The 2026 UNE Life Student Awards Night
The 2026 UNE Life Student Awards Night was held on Friday, September 11th. As always the night was a highlight of the 2026 student calendar, celebrating some of the fantastic students and achievements that made this year so special. In particular we got a glimpse into the worlds of Clubs & Societies, TuneFM, the Digital HQ, SFK, PASS, & the New England Award. Themed around last year’s club of the year, the UNE Zoology Society, the evening was a jungle of activity with the main space being beautifully laid out like a night sky with fairy lights covering the ceiling. The Bistro felt intimate but alive making a fun night for all.
The Night at a Glance
Hosted (for the last time) by our Student Programs Coordinator, Nick Troon, this installation of the UNE Life Student Awards Night saw 39 winners across 36 award categories.
We had two fantastic performances throughout the night from Mary White & Austin Page each performing a small medley of songs drawn from their Small Music performances.
UNE Vice Chancellor Prof Chris Moran and UNE Life CEO Kim Lawrence celebrated the successes of the UNE student community in their addresses on the night. Both also addressed the departure of UNE Life Student Programs Coordinator, Nick Troon thanking him for his support in bringing nights like this together.
Connecting with the online community
The night was livestreamed to 163 online viewers on the TuneFM YouTube Channel, connecting UNE’s online community with the event.
2026 Club of the year
The UNE Games Society took away the coveted 2026 Club of the Year, and will be the theme for next years event.
Although starting the year in a rough state, the club has had an amazing year carrying their genuine passion and care for the club through everything they’ve done.
They created a solid community of largely new faces, increased numbers on the clubs committee, & hosted a whopping 36 events across the year.
Their nomination was beautifully put together with particular highlights being their member feedback including comments like “UNEGS gives me and so many other people, a reason to get out of our rooms at least once a week and connect with people. There is something really special about having a place you can look forward to going to, where you can spend time with other people, have fun and take a break from everything else.” Or more succinctly “UNEGS is A place where other nerds like myselfcan congregate to develop a sense of community.”
2026 Clubs Hall of Fame
We also had a Student Awards Night first when the Clubs Hall of Fame accolade was awarded to a club rather than an individual.
This years Clubs Hall of Fame inductee was the UNE Law Students Society of 2026, due to their consistent efforts at a high level far
surpassing anything else within our clubs program.
Engaging entirely through online interaction, the club has a membership of 742 members who they support through events, guides, regular correspondence, and networking opportunities.
As of the night, the next largest club has a membership less than half the size of the UNE Law Students Society.
The deciding factor in this decision though was the clubs consistency. Over the last 4 years the club has been consistent in it’s approach and quality, building on the work of previous executive teams without dismissing the processes that have come before them (a rare quality in the world of student administration).
Award Winners
Club Awards:
- Club of the Year: UNE Games Society
- Clubs Hall of Fame: UNE Law Students’ Society
- New Club of the Year: UNE Line Dancing Club
- JCR of the Year: Austin Page JCR
- President of the Year: Hamish Seddon (Austin Page JCR)
- Vice President of the Year: Tianaha Willson-Baker (UNE Law Students’ Society)
- Secretary of the Year: Jaimie Harrison (UNE Law Students’ Society)
- Treasurer of the Year: Brianna Turner (Austin Page JCR) / Kirsti Nunn (UNE Law Students’ Society)
- Club Member of the Year: Kiesha Rusten (Duval JCR)
- Social Event of the Year: Mates’ Weekend (Duval JCR)
- Academic Event of the Year: AGLC4 Workshops (UNE Law Students’ Society)
- Cultural Event of the Year: Close the Gap Lunch (New England Rural Club for Heath Alliance)
- Community Outreach Program of the Year: Rural Immersion Trip (New England Rural Club for Health Alliance) / Young Farmers Challenge (Rural Science Undergraduate Society)
- Online Activation of the Year: Education Sessions (Pharmacy Students’ Association of UNE)
- Collaborative Event of the Year: Trivia Night (UNE Geoscience Society / UNE Zoology Society)
- Merchandise Award: Rural Science Undergraduate Society / UNE Zoology Society
- Marketing Campaign of the Year: Global Gala (UNE MOSAIC)
- Club Sponsor of the Year: College of Law (UNE Law Students’ Society)
TuneFM Awards:
- Program of the Year: New Music Monday
- Academic of the Year: Dr Wellett Potter
- Science Communicator of the Year: Karla Sebastiani
- Volunteer of the Year: Summer Farrelly
SFK Awards:
- Overall Winner: Austin Page College
- Theatre Sports: Austin Page College
- Public Speaking: Austin Page College
- Small Music: Mary White College
- Arts & Crafts: Austin Page College
- Debating: Mary White College
- Mass Participation: Austin Page College
- SFK Most Supportive College: Austin Page College
Digital HQ Awards:
- Member of the Year: Amara Bottom
NEA Awards:
- Distinguished Commitment Award: Claudia Suttie
Mary White Brick:
- Mary White Ceremonial Exchanging of the Brick: Mary White College
PASS Awards:
- Outstanding PASS Leader: Jeremy Nowland
- Outstanding PASS Mentor: Uli Krahn
- Outstanding Peer Academic Mentor: Connor Hunt
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.
