The Occasional Address
It is customary for recipients of Honorary Doctorates to give the Occasional Address at each graduation ceremony. Sharing their experience and insights to help prepare students for professional life.
Below are a copies of some of their inspirational speeches that have been delivered at previous graduation ceremonies.
| Date | Speaker | Position | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2022 | Adjunct Professor Trish Bergin | Faculty of Business Government and Law Chair of the Women’s Legal Centre, ACT and Regions and Former Co-Director, Governance - 50/50 by 2030 Foundation | PDF, 112.23 KB |
| Adjunct Professor Robin Eckermann AM | Faculty of Science and Technology Former Chief Architect of TransACT Communications | PDF, 158.7 KB | |
| Dr Paresh Dawda | Faculty of Health General Practitioner, Next Practice Health | PDF, 151.16 KB | |
| Betty Kitchener AM | Faculty of Health Australian Mental Health Educator and Founder of Mental Health First Aid | PDF, 170.3 KB | |
| Dr Caroline Hughes | Faculty of Education Ngunnawal Elder and Executive Director Collections Services Group, AIATSIS | PDF, 113.43 KB | |
| Rachael Clark | Faculty of Business Government and Law Solicitor/Program Manager, Dhurrawang Aboriginal Human Rights Program, Canberra Community Law | PDF, 146.57 KB | |
| April 2021 | Dr Bobby Cerini | Faculty of Science and Technology Director of Science and Learning, Questacon | PDF, 623.47 KB |
| Natalie Howson | Faculty of Education Chair - Board of Teacher Quality Institute, Former Director General, ACT Education Directorate | PDF, 574.78 KB | |
| Prof Nick Coatsworth | Faculty of Health Executive Director Medical Services, Canberra Health Services, ACT Government | PDF, 59.46 KB | |
| Dr David Hughes | Faculty of Health Chief Medical Officer, Australian Institute for Sport | PDF, 550.13 KB | |
| Shane Drumgold SC | Faculty of Business Government and Law Director of Public Prosecutions, ACT Government | PDF, 193.84 KB | |
| Cath Ingram | Faculty of Business Government and Law ACT Chair and Lead Partner, Federal Government, KPMG Australia | PDF, 640.14 KB | |
| Danielle Harmer | Faculty of Business Government and Law General Manager – Allhomes | PDF, 97.66 KB | |
| Dr Maxine Cooper | Faculty of Arts and Design Adjunct Professor, Design and the Built Environment, Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra | PDF, 517.17 KB | |
| October 2019 | Katherine Murphy | Faculty of Arts and Design Political Editor and Canberra Bureau Chief of The Guardian Australia | PDF, 74.95 KB |
| Barnie Van Wyk | Faculty of Education Chief Executive Officer St Vincent de Paul Society – Canberra/Goulburn | PDF, 96 KB | |
| March 2019 | Cindy Mitchell | Faculty of Business, Government and Law Chief Executive Officer, The Mill House Social Enterprise Accelerator | PDF, 115.01 KB |
| Pierre Johannessen | Faculty of Business, Government and Law Partner, Johannessen Legal | PDF, 124.84 KB | |
| Professor Vicki Flood | Faculty of Health BAppSc, GradDipNutr&Diet, MPH, PhD, APD | PDF, 125.71 KB | |
| Matthew Brown | Faculty of Education R/Executive Director, School Performance | PDF, 168.59 KB | |
| Michael Socolow | Faculty of Arts and Design 2019 Fullbright Scholar, UMaine | PDF, 120.32 KB | |
| September 2018 | Meredith Edwards | Faculty of Business, Government and Law | PDF, 105.85 KB |
| Peter Alexander | Faculty of Business, Government and Law Faculty of Science and Technology Australian Government Chief Digital Officer, Digital Transformation Agency | PDF, 120.77 KB | |
| Betty Kitchener | CCAE 50 Years Celebration | PDF, 82.91 KB | |
| Bill Maiden | Faculty of Arts and Design Faculty of Education | PDF, 119.54 KB | |
| April 2018 | Lt Col Jo-Anne Ikin | Faculty of Health Acting Director Defence Force Nursing (A/DDFN) | PDF, 284.78 KB |
| September 2017 | Richard Potok | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Founder and CEO of the Aurora Project and the Aurora Education Foundation | PDF, 367.85 KB |
| John Faulks | Faculty of Arts and Design | PDF, 342.53 KB | |
| Dr Helen Watchirs OAM | Faculty of Business Government and Law ACT Human Rights Commissioner | PDF, 207.46 KB | |
| Heather Reid | Faculty of Health | PDF, 211.71 KB | |
| April 2017 | Melanie Fisher | Faculty of Business Government and Law Deputy CEO and GM, Food Standards Australian New Zealand | PDF, 131.75 KB |
| Robin Eckerman | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Adjunct Professor, University of Canberra | PDF, 178.47 KB | |
| Lana Read | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Principal, UC High School Kaleen | PDF, 186.64 KB | |
| Dan Bourchier | Faculty of Arts and Design Journalist and host, ABC Canberra | PDF, 41.87 KB | |
| Shane Breynard | Faculty of Arts and Design Director, ACT Museums & Galleries | PDF, 160.35 KB | |
| Mark Duggan | Faculty of Health Manager Medical Imaging, Canberra Hospital and Health Services | PDF, 76.97 KB | |
| April 2016 | Mèdy Hassan | Faculty of Business Government and Law Managing Director, Haus Holdings | PDF, 111.16 KB |
| Renèe Leon PSM | Faculty of Business Government and Law Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis Secretary, Department of Employment | PDF, 212.53 KB | |
| Glen Brennan | Faculty of Business Government and Law Head of Indigenous Business Development, National Australia Bank | PDF, 192.87 KB | |
| Fiona Godfrey | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Principal, Radford College | PDF, 136.12 KB | |
| Samia Goudie | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Faculty of Health Senior Lecturer, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, ANU | PDF, 137.2 KB | |
| John Body | Faculty of Arts and Design Founding Partner, ThinkPlace | PDF, 132.78 KB | |
| Professor Stephen Parker AO | Faculty of Arts and Design Vice-Chancellor, University of Canberra | PDF, 144.88 KB | |
| October 2015 | Professor Stephen Parker AO | Faculty of Business Government and Law Vice-Chancellor & President, University of Canberra | PDF, 105.46 KB |
| Dr Dawn Casey | Faculty of Arts and Design Faculty of Health Chairperson, Indigenous Land Corporation | PDF, 80.78 KB | |
| March/April 2015 | Craig Sloan | Faculty of Business Government and Law Partner, KPMG Canberra | PDF, 252.76 KB |
| John Boersig | Faculty of Business Government and Law CEO Legal Aid | PDF, 139.61 KB | |
| Francis Sullivan | Faculty of Business Government and Law Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis Faculty of Health CEO of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council | PDF, 204.82 KB | |
| Katy Gallagher | Faculty of Health Former Chief Minister of the ACT | PDF, 140.43 KB | |
| Professor Will Steffen | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Executive Director, ANU Climate Change Institute | PDF, 196.21 KB | |
| Dr Justin Garrick | Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics Head of School, Canberra Grammar School | PDF, 139.61 KB | |
| Chris Latham | Faculty of Arts and Design Artistic Director, Illumina: Remembering the Lost Voices of World War 1, Gallipoli Symphony, Voices in the Forest | PDF, 79.18 KB | |
| Christopher Doyle | Faculty of Arts and Design Director, Christopher Doyle & Co | PDF, 83.58 KB |