The Richmond Institute of Sport Leadership class of 2019 graduated recently with ceremonies in Melbourne and Albury-Wodonga.
A record 128 students completed the course that is delivered in partnership between the Richmond Football Club and Swinburne University of Technology, including 20 at the new Border campus.
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Impressively, the course had a completion rate of above 75 per cent with many now moving on to their preferred choice of tertiary study or employment.
Both Melbourne and Albury-Wodonga students will receive a Diploma of Sport Development from Swinburne, with metro students also gaining a Diploma of Leadership Management.
12 graduates have gained employment at Richmond Football Club and RISL, continuing from six given the same opportunity in 2018.
Nine students will move abroad to work for X-Movement, an Australian founded in-school physical activity and mindfulness program based in Canada.
The Melbourne cohort’s graduation was held at the Swinburne Centre’s Maurice Rioli Room, at the heart of the Richmond Football Club.
Among those in attendance were Richmond Football Club CEO, Brendon Gale, Minister of Education, The Honourable Dan Tehan MP, Victorian Member for Bayswater Jackson Taylor and Swinburne University of Technology’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Pathways and Vocational Education), Lisa Line.
Noted during the night by MC and former sports broadcaster, Tiffany Cherry, were the many memorable events and opportunities afforded to students throughout the year.
These included the Bachar Houli Cup, AFL match day operational tasks and national and international trips to destinations such as the Northern Territory and India.
The program’s top honour, the Program Excellence Award was presented to Aimee White, Taylor Mawkes, Jess Owens and Ty Voss, who demonstrated the most outstanding overall performance across the year.
Bailey Holmes received the same honour in Albury-Wodonga.
Speaking at the Border ceremony, Program Manager Jess Harris described how proud she was to be a part of RISL’s first regional campus.
“The growth I have seen from this group has been immense, and it is very exciting to see students already achieving great things,” she added.
The Albury-Wodonga event was attended by Swinburne University of Technology, Manager PAVE Business and Finance Jeremy Glover, Richmond General Manager- Aligned Leisure and Education, Shane Dunne and Richmond Head of Education and Training, Damien Villarosa.
Other award winners across the ceremonies included:
Melbourne:
Sporting Excellence: Shannon Pattison, Allison William, Corey Malcolm, Gracie Reid.
Academic Excellence: Willow Allen, Des Cook, Rory Harrington, Racheal Murphy.
Leadership Excellence: Lauren Kirby, Mietta Nord, Billie Lewis, Chris Dergacz.
Industry Excellence: Rebecca Battersby, Ellen Thompson, Daniel Skinner, Layton Sketcher.
The Resilience Award: Millie Prudden, Owen Little.
The Connection Award: John Tucker, Taylah Crane, Jack Kennedy, Shenali Subasinghe.
Albury Wodonga:
Sporting Development Excellence: Darcy Glynn and Tom Christensen.
Leadership Excellence: Tahlia Simpson and Bailey Holmes
Industry Excellence: Madison Murdoch
Connection Award: Ashley Herber and Luke McMillan
The Richmond Institute of Sport Leadership will expand again in 2020, with 19 students enrolled at the inaugural Mildura campus.
