University welcomes triple j’s Tom Ballard for O Week Crawl

triple j’s Tom Ballard will sample university life on the NSW North Coast when he visits Southern Cross University’s Lismore campus this week (Wednesday February 27) for Tom and Alex’s O Week Crawl.

Tom will be special guest of Open Mic Night hosted by Benn Wilson and Mike, a regular weekly gig at the UniBar, starting at 4.30pm. The popular triple j breakfast co-host will be interviewing first year students about their experience of starting university and will launch the University orientation program Get Connected Week @ SCU.

Organising and promoting the event across the University, with a budget of just $500, is a group of second and third year students from the School of Health and Human Sciences.

The students – Aimee Bellingham, Daniel Hodgins, Sally McMahon and Jeremy Syme – secured the coveted job after pitching the best idea at a School Host training session.

Daniel Hodgins, 29, and in the second year of a five-year osteopathy degree, said he was thrilled that SCU was on Tom and Alex’s O Week Crawl itinerary.

“It’s Tom Ballard from triple j, what is there not to be excited about? Having such a popular morning show host on our campus is creating great hype among the students.”

triple j will be recording Tom’s interviews with first year students and the Open Mic performances. A selection of material will be played on triple j breakfast the following morning.

Daniel encouraged students to sign up for Open Mic, with the best performance winning a triple j prize pack.

“Everyone who can play an instrument, sing a song, do a comedy routine or perform behind a mic should join in because it’s great fun and an awesome way to get yourself out there to the rest of the students,” he said.

The Get Connected @ SCU orientation program, starting March 4, will be run across the University’s campuses at Lismore, Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour. It is designed to encourage student networking and peer support and includes sessions on mentoring and peer-assisted study sessions; academic skills workshops; health and wellbeing; and an introduction to the First Year at SCU Facebook site.

“It is valuable for first year students to discover how they can stay in touch with each other, their peer years and the University staff. I know I found the sessions extremely helpful for me academically and socially,” said Daniel.

Full event details are at the SCU Facebook page.

Photo: School Hosts Daniel Hodgins (left) and Jeremy Syme invite first year students to Tom and Alex’s O Week Crawl.