The 2025 UNE Life Student Awards Night
The 2025 UNE Life Student Awards Night was held on Friday, September 12th. A highlight in the 2025 student calendar, this event celebrated the outstanding achievements and dedication of students from our Clubs & Societies, TuneFM, Digital HQ programs, as well as individuals from the UNE community. Themed after the previous Club of the Year, this year’s evening saw The Bistro decorated by the greens of UNE Farming Futures. The exceptional successes of the vibrant UNE student community were recognised with the inclusion of several new awards.
The Night at a Glance
Hosted by our Student Programs Coordinator, Nick Troon, this installation of the UNE Life Student Awards Night saw 38 winners across 36 award categories, with 23 clubs in attendance.
The talented students of Austin Page College’s SFK team provide entertainment for the evening, performing a rendition of “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood.
UNE Chancellor Dr Sarah Pearson and UNE Life CEO Kim Lawrence celebrated the successes of the UNE student community in their addresses on the night. A special presentation was also made to recognise the service of UNE Life General Manager and former acting CEO, Ben Bible.
New Award Categories
This year was all about expanding connections. The UNE Life Student Awards partnered this year with PASS and the UNE Life Digital HQ to expand the suite of awards. Here’s a list of all the new awards:
- Digital HQ Member of the Year
- Outstanding PASS Leader
- Outstanding PASS Mentor
- Outstanding Peer Academic Mentor
Partnerships with the UNE Student Council, SFK, NEA and TuneFM continued this year as well.
Connecting with the online community
The night was livestreamed to 172 online viewers on the TuneFM YouTube Channel, connecting UNE’s online community with the event.
2025 Club of the year
The UNE Zoology Society was crowned as the prestigious 2025 Club of the Year.
The society hosted a suit of impressive events both on-campus and online including Movie Nights, Trivia Nights, Pub Nights, Seminars, Photography Workshops, Spotlighting activities, and an online photography competition.
The club have also established a clear identity and brand through both social media and a quality line of merchandise. Their imaging and colour scheme are bold but clear with a strong connection to who the club are and what they are for.
The UNE Zoology Society are a strong part of the Clubs & Socs scene at UNE and is well deserving of this award.
Award Winners
Club Awards:
- Club of the Year: UNE Zoology Society
- Clubs Hall of Fame: Minuri Balassooriya (UNE Medical Students Association)
- New Club of the Year: UNE Postgraduate Student Society
- JCR of the Year: Duval JCR
- President of the Year: Nico Edillo (UNE MOSAIC)
- Vice President of the Year: Katie Beard (Rural Science Undergraduate Society)
- Secretary of the Year: Victoria Norford (UNE Postgraduate Society)
- Treasurer of the Year: Jessica Clowes (Rural Science Undergraduate Society)
- Club Member of the Year: Kate Culpin (UNE Geoscience Society) / Jennifer Corderoy (Rural Science Undergraduate Society)
- Social Event of the Year: Bush Dance (Christians United)
- Academic Event of the Year: Mindful Justice Conference (UNE Law Students’ Society)
- Cultural Event of the Year: Meet & Mingle (UNE MOSAIC)
- Community Outreach Program of the Year: Young Farmers Challenge (Rural Science Undergraduate Society)
- Online Activation of the Year: 2025 Program (UNE Zoology Society)
- Collaborative Event of the Year: De-Extinction Discussion (UNE Zoology Society & UNE Geoscience Society)
- Merchandise Award: Rural Science Undergraduate Society
- Marketing Campaign of the Year: Duval Kayaking Club
- Club Sponsor of the Year: NRHSN (NERCHA)
TuneFM Awards:
- Program of the Year: Firestarters: Rescuing Australian Women’s Newspaper Writing From The Kindling Pile
- Academic of the Year: Dr Sally Dixon
- Science Communicator of the Year: Goodness Adebo
- Volunteer of the Year: Caleb Graham
SFK Awards:
- Overall Winner: Austin Page College
- Theatre Sports: Austin Page College
- Debating: Mary White College
- Small Music: Austin Page College
- Public Speaking: Austin Page College
- Arts & Crafts: Austin Page / Duval College
- Mass Participation: Austin Page College
Digital HQ Awards:
- Member of the Year: Tyler Dean-Brinkley
NEA Awards:
- Distinguished Commitment Award: Jennifer Corderoy
Mary White Brick:
- Mary White Ceremonial Exchanging of the Brick: Mary White College
PASS Awards:
- Outstanding PASS Leader: Ulrike Krahn
- Outstanding PASS Mentor: Melanie Willis
- Outstanding Peer Academic Mentor: Morgann Patterson
The UNE Life Student Awards provide an opportunity to recognise the dedication and passion of our UNE student community. The impact of these students on the university community is immense. Their efforts profoundly impact their peers, shaping their UNE experience.
In honour of their incredible achievements, the 2026 UNE Life Student Awards Night will be themed after the UNE Zoology. 2026 promises to be an even more exciting year!
