Monash University awards distinguished alumni

8 September 2010

William Moore

At Monash University’s Distinguished Alumni Awards, presented at a gala ceremony held in Melbourne Australia recently, Honours student William Moore received the prestigious Inaugural 2010 Distinguished Alumni Student Award.

William arrived at the Monash South Africa campus at the beginning of 2008, from Monash University’s Caulfield campus in Melbourne, Australia, as part of the inter-campus student exchange programme. At the time he was a second-year student studying towards a BA (Global) degree with majors in International studies and Geography and Environmental Science.

After his first semester in South Africa, William applied to have his exchange extended and later applied to transfer to the South African campus. He is currently studying towards an Honours degree in Geography and Environmental Science.

Vice-Chancellor of Monash University, Professor Ed Byrne AO, presented the award to William for his leadership of student volunteerism at Monash South Africa. At only 23, William is a committed volunteer and passionate about community engagement.

While in South Africa he has been instrumental in growing the reach of the Monash Saturday School for disadvantaged students who are bused to the campus from nearby settlements to participate in an academic, life skills and sporting enrichment programmes and in which Monash student volunteers act as facilitators and mentors.

William has also co-founded both the Environmental Students Association, and Students Involved in Free Enterprise which challenges students to address real-world business and economic issues in their communities.

He was elected to the Monash South Africa Student Association for 2010 as its Community Outreach Officer and is the current president of the Monash University Student Volunteering Programme. Monash South Africa has more than 300 student volunteers actively participating in a variety of outreach programmes throughout the year.

William also teaches mathematics part-time at the Matla Combined School in Kromdraai, not far from the campus.

William acted as a mentor to grade 11 and 12 learners during an ENKE leadership forum, and he has also volunteered with the Ardoch Youth Foundation as a teacher’s aide assisting students with learning disabilities.

His nominator Allan Mahler describes him as “an exceptional young man who has been tremendously involved in community engagement work in South Africa.”

“As a Monash alumnus I am tremendously proud of the dedication and effort of William Moore in making a difference to the world, and his leadership of volunteer programmes on our South African campus,” Mahler said.

Monash University Chancellor Dr Alan Finkel AM said: "Monash is truly proud of the attainments of all of our alumni, and acknowledges their role in the University's continued success as an institution."