Tuesday, May 12, 2015

CQUni campuses come together for Nepal

There have been few times I have been as proud of the CQUniversity community as I have been over the last two weeks, watching how we’ve responded to the devastating earthquake in Nepal. The way our colleagues have rallied around our 700-strong Nepalese staff and students during their time of profound grief and sadness has been truly amazing. It surely is a mark of a great university.

I have been overwhelmed with the response I’ve received from our Nepalese staff and students to the University’s initial donation of $10,000 towards Rotary Emergency Shelter boxes, along with the support mechanisms we have put in place for those personally affected, and the spontaneous morning tea fundraisers that have sprung up around some of our campuses. 


Tragically, the death toll in Nepal is still climbing - in fact, it has tripled since the University’s initial response. As the full scale of the tragedy becomes more clear, many CQUniversity staff and students have been looking for ways we can do even more for Nepal.

Dannii Battersby, a School Administrative Assistant who works at our CQIRP facility in Rockhampton, alongside many of our talented Nepalese staff, put her hand up to hold a BBQ on her campus to raise money for more Rotary Shelter boxes. One thing led to another and Dannii’s idea has now become a campus-wide simultaneous lunchtime fundraiser, with most of our campuses hosting a lunch on Thursday at 12pm – 1pm.    

I urge all staff and students to take an hour out of your busy schedules and head to your closest lunch time fundraiser – there is one being held on almost each of our campuses. Bring a pocket full of gold coins (or notes!) and join with your colleagues not only to reflect on the terrible tragedy that has fallen on Nepal, but also to celebrate the wonderful contribution our Nepalese students and staff make to our great university. 


I look forward to seeing plenty of photos from each campus getting together, and to sharing them with the entire university. Details of each campus fundraiser event  are below:

Campus
 
Location
 
Event
 
Cairns Study Centre
 
Main Foyer
 
Staff cook-off
 
Townsville Campus
 
Downstairs foyer, Bulletin Building,
538 Flinders St

 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Mackay City campus
 
Between A & C Block
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Mackay Ooralea campus
 
Refectory/outside BBQ area
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Emerald Campus
 
Atrium Area, ground floor, A Block
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Rockhampton North
Campus

 
BBQ area in front of library
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Gladstone Marina Campus
 
Student Common Room 
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Gladstone City Campus
 
Under croft B Block
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Bundaberg Campus
 
Between buildings 1 & 3
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Noosa Campus
 
Plaza outside 24hr computer lab
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 
Brisbane Campus
 
Level 7 foyer
 
Traditional Nepalese feast + raffle
 
Sydney Campus
 
Student Recreation Area,
basement level

 
Traditional “Mo Mo & Chai” Nepalese lunch
 
Melbourne Campus
 
Level 6, open area
 
Pizza lunch
 
Adelaide Campus
 
Campus foyer area
 
BBQ/Sausage sizzle
 

Heartfelt thanks to all organisers, and to everyone who supports this worthy cause.  

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