I have been living at St Ann’s College for the past 5 years. During that time, the College has provided me with an outstanding academic community where I have grown from a shy teenager to a confident young professional. It has contributed to my personal developments in the following ways: English improvement - The language barrier is one of the biggest challenges encountered by many international students. Living with 180+ Australian students has enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and practice English on a daily basis. As a result, I received an IELTS score of 9/9 in listening and 8.5/9 in speaking in 2018 on my very first attempt. These results gave me a competitive edge in the selection process and enabled me to become an Australian permanent resident in a few months after graduation. Cultural understanding - There is no better way to form a solid foundation of cross-cultural friendships than living in a dormitory environment where everyone shares meals, studies and socialises together every day. Through these opportunities offered by St Ann’s College, I have made several life-long Australian friends who have supported me through thick and thin and positively influenced me through their inspiring thoughts. Had I not lived at St Ann’s; I may not have received that. Leadership potential - The College offers a range of leadership positions, from organising events to managing a group of students in a corridor. The Principal never hesitates to offer encouragement to students or genuine praise for our achievements. Her inspirational words often have positive long-lasting impacts on College residents. Academic support - St Ann’s College provides extensive subject tutoring and an excellent academic atmosphere which plays a critical role for students wishing to excel in their university studies. The College facilities including the library and the new Kennedy Brooks Enterprise Deck, encourage us to study in groups, where I have received a lot of mutual support from fellow residents. St Ann’s College is far more than a place to live. It is an engaging and supportive environment where international students can improve their learning and cultural experience in an authentic Australian community. I highly recommend this College to all international students who would like to unlock their potential and make the most of their university experience here in Australia.

我郑重推荐位于南澳大利亚的圣安寄宿学院 (St Ann’s College)。 我是圣安学院第五年的住宿生。在此五年间，寄宿学院为我提供了一流的学术氛围，使我从一名略显羞涩的青年茁壮成长为一位自信沉稳的职场人士。它在我个人成长的道路上做出了如下贡献： 英语进步：英语语言关是包括我在内的海外留学生在澳的一大挑战。在圣安学院，与超过180名澳洲本地学生朝夕相处的日子里，我走出了自己的舒适地带并每天坚持锻炼英语。最后，我在2018人生第一次雅思考试中获得了口语8.5分，听力满分的成绩。正因如此，我在技术移民申请中脱颖而出，并在毕业几个月后就成为澳大利亚永久居民。 文化融入：一个建立多元文化友谊的理想环境莫过于在寄宿氛围下与志趣相投的同伴同吃共住。通过圣安学院的平台，我有幸结交到了澳裔的人生知己。在我们相识的这几年，他们肝胆相照，充满正能量。这些优势都是其它住宿环境所不能匹敌的。 领袖潜能：从活动组织者到楼层学生管理员，圣安学院提供一系列职位。校长从不吝啬对学生的鼓励，以及对学生成就的褒奖。校长充满智慧、鼓舞人心的话语时常对学生的一生起着深远影响。 学业帮助：具有优质学术氛围的圣安学院提供广泛的大学学科辅导，这对取得优异的大学成绩起着关键作用。学院包括图书馆以及学术中心在内的设施鼓励学生建立学校小组，互通有无，我也在这里获得了许多同学的帮助。 圣安学院远不止是优秀大学生栖息之所，更是一个包容、有爱的大家庭。在这个大家庭里，国际学生可以在一个纯正的澳大利亚氛围中获得更全面的学业与文化体验。故而，我向希望来到澳洲发掘潜能，开阔眼界的莘莘学子推荐圣安寄宿学院。

