<< Back to Lion homepage
A European Union
The OWCA is fortunate to have dynamic official representatives around the globe. Our most recent contact is the highly engaged Alia Papageorgiou (OW1994), who now resides in Brussels, a city that’s alive with politics. Following the pandemic, Alia is back in Brussels and has written to us with an exciting update:
‘In a few short months, it will be 15 years that I've been in Brussels and yet I feel the same excitement I felt when I first got here. Why? Because after two-plus years of this pandemic, an Australian delegation is coming to Europe! They won't stay long and they'll be very busy, but no matter how long you stay away from Australia, you'll always be an Aussie.
I've been back home several times in the past 15 years. The last time was in Canberra with the EU Delegation to Australia between 2015 - 2018. I decided to come back (with my Canberran cat Henry) because my partner recoiled at the thought of a 27-hour plane ride!
Since returning, I've been elected Vice President of the Association of European Journalists and last November, I was elected President of the Press Club Brussels Europe, pressclub.be. If your travels happen to bring you to Brussels, please stop by and say hello!
I'm hoping to begin Belgium's first Writers Festival and am looking forward to many great talks and events. It’s exciting to think that in my first eight years in Brussels, I was a journalist and today, I run associations on journalism and work on strategic communications!
Along the way, I have met some very interesting OWs but the one I remember most was an older gentleman in a bow tie who was seated next to me at a dinner organised by Ian Thomas (OW1982) in Canberra in 2017; Dr Joe Johnson OAM AAM (OW1961). He had led six expeditions to the Antarctic for the Australian government and recounted the perils so casually. When I asked what his biggest fear for the Antarctic environment was, he instantly replied “tourism!” saying all these new ways to get to the Antarctic were “creating a whole lot of new rubbish to be left behind. I hope that trend dies down!”
At the Press Club Brussels Europe, they have a saying, “If you want to be heard in Europe, say it in Brussels. If you want to be heard in Brussels, say it at the Press Club.”
Wishing you all the best for our post-pandemic lives and hoping to see you in Brussels soon, unless I see you in Australia first!’
Congratulations Alia, we can’t wait for the next instalment! You can reach out to Alia or any of our international contacts via the OWCA website https:// www.owca.net/connect-with-yourcommunity/international-alumni
Professor John Leung was recently appointