The Catholic Weekly 30 August 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 24 NEWS 30, August, 2020 Looking for a new Job? www.catholicjobsonline.com.au LATE LAST year a group of 20 students from Sydney Catho- lic Schools had the opportu- nity to take part in the ACU School Leavers Program, a study trip in Rome and Lon- don. The trip was organised by both the PMGlynn Institute of Australian Catholic University and Sydney Catholic Schools, so that students would have the chance to immerse them- selves in the Catholic tradition and Western civilisation. The object of the program was to deepen our under- standing of how powerfully Christianity, politics and cul- ture have shaped both the Western world and the di- verse, complex, and secular society of today, informing our leadership and service in the future. The program included a series of structured read- ings from key historical texts, lectures from staff and stu- dent-led discussions. Readings and lectures were paired with guided visits to sites in and around Rome and London which are significant to the story of the Catholic faith and the development of Western culture and society. It gave those on the trip the remarkable experience of be- ing able to physically witness the sites and the artefacts of whose significance, hours pri- or, they had been discussing. It was a wholly unique learning experience, some- thing which many of our group noted. Some of the sites includ- ed the Roman Forum, early Christian churches and ab- beys, the Vatican, Oxford and the Tower of London. As a bright-eyed school leaver I found the whole expe- rience a blessing. After graduating from high school the uncertainty of my future was weighing on me, to the point that I could become idle. The structure to which you have become so accustomed, having spent the majority of your life in the education sys- tem, is gone. You lose a predetermined path in which advancement simply occurs as a new year Don’t pause - just go begins. No longer are you pro- vided with a sequence of con- secutive numbers, that make progression seem as simple as counting. This trip offered an op- portunity to overcome these changes. It helped partici- pants to realise that we could take our future in our own hands and surmount the anx- iety that can arise from not knowing where we are meant to be going. It didn’t matter if you had every step of your future de- tailed or no idea what was going to be happening tomor- A special ACU program for school leavers is an opportunity you just can’t miss row, each participant was able to better understand some as- pect of what directions they might pursue. Molly Hayes, who is cur- rently undertaking a degree studying Primary Education specialising in Religious Ed- ucation at Notre Dame, had already decided to study pri- mary education before joning the ACU Program. PArticipating in the pro- gram clarified some things for her. “Since going on the trip I have also decided to further my studies after my bachelor’s degree in religion, hopefully undertaking a degree in the- ology as I have really become so much more interested in it than I was before,” she said. “Having such in-depth dis- cussions on the trip with other students and teachers really helped me come to this con- clusion.” Another student, Domen- ico Ferreri, who is currently studying a Bachelor of Teach- ing/ Bachelor of Arts majoring in Visual Arts and minoring in Religion at ACU, said that “this trip allowed me to reflect on my experiences of the HSC andmake peace with any anx- ieties I was still holding.” “This trip proved to me that I am a strong, confident individual who is capable of leadership and communicat- ing my opinions with others,” he said. “I was able to bond quickly with the other students and take these social skills into the ‘real world’ after high school … and also overcome the feel- ing of disorientation that can come after completing the HSC and leaving your studies behind.” For myself, the program was an opportunity to figure out exactly how I wanted to spendmy future. I had no goal in mind but the experiences on the program allowed me to overcome this. Discussions of the great works of Western Civilisation with other like-minded peers gave me a renewed love for the liberal arts and, as such, I would pursue that ave- nue with a burning passion, eventually coming to study a Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation and a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Eco- nomics at the University of Wollongong to facilitate this desire. Although the current cir- cumstances we find ourselves in will make it more difficult to recreate the previous ex- periences, I am sure that both the PM Glynn Institute and Sydney Catholic Schools will continue to find ways to pre- pare and support future lead- ers. Faced with the all-impor- tant question of “What do you want to do after school?”, I hope to see this program con- tinue on for many years to en- able other school leavers like myself to change their answer from “I don’t know” to “I’m thinking of exploring (insert interest here) – I’m really pas- sionate about it!” Ethan Westwood Students participating in the ACU School Leavers Program take a break in front of Wesminster Abbey in London. PHOTO: COURTESY ETHANWESTWOOD In brief ACU Open Days go virtual STUDENTS INTEREST- ED in studying at Aus- tralian Catholic Univer- sity (ACU) will be able to access the same infor- mation they would get at a physical Open Day – though this year it will be a virtual experience over three Saturdays in August and September. In keeping with current government public health restrictions, ACU 2020 Open Day will be held virtually, supplemented by smaller on-campus events and tours later in the year (subject to the easing of restrictions). The day will include a combination of pre-re- corded informational videos on our disciplines and study areas, live we- binar-style sessions with accompanying chat, and additional chatroom fea- tures for people to ask questions and access support. Online visitors will be able to tour campuses and facilities virtually, and ACU will showcase its student support ser- vices, international op- portunities, and other services. Live recordings will be available after the events. Year 12 students will have the chance to find out more about the ACU Guarantee program, which will allow them to gain entry to ACU based on their Year 11 results. ACU also has a range of scholarship options – both merit-based and equity scholarships – for school leavers. Future students can find out more about our range of pathway and en- try programs, such as our unique Foundation Stud- ies program, which will be offered at ACU’s new- est campus in Blacktown from 2021. ACU Open Days will be held on Saturday 29 Au- gust, and 5, 12 September, 9am-3pm. Further information can be found at openday.acu. edu.au and also the web- page we have developed for Year 12 students. Since being on the trip I have also decided to further my studies after my bachelor’s degree in religion, hopefully undertaking a degree in theology as I have really become so much more interested in it than I was before.” Molly Hayes NEWS