Macquarie Community College recently hosted the Staff Recognition Event 2024, honouring the exceptional contributions of our team through Anniversary Awards, Teaching Excellence Awards, and Staff Excellence Awards.
2024 has been another year of challenges and triumphs, underscoring that Macquarie Community College is, at its core, all about people. Our dedicated team fosters a sense of community — both within our campuses and beyond — by connecting with students, employers, funders, referral agencies, and other like-minded organisations.
With open hearts and a shared commitment our purpose and vision, we came together to celebrate not only the dedication of our staff but also the inspiring achievements of our students. At Macquarie Community College, our success is rooted in the passion and commitment of our teams and the unwavering perseverance of our students, who motivate us every day.
This year, we had the privilege of celebrating numerous Student Success Stories that exemplify determination and growth:
Nataliia Drobushar’s transformation from Basic English to Confidence,
Sister Therese’s inspiring journey,
Tokasa Thompson’s accomplishments in Early Childhood Education,
and so many more. These stories are reminders of the incredible impact of inclusive lifelong learning.
Anniversary awards
Each year we formally recognise our team members in two ways – a celebration of the milestone anniversaries of team members of the Macquarie Community College family, and with our Staff Excellence Awards.
This year, we proudly recognise employees who have reached incredible milestones: 5, 10, 15, 25 and—remarkably—35 years of service.
Macquarie Community College’s success would not be possible without the unwavering commitment of these team members, whose dedication continuously drives positive outcomes for our broader community.
We would like to celebrate the commitment and dedication of the following team members:
5 Years
- Adam Nashat MCC Facilities Manager
- Hong (Van) Le Teacher, English
- Ian Maitland Director – Board Chair Macquarie Community College
- Jung Sook Grace Moon Trainer, Short Courses, Foreign Languages (Korean)
- Laila Kaawi Trainer, Community Services
- Stephen Wells Director – Deputy Chair (MCC) and Board Chair of MCC CaFS
- Sue Bryant Lead Trainer, Early Childhood Education and Care
- Susan Wade Trainer, Short Courses, Bridge
10 Years
- Daya Mijovic Program Manager, LLN and VET
- Nick Wang Trainer, Job Ready and Foundation Skills
- Geetali Krishnasamy Program Manager, LLN
- Heather Hill Lead Trainer, Community Services
15 Years:
- Amparo Le-Nepveu Trainer, Short Courses, Foreign Languages (Spanish)
25 Years:
- Junko Horikawa Trainer, Short Courses, Foreign Languages (Japanese)
35 Years:
- Christine Bennett Trainer, Short Courses, Arts and Crafts, Needlecraft; former LLN Teacher; Life Member of MCC
2024 Excellence Awards
The 2024 Excellence Awards celebrate the outstanding performance of our teaching staff across all program delivery areas:
- Vocational Education and Training
- Leisure and Self-Improvement
- English
- Gateway Community High
Nominations were based on:
- Demonstrating the values of Macquarie Community College Group
- Contribution to the success of the College and School
- Supporting student engagement and outcomes
- Available feedback from students, staff, and other stakeholders
- Examples of going above and beyond the expectations of the role
This year’s nomination process saw an enthusiastic response, with a fantastic array of nominees spanning our diverse programs, teaching locations, and varying tenures with Macquarie Community College.
We are pleased to be able to announce the winners:
Training Excellence Awards
Leisure and Self-Improvement Programs
- Marnie Seinor – Adult Tap Dancing
Career Training – Vocational Education and Training (VET)
- Elizabeth Go – Early Childhood Education and Care
Teaching Excellence Awards
Gateway Community High
- Saran Dawson – Classroom Teacher (English Stage 5 and Stage 6)
English Language and Foundations Skills
- Jack Zhang – English
Staff Excellence Awards
- Moustafa Shakarchy – Facilities team
- Peta Iken – Customer Service team
- Belinda Sallustio – Gateway Community High
- Sue Bryant – Early Childhood Education and Care
Please join us in congratulating and celebrating all our Award winners!
Here’s to another year of outstanding achievements and collaborative successes at Macquarie Community College!