Project outlines Southern Cross University history

Researchers at Southern Cross University have put together the history of SCU in the 10th Anniversary History Project.

A creative audio visual exhibition of the project by SCU visual artist Wendy Parker is on display at the University library until November 14.

The 10th Anniversary History Project is being coordinated by Dr Rebecca Coyle, and Dr Adele Wessell, from the School of Arts, and will provide an archive for future use by researchers and the general public.

”The project covers the entire history of the institution, including its pre-university days – a period of around 30 years,” Dr Coyle said.

“We have interviewed over 50 people and gathered documentation from the last 30 years.”

Dr Coyle said while regional universities in themselves were a particular feature of Australia’s educational history, Southern Cross University had carved out something particularly special.

“The aim is to document SCU’s history so that when the 20th and 30th anniversaries come up, the material is there and ready to be accessed.”

Wendy Parker (pictured), the curator of the exhibition, has blended a mixture of social history and arts.

“The concept developed out of the sense that it would be nice to personalise the celebration of the SCU’s 10th anniversary.

“The idea is to create an exhibition which celebrates the life of the people who work here. For the employees a sense of success seems to come from the desire to make a difference and see their contributions as meaningful, and I hope to communicate this in the exhibition.”

The SCU History Project Exhibition will be held in the university library until November 14.