Fast paced life pays off for law graduate

Life's a busy ride for radio personality, top lawyer, Australian bobsleigh team member and University of Canberra graduate Bronwyn Magdulski, writes Edward O'Daly

12 December 2006: Universities are always pleased to hear about a graduate doing well in his or her career. There's an inevitable sense of pride and there's no better testament to the quality of your degrees than successful alumni.

With law graduate Bronwyn Magdulski the University of Canberra can take its pick of career successes

Ms Magdulski with boss Bill Frewen at the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association Awards last month Photo: Andrew Fagan

Ms Magdulski, head of the legal team at Country Energy, was recently named In-house Lawyer Young Achiever of the Year by the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association - a significant achievement and one she acknowledges is a credit to her law degree and graduate diploma in legal studies from the University of Canberra.

But law is just one of Ms Magdulski's careers and the others are going just as well. She's an accomplished sportswoman - her current place in the Australian bobsleigh team is the latest in a long line of achievements - and well-known to Canberra's sports fans as co-host of ABC radio's Grandstand program.

But for somebody dubbed "over-achiever of the year" by the Australian Financial Review, Ms Magdulski is modest about her successes.

"I'm lucky to be involved in areas where there are awards I can win or teams I can play for," she said.

"It's easy to put your finger on how well you're doing."

"I'm really enjoying my work - at Country Energy, as well as with Tim Gavel on ABC Radio. I've got a good balance with work and sport and other interests, and have been fortunate to have some great people around me. You can never over-estimate the value of good friends, and when I look back on my days at UC there are many people who I remember fondly."

Ms Magdulski's sporting career has seen her play a high level of hockey, athletics and horse-riding before being drafted into Australia's fledgling skeleton squad in 2004. Other sports fighting for space in her diary include netball and AFL, in which she represents the ACT.

From skeleton she moved into bobsleigh and found herself in the 'shadow' teams for both sports at the last Winter Olympics.

Her busy, high-flying schedule is just a matter of "taking the opportunities" she's presented with, she said. Because there's a lot going on in her life there are more opportunities - including an invitation to return to the University to speak at this week's Burton Revels celebration and her job at the ABC.

"I had been interviewed on Grandstand and when they were looking for a new co-host, they thought of me. I know a bit about sport and I love talking about it, so I couldn't say no."

The switch to bobsleigh was also a matter of seizing an opportunity. Despite her passion for skeleton, bobsleigh "makes more sense" and will next month see her push Australia's Olympic pilot Astrid Loch-Wilkinson at the world championships in Switzerland. She's now busy training to drive the high speed sled her self.

"It's the driver that qualifies the sled. As a brakeman, your job is to push the sled as fast as possible at the start, then jump in and crouch low in the back of the bob with your head between your knees and hope for the best. If you hear silence you know you've flipped and you're about to land on your head."

Ms Magdulski will be the guest speaker at this week's Burton Revels when awards for academic excellence including the Herbert Burton Medal, the University's most prestigious award, will be handed out