Your memory wall

Everyone in our community has a story to tell about Deakin. From meet-cutes on campus, late-night discoveries in the lab or even changing someone’s life, we’ve been there for it all.

Peter Di Sciascio
I studied a Bachelor of Science at Deakin from 1981 to 1983. I recall that one of the lab practice classes started early, at 8am. I was a diligent student and always arrived about...
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Suzanne Nunn
Deakin University with its off-campus study delivery and massively effective off-campus library service enabled me to return to study for an Arts Honours degree in the early 90s after having twins and still thirsty...
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Wayne Morris
I started my first Deakin degree in 2007. At that time, I didn’t realise Deakin was barely 30 years old. I finished three degrees between 2007-2016, finishing with a Bachelor of Design, Master of...
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A man standing in the snow in front of a small aircraft.
Steve Gregory
How time flies from being asked ‘How would you like to teach?’ to becoming a member of the class of ‘92, studying under the Hawthorn Institute of Education banner. Then progressing from an undergraduate...
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Tricia Ong
In 2014, I became a PhD student at Deakin. I remember the first day I entered Building J on the Burwood Campus to take the lift up to the School of Health and Social...
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Chris Tapping
I earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics from Deakin in 2000. Later, I also completed a Master of Business Administration focusing on technology management in collaboration with the Association for Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers...
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Marc Dixon
While studying at Deakin, I loved playing on our Architecture Football Team in 1984.   I believe it was the Head of Sport Development who organised a small intra-varsity competition to foster sporting activity among...
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A person wearing a hoodie pretending to hold the moon in the sky.
Thiloththama Silva Jayewardene
One of the unforgettable memories I have from Deakin is when the government announced the COVID-19 lockdown and everything went online in March 2020. It was just a few days after I arrived in...
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Judi Blennerhassett
Looking out the lecture room window and watching the sheep in the field next door. The gentle thwack of cricket ball hitting willow on the green in front of the main café. Walking along...
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Nicole Holt
Deakin University: A journey through learning and growth. I began my journey at Deakin in 2013, starting with a Bachelor of Nursing before transferring to a Bachelor of Health Sciences, which I completed in...
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Aurelia Marsili
I’m pictured, alongside my friend Ngan Louey, in this photo which has been used to promote Deakin’s anniversary. We were fortunate to experience life on-site, known as ‘residence’ at the Waurn Ponds campus.   Starting...
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Noel McConnell
I fondly remember the bands that played in the café during Deakin Waurn Ponds Campus’ early days—Captain Matchbox, Dutch Tilders, Goanna, and many more. In 1976, I even drew the roll call on a...
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A person in graduation attire at Cunningham Pier in Geelong.
Brandon Le Gallez
As a wide-eyed ‘twenty something’, I decided the natural next step to completing a Bachelor of Music (Griffith University) would be to go full steam ahead in Deakin’s Master of Business (Arts and Cultural...
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Himanshu Dhamankar
Migrating from Mumbai to Melbourne and arriving at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds Campus in the middle of peak winter 11 years ago, feels like a distant memory but a fond one at that. Being part...
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Sanja van Huet
In the early 80s I had Ron Player as one of my lecturers (it was Rusden then). He taught the entire course of Geology and Earth Science over three year levels. It was Ron’s...
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Ash Chitnis
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Justin Lawson
I started my undergrad in ’05 and ended up with a PhD in ’12 in environmental science. For my PhD study I managed to include site visits to various locations around Australia, which necessitated...
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Chris Trott
The earthy smell of sodden books hit me well before I could see them. A growing mountain of steaming, charred textbooks that, only a few hours before, had been snuggling on the Deakin Rusden...
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Jodie Ringin
This photo captures a wonderful memory from the 2018 graduation, when our Deakin Waurn Ponds Medical Imaging staff celebrated the graduation of our inaugural cohort. It marked the recognition of all the hard work...
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Justin Conn
My best Deakin memory is my graduation ceremony. I vividly remember the pride I felt as I was fitted with my gown and cap. I still recall the anticipation of hearing my name called...
