend Ball, commenced that evening.
Featuring a three-course meal, live music and a chance for families and residents to mingle in a formal but lively setting. The Ball also hosted the Burgmann College’s 2025 Appeal, Growing The Harriet Nixon Scholarship, and Charities Committee Chair Sophie Hill spearheaded a fundraising initiative for mental health research and services support for Amber’s White Light.
Loud and silent auctions were held for donated items and experiences that included paintings, signed sport merchandise and memorabilia, wines, Pilates sessions, private getaways, jewellery, and more.
Burgmann residents also bid on dates with other residents who volunteered themselves for charity, sparking friendly and spirited bidding wars.
BRA Vice Presidents and main coordinators of the event, Eloise Ridge and Billy Fuller, welcomed families to the Ball and reflected on the impact and necessity of familial support while students are living away from home.
Growing The Harriet Nixon Scholarship
The Burgmann Residents Association (BRA) Family Weekend Committee graciously provided the Burgmann College Advancement Office the opportunity to launch the College’s 2025 Appeal, Growing The Harriet Nixon Scholarship, during the evening's ceremonies.
After successfully establishing The Harriet Nixon Scholarship at the end of 2024 and welcoming inaugural Harriet Nixon Scholarship recipient Evelyn ‘Evie’ Tilley to College in February, our 2025 Appeal focuses on growing the Scholarship. This endowed scholarship, inspired by Burgmann resident Harriet Nixon (2015–2016), supports residents from rural, regional and remote Australia who otherwise would not have a financial opportunity to attend Burgmann College and study at the ANU.
‘This year we are asking our community to help us grow The Harriet Nixon Scholarship so that we can welcome more rural students, like Evie, to the Burgmann community. With your support, we will help support more rural students so they may go on to make their most valuable contribution to their communities and the world’, said Director of Advancement Amelia Zaraftis during her speech.
In Evie’s heartfelt speech, she reflected on the impact of receiving The Harriet Nixon Scholarship.
‘Throughout our lives, we all have people who believe in us and want us to succeed. Each of you have become part of my journey and my story, so I want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Being here has completely changed my life, and I am so grateful for everything you have done for me.’
‘We are so thrilled for you, Evie, and proud this award could go to a very deserving young country girl from the land. I know Harriet would be incredibly proud of the opportunity her scholarship has provided to you,’ said Harriet’s sister, Liss Nixon.
‘We are delighted and proud of what the Burgmann family has achieved. People from all corners of Australia and the world have demonstrated incredible generosity, providing vital support to establish Harriet’s scholarship. We are passionate to continue the growth of Harriet’s scholarship in 2025 and beyond’, said Fiona Nixon, mother of Harriet and devoted volunteer at Burgmann College.
A beautiful Mother’s Day Market was held Sunday morning in the Village, coordinated by BRA Village Rep AJ McMahon and BRA Village Whip Milly Dynan. Proceeds were kindly donated to Harriet’s scholarship.
Fundraising for Amber’s White Light
The Charity Committee’s focus for Family Weekend was Amber’s White Light (AWL), a foundation created by the Wraith family — parents Tamara and Richard Wraith and their son, Burgmann resident Monty Wraith — in honour of their beloved daughter and sister Amber Wraith, who struggled with mental ill health before tragically succumbing to her illness in 2022.
AWL funds research and supports the implementation of research into complex mental illness and suicide prevention in teenagers and young adults, partners with organisations that improve youth mental health, and advocates for the implementation of best practice research in hospitals and healthcare services.
‘Amber was never fully and accurately diagnosed over the three years of her illness, despite many psychiatrists, psychologists and hospital visits’, said Richard Wraith, Amber’s father, in his speech. ‘Through AWL, we are funding a world-first research project to develop a diagnostic kit called “Amber’s Alert” that will include blood tests for tell-tale biomarkers [for certain mental illnesses], an eye movement tracking test, and a structured cognitive assessment that will be complemented by other traditional diagnostic markers.’ The research is being expertly led by renowned and respected psychiatrist Professor Jayashri Kulkarni and her team from the HER Centre at Monash University in Melbourne.
The Wraiths also raised funds through AWL to support SANE, a digital aftercare service available to people seeking connection and meaningful support from mental health services outside hospital stays and psychiatrist and psychologist visits.
Chair of the Charities Committee Sophie Hill coordinated loud and silent auctions to support Amber’s White Light, and Burgmann residents and their families successfully raised over $20,000 towards the cause.
‘AWL was honoured to be chosen as the charity of choice for the Ball, and to be the recipient of the funds raised at the silent and loud auctions on the night,’ said Tamara Wraith, mother of Amber Wraith. ‘We were in awe of the generous donations from the extended Burgmann community.’
See more photos from Family Weekend 2025 below and learn more about Growing The Harriet Nixon Scholarship and Amber’s White Light.
