Villanova College

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Villanova College is an independent Australian Catholic college located in the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo, Queensland, established in 1948 by the Augustinian friars. The college takes its name from St. Thomas of Villanova, the revered Catholic saint.

Villanova was first established at Whinstanes in Hamilton, on the northern side of the Brisbane River but later in 1954 moved to its present site at Coorparoo in Brisbane's south-east. The college's sporting grounds are located at Tingalpa, also in Brisbane. It's partner college is St. Augustine's College, Brookvale in Sydney.

Contents 1 Governance 1.1 College Council 1.2 Staff Leadership 1.3 Student Council 2 Curriculum/Academics 2.1 Subjects Offered 3 Subjects Offered - Year 8 (2007): 4 Subjects Offered - Years 9-10 (2007): 5 Subjects Offered - Years 11-12 (2007): 6 Co-Curricular 6.1 Music 6.2 Debating 6.3 Augustinian Youth Ministry 6.4 Cultural/Spiritual 6.5 Sport 7 Alumni 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Governance

[edit] College Council

The Council is the governing body of the school and the board of the not for profit company "Villanova College" which owns and operates the College on behalf of the Order of Saint Augustine. Its aim is to ensure that the College fulfils its educational goals as guided by the educational philosophy of the Order of St Augustine, and thus maintains and develops its Christian, Catholic and Augustinian character. Its members include parents, staff, Augustinians, past students and others selected for their professional expertise.

[edit] Staff Leadership

• Rector: Father Michael Morahan O.S.A.
• Deputy Rector: Charles Fisher
• Head of Senior School: Glenn McConville
• Head of Middle School: John Godwin
• Head of Junior School: Brendan Downes
• Vice Rector (Curriculum): Graeme George
• Vice Rector (Mission): Kath Neehouse
• Vice Rector (Assistant Mission): Trish McGrath
• Curriculum Coordinator: Peter Wall
• Vocational Education Coordinator: Dianne Martin

[edit] Student Council

The School has a student council system. Students vote in members to represent their year level, voting for people they believe will bring their suggestions and issues to the attention of the council. The council organises many events for the students and surrounding community, such as dances and charity fundraisers. Some of the most successful projects seen in the school have been organised by the council, including the construction of a low level platform in the quadrangle, the main court in the school.

[edit] Curriculum/Academics

The college has always sought to involve all students in both academic and extracurricular pursuits. Developing a love of learning is however foremost amongst the goals of the college. Despite the college's relatively low populace of students in comparison to other independent schools in Brisbane, Villanova achieves well academically. In 2005, Villanova College ranked third in the state (with Anglican Church Grammar School), for year twelve overall position academic results^[2]. This result is excellent considering there are many other schools in Brisbane that are considered more 'prestigious' than Villanova, such as Brisbane Boys College or Nudgee College Brisbane. Villanova students have also received Australian student prizes from the government for academic excellence and achievement in secondary education, particularly in senior secondary years. In 2005, Dux of the college Anuk Cooray received the Australian Students Prize^[3], in 2004 Dux of the college Michael Muthurkrishna and David Ryan ^[4] and in 2006, Dux of the College Sam Volling, Tim Molloy and Joseph O'Connor received the prize.

[edit] Subjects Offered

[edit] Subjects Offered - Year 8 (2007):

CORE UNITS: Humanities (consisting of): English Religious Education and Personal Development Studies of Society and the Environment Mathematics Science

ELECTIVE UNITS (4 weeks per unit): Art Business Studies Computing Studies Drama Graphics Music

[edit] Subjects Offered - Years 9-10 (2007):

CORE UNITS: English Health Mathematics (systematic placement into A or B in year 10) Religious Education and Personal Development Science (with new Core Option units - One semester in duration): A Material World Life Science Astronomy - the Fourth Dimension Planetary Science - Earth, Sea & Sky Environmental Sciences: Role Models, Monitoring and Action Household Science Motion and Energy Survival Science Social Science (with new Core Option units - One semester in duration): Australia's Government and Law Economics and Society Studies of Conflict Australian Landscapes Matthew Flinders and Australia's Coastal Landforms Australia, the Creation of a Nation Studies of Cooperation