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Amit Kumar
Choosing Deakin University was a life-changing decision for me. As a Customer Success Manager working with international clients, I thought I was doing fine. However, studying Business Strategy, International Business and Design Thinking at...
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Yangchao Zhang
My memories of studying at Deakin are very special to me. In the mid-2010s, I came to the university as an international student from China.  Over time, I’ve started to forget some of the...
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Julie Kos
I have so many fond memories of my undergraduate days on the Waurn Ponds campus: Parking in the free paddock ‘carpark’ at the back of the campus (not so nice in the winter with...
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Dr Fiona Phillips
In 1977 I came with my father to a tree planting day on the new Deakin University Waurn Ponds campus. He and I planted a gum near building IB. In 1984 I returned to...
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Tanya Lazzaro
I have studied at Deakin a few times over the last three decades. I earned my Bachelor of Visual Arts, Master of Applied Learning and Teaching and most recently, a Graduate Diploma of Adult...
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Nancy Lander (née Baxter)
When I studied at Geelong Teacher’s College in 1958/59, I’d heard a fast-food chef serving something new – battered devon. Our residence, known as Ariston, served this up every Wednesday for lunch with tomato...
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Graham James Ball
Starting Bachelor of Architecture on the windswept campus that was Deakin in 1977 was an experience. It was so remote from anywhere that we tended to stay on site most of the day. We...
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John Hutnyk
I finished my Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences and Humanities with Honours in 1986 alongside Malcolm Crick, Max Charlesworth, Philippa Rothfield and Hazel Rowley. I then got a job lecturing and tutoring at...
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Wendy Grenfell
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David William Edge
I was appointed to the administrative staff at Deakin in June 1975 when it was housed in a small office building on Fenwick Street just near Geelong’s city centre. My staff number was five,...
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A man standing on the deck of a building.
Peter Francis Hughes
Joining the Deakin Boardriders Club and going to a university so close to Bells Beach was the highlight of my degree. In 1979, the Deakin University Sports Association (now the Deakin University Sport Society)...
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A group of people including someone dressed as Santa Claus.
Sylvia Stefano
When I first started in Aug 1988, I worked in the Mail Room at Waurn Ponds Campus in a small room in Building JB. We had a franking machine and sorted it all by...
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Elita Dabrowski
In 2021, during Melbourne’s lockdowns, I studied for a Graduate Certificate in Human Nutrition at Deakin while working in private practice and the health industry.   It was a lifeline during a challenging time,...
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Aaron Ginzburg
I completed my Master of Commerce through Deakin University in the late 1990s and early 2000s while working full time. Distance education was the only option to further my education, so I chose Deakin. Back...
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Kerre Ann Willsher
I completed my early units at Deakin in 1982 while living at Finke near the Simpson Desert. I remember at the time, there was a theory that I did not understand. I phoned the...
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Brad Smallman
It’s hard to believe that only as long ago as 2010, when I started my Bachelor of Arts at Deakin, that essay submission was still in hard copy form! I think every student in...
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Andrew Mackew
In the early 1990s, I always remember commuting from Deakin’s Burwood Campus to the then Toorak Campus and back between lectures and tutorials. The run along Toorak Road – Burwood Highway became a bit...
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Linda Thies
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Jo Chadwick
In the 1990s, I worked at Deakin’s Waurn Ponds Campus as a cataloguer, in the audiovisual section, and as a health liaison librarian. After leaving Deakin in 1997, I spent 10 years living and...
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Melissa Yong
I undertook a Bachelor of Applied Science (Health Promotion) between 1995-1997 at what was then the Rusden Campus, located on Blackburn Road in Clayton. During the 1990s, the Burwood campus went through a massive...
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A person wearing glasses and a blue shirt smiles while sitting in an office setting with a desk, papers, and various items in the background. The image is grainy hinting that it is from the past.
Rohan Boyd
As a nearly 19-year-old, I kicked off my Deakin journey back in January 1987 after being lucky enough to get a job as a Mailroom Clerk. This was probably mainly thanks to my Dad...
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Sarah Knight
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Amanda Stokes
I started at Deakin in 1983 as part of the Special Youth Employment Training Program provided by the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES). My training covered several areas: Registry (including the telephone switchboard—no direct dialing...
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