My years at St Ann’s have been some of the most treasured of my life. So many amazing things have happened along the way – making friends, starting a band, all the way to winning the High Table Cup (Go Boons!). The last couple of months have been hard and emotional, as I come to terms with having to say goodbye to all you amazing people. Looking back, St Ann’s has taught me many valuable lessons, so I’m going to share just three, in the hope that you’ll take them on board. 1 – Appreciate what you have here! We are so fortunate to have such a fantastic place to stay. We have three meals a day cooked by the incredible kitchen staff, a Principal focused on what is best for us as a group and as individuals, we have supportive and caring staff, devoted tutors, an awesome president and CC members. Many are not so fortunate to have what we have here at Ann’s. 2 – Don’t forget to tell those around you just how amazing they are! You are all amazing! I have made so many incredible friends that I will cherish for the rest of my life. If it were not for all of you, my time at Ann’s would have been completely different. You are what makes Ann’s a home away from home. I could not be more grateful for my amazing Ann’s family. 3 – Don’t take your time at Ann’s for granted! I urge you, cherish the time you have here, because once the time comes to leave, you’re going to miss it. So, if you find yourself debating whether to attend that event or try out for that sport, please do it. You will only regret the chances you never took. Thank you all for everything. I’ll miss you greatly, my amazing Ann’s family.

When I first started at college, at no point did I think I would stay for the entirety of my degree. But it was the people like you – all of you sitting here in front of me – that made it impossible to leave then. And even harder to leave now, four years later. Before arriving at St Ann’s, I had no idea what to expect, especially as I enrolled very late in the year and had no chance to visit from my home in Sydney. Of course, downsizing from Sydney to Adelaide meant I was constantly being asked “Sydney? Why are you here?” If moving to a city I had never even visited seemed like a good idea at the beginning, I was definitely having second thoughts on the night before. My move-in day was a little different, too -- my mum needed to return home, so I had to move in on a Saturday morning with most of the returning students. It meant I missed O Week. There I was, sat in my 211 room, not knowing where the food was, in a city with no friends or family. Luckily, the tutors saw through my façade of confidence and collected me for a meal with the big kids. And it wasn’t long before I was calling College home. In my time here, I have seen a lot of change. I have worked under three different senior tutors, experienced the pre-air-conditioned dining room, the building of the Enterprise Deck, the change of Principals, lived on four very different corridors and been to formal tea with over 400 different students. GFS was my first corridor, and as far as I know, it is still one of the busiest corridors around. I remember countless pub nights when I’d made it to bed safely – only to be kept awake by fellow Collegians deciding a chat in the stairwell was a good idea! The next year was my first as a tutor. I had LGFS, and what I’d confidently claim to be the rowdiest bunch of First Years I’ve ever known. They provided quality entertainment, like each sitting in their rooms with the doors open having conversations across the corridor so as to not have too many students in a room. LAWW was a corridor that involved a majority of senior students -- and hosted the best-ever corridor party theme, 101 Dalmatians. LAWW helped strengthen the friendships I had developed in my first and second year and helped form some new ones, too. Moving to DRM Roma, I had initial reservations about how far away I’d be from the kitchen. However, this year has changed my mind, and I can honestly say DRM Roma was the perfect corridor for my final year, both at College and at uni. When I arrived, I came with a single suitcase and a fresh set of pillows. Now, I’ll be leaving with a lot more. Not just the exam notes and headbands I’ve collected, but the memories and friendships that I will look back upon fondly in the future. Thank you everyone for being a part of my home away from home, and I will miss you all immensely. Love you all.