ELECTIVE UNITS: Biomechanics Business Studies (with choices in:) E-Commerce Enterprise Education Electronic Record Keeping Coaching and Training Digital Media and Web Authoring Drama - Shaping the Person I Wish to Become Engineering Graphics Exercise Physiology Food Studies A Food Studies B Game Design and Programming Italian Mandarin Chinese Multimedia Studies Music (with choices in:) Music Theatre Composition Studies Network Fundamentals Robotics and Programming Sport Education Visual Art - Purpose and Persuasion Workshop Technology

[edit] Subjects Offered - Years 11-12 (2007):

CORE UNITS: Authority Subjects English Mathematics (with choices in): Mathematics A Mathematics B Study of Religion Authority-Registered Subjects English Communication Prevocational (Trade and Business) Mathematics

ELECTIVE UNITS: Authority Subjects Art Accounting Biology Business Organisation & Management Chemistry Chinese Drama Economics English Extension (by selection only) Geography Health & Physical Education Independent Study Program Information Processing & Technology Italian Mathematics C Modern History Music Music Extension(by selection only) Physics Authority-Registered Subjects Catering Computer Aided Drawing Hospitality Studies Multimedia Applications Recreation Studies Workshop Technologies

[edit] Co-Curricular

[edit] Music

The college currently has thirty five performing music ensembles comprising of junior, intermediate and senior groups. The college encourages participation of students in the music program by making it compulsory between year levels five to seven. From this, Villanova has achieved an excellent reputation in the wider community as being a strong performing school, musically. Villanova always places highly in the Queensland Catholic Schools and Colleges' Music Festival, and recently received credit for having the best orchestral brass and percussion at the Queensland State Festival of Music. The college also rates highly in other national and international music competitions. In addition to this, the college enhances the importance of music in its community by annually hosting Queensland's largest music festival for Catholic Schools and Colleges, Queensland Catholic Schools & College's Music Festival (QCMF). This festival is a three day event in which over seventy-five schools from around Queensland and New Zealand to showcase their talents and receive plaques for particular levels of achievement. The festival prides itself on the positive and non-competitive nature with all schools receiving awards of either Gold, Silver and Bronze for their efforts instead of the traditional 1st, 2nd and 3rd results. This years senior music ensembles will embark on a journey to Sydney for their biannual college Music Tour. While on tour the college's flagship ensemble the Symphony Orchesta has the privilage to perform on stage in the Syndney Opera House.

[edit] Debating

Villanova is a reasonably strong debating school with enthusiasm from those students who participate. The college is involved with the Queensland Debating Union (QDU) competition and plays host to numerous schools in the year eleven competition. In 2001, Villanova placed first in the Senior A QDU debating competition. The college also holds regular public speaking competitions internally and allow students the opportunity to participate in external competitions also.

[edit] Augustinian Youth Ministry

The Augustinian Youth Ministry programme (AYM) is very popular at Villanova College, offering students the opportunity to make a difference to both local and international communities through service. Students have the opportunity to join these groups and nominate for leadership positions within the ministries. Ministries Villanova offers students to be involved in includes:

• Young Christian Students (YCS) - Helps Students within the college community and settling in of new students.
• St Vincent de Paul Society - Helps people in our local Brisbane community. One major event being Easter Hampers for the needy.
• Amnesty International - Fights to help world wide issues. These issues include Human Rights and Immigration.
• Junior AYM - Works for people both locally and world wide. This ministry is run by students from the Middle School.
• Australian Filipino Augustinian Solidarity (AFAS) - Helps fund student in the Philippines and provides fundamental resources.

[edit] Cultural/Spiritual

Villanova runs musical productions in conjunction with Loreto College every two years. Recent productions have been Back to the Eighties (2006) and Pimpernel (2004). Students of Chinese (Mandarin) language studies have the opportunity to visit China every second year. The music department holds a Music Tour for all students in the colleges Senior Ensembles every two years, the most recent tours being to New Zealand in 2003 and Melbourne in 2005. The next tour will be held in June 2007 and is to the city of Sydney. AFAS members can visit impoverished students in the Philippines and assist in developing their communities, also every two years. Other activities include Environment Group & Airwatch, Creative Writing Group, Eucharistic Ministry, Technical & Stage Crew, and Youth Music Team.

[edit] Sport

As a foundation member of the Associated Independent Colleges (AIC) Villanova competes against Marist College Ashgrove, St Edmund's College, St Patrick's College, Iona College, Padua College, St Laurence's College and St Peter's Lutheran College in a wide selection of sports including rugby union, soccer, cricket, basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, chess and athletics. The college does quite well in this competition, specifically in the fields of rugby union, where they placed second in the 2006 AIC competition, Chess, where the place second in the 2006 AIC competition and first in the 2005, 2004 and 2003 seasons. Sport is played at Villanova Park, situated in the Brisbane suburb of Tingalpa.

[edit] Alumni

Although only slightly more than fifty years old the college has already gathered an expansive list of successful alumni including:

• Academics:
  • Christopher Layton - 2001 Rhodes Scholar Magdalen College, Oxford University^[5]

• Arts:
  • Matthew Zeremes - Actor and Director

• Lawyers:
  • Justice Robert Douglas (now deceased) of the Queensland Supreme Court
  • Justice James Douglas of the Queensland Supreme Court
  • President of the Bar Association of Queensland Peter Lyons QC
  • Noted Sydney barrister Francis Douglas QC
  • George Brandis, a trade practices barrister and Australian Senator.

• Politicians:
  • Federal Liberal Member for Bonner, and Member of the House of Representatives Ross Vasta
  • Federal Liberal Party Senator George Brandis
  • Queensland Attorney General and Minister for Justice; State Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine ('66)
  • Queensland Parliamentarian and Cabinet Minister for Transport and Mainroads Paul Lucas
  • Queensland Parliamentarian and Former Minister Gordon Nuttall
  • James Hastie, Assistant to Queensland Liberal Party Leader Dr Bruce Flegg

• Sports:
  • Cricket
    • Chris Simpson - current member of the Queensland Bulls
  • Rugby League/Union
    • Brad Meyers- Former Brisbane Broncos utility (1998-2004), before signing a two year deal with English club Bradford Bulls. Is due to return to Australia to play for new Gold Coast franchise, The Titans.
    • Andrew Slack - former Wallaby 39 caps (Captain 1984-1987) and Reds player (133 games for Queensland)
    • Benjamin Mowen - current Reds and Wallaby player

• Television:
  • Chris Reason - Journalist and Co-Host of Channel Seven's Sunday Sunrise^[6]. ’
  • Andrew Slack - Head of Sports for Channel 9 News Brisbane^[7]. ’
  • Dan Feuerriegel - Appeared in the Australian TV production McLeod's Daughters^[8]. ’

Ben Terry - Channel 7 Local News reporter for Wide Bay Burnett region, QLD, Australia

[edit] Notes

1. ^ - Villanova College - Community Report 2006 (retrieved 30 November 2006)
2. ^ Villanova Community Reportsee reporthttp://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/INFO/Commrep2006.pdf
3. ^ Australian Government Dept. Science, Education TrainingAnuk Coorary Carindalehttp://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/programmes_funding/programme_categories/scholarships_awards_prizes/australian_students_prize/2005/winnersQLD.htm
4. ^ Australian Government Dept. Science, Education TrainingDavid Ryan, Michael Mutherkrishnahttp://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/programmes_funding/programme_categories/scholarships_awards_prizes/australian_students_prize/2004/winnersQld.htm
5. ^ Queensland Rhodes Scholars http://www.uq.edu.au/about/docs/rhodes-scholars-list.doc
6. ^ Sunday Sunrise...After graduating in 1983 from Villanova College in Brisbane...http://seven.com.au/sundaysunrise/about_040201_chrisreason
7. ^ Rugby League Heaven Website...Nine's head of sport in Brisbane was former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack...http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2006/01/27/1138319452960.html
8. ^ Episode World Website...Daniel Feuerriegel as Leo Coombes...http://www.episodeworld.com/episode/194055

[edit] References

• Arneil, Stan; "Out Where the Dead Men Lie" (The Augustinians in Australia 1838 -1992) Augustinian Press Brookvale (1992) ISBN 0-949826-03-0
• Villanova College Website
• Stories & Traditions -> Villanova College Text

[edit] External links

• College website
• Order of St Augustine, International Homepage
• Order of St Augustine, Australian Homepage
• Augnet International Cooperative Web Site for Schools in the Tradition of St. Augustine
• Text of the Rule of St. Augustine
• Queensland Catholic Schools and Colleges Music Festival