Like many beginnings, the beginning of college was nerve-racking… I will never forget locking eyes with Lucy Norton, who I knew from Cummins Area School. Cummins kids were tough, notorious for ‘coat hanging’ opponents in football carnivals – so you can understand my concern when I heard her scream, “Look, it’s Miriam!” moments before she started to chase me down. Turns out she wanted to ensure I had maximum help getting my belongings into my new home. This was the first step into a college community that I would soon come to love. I loved the inclusive attitude at sports (whether you’re on the field or cheering in the crowd), the tea breaks (that for Norman and I would last for a bit too long) and the controversial turn-out to pub nights. And I still love it. There’s no part of college that I don’t enjoy. Everyone is so supportive. At Ann’s we all see the best in each other. We focus on the positives. I love being able to go down the corridor to annoy my friends, I love there’s always someone in the kitty keen for a chat. And if something does go wrong you always know who you can turn to (even if it means admitting that you’ve lost your keys for the 5th time that day). This is a reflection of our mutual support as a college community, the can-do mindset demonstrated through acts of kindness – like lending components of a last-minute pub outfit or when Kiara Couteral volunteered to do a kitchen duty during Marksenfest (what a legend!). Even when things go south, we manage to stick together, offering words of wisdom on how to fix a problem rather than playing the blame-game. A prime example of this was Chelsea and Macka’s determination to persevere with basketball dates, despite continuous external obstacles – a massive credit to both of them. I think we could all agree that personal growth has been, in some way, big for all of us in 2019. Looking back on the person who joined O-Week, I know that I’ve developed a lot. As you can probably tell, I have used this speech to talk a lot about the people of St Ann’s. This is simply because it’s the people who make St Ann’s the amazing, wonderful place it is. Although it’s sad that so many of us are leaving, we’ve made life-long friendships – so we know it’s only a ‘see ya later’. Bring on second year.

I am extremely grateful to have been selected for this scholarship. It means a great deal to not only myself, but my family and extended family that I should be recognised in this way. Furthermore, this financial assistance will allow me to focus more heavily on my studies throughout this year, as well as tutorship at St Ann’s College. I am sure that this focus will hold me in good stead as I continue my Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and move into the workforce, and so I thank the College for choosing to invest in my future. On finishing my degree, I aim to work in the space industry, possibly at the orbital launch facility at Whaler’s Way on Eyre Peninsula.

Walking into St Ann’s College for the first time, I could really feel the community and connectedness of everyone. It was wonderfully homely and everyone was so supportive and helpful. It became my home away from home and helped me develop so many new friendships with people all around Australia. Academia is held in quite high regard, and it’s great to have such supportive academic tutors – people who are happy to help you with anything from studying to working through tough assignments. There is always something to do at college, whether it's a fun pub night, sports or college event. You’ll never find yourself feeling lonely!

Living at St Ann's has allowed me to meet some amazing people and form lifelong relationships. I couldn't imagine beginning my university journey anywhere else.

St Ann’s College has been the perfect gateway for me, coming from regional Victoria into Adelaide without knowing anyone prior to my arrival. The College has helped every step of the transition, from introducing me to countless life-long friends to providing academic support in my studies from older year students. It has become my home away from home.

“My move to Adelaide in 2018 was a challenge because of my big involvement in the family farm. The Playford Trust Scholarship, which was an honour to receive, gave me confidence that the move was the right decision, as finances had been a great concern. St Ann’s College and its welcoming community of people experiencing similar changes helped me adapt to a new lifestyle right from day one.”

In early 2015, I was both nervous and excited for the transition from high school to university. Reflecting upon my tertiary education thus far, I can wholeheartedly say that residing at St Ann’s College was the greatest decision I have made to support me in this change. I still remember my first days living at college, where I was quite sick. The amount of care and support that so many new faces provided truly was wonderful, and since then living at St Ann’s has been eye-opening, exciting and naturally comfortable. It has provided ample opportunities that have enabled me to further develop my leadership and interpersonal skills. As someone who takes my education quite seriously, St Ann’s sustains my motivation and aspirations to strive for high academic success. More importantly, however, the greatest thing about college is that after the first week, you can sit back, reflect and realise that in the short space of just 7 days, you feel more than welcome into the “Ann’s Family” and have made over 100 friends who all come from different walks of life. Personally, I know that I have some of my lifelong best friends here, and for that I am eternally grateful.

My five years at St Ann’s were very influential on my life. The College provided me with a safe environment that was academically supportive, allowing me focus on my studies. Also, the leadership positions I held at College gave me a great foundation for dealing with people from all walks of life – something which has been essential in my career as a general manager of a large mining company. Just as importantly, I formed what have been lifelong friendships with people from a variety of backgrounds and fields of study. It was the start of a network of people I still reach out to even now. St Ann’s was a wonderful experience for me. I’m very thankful to have been part of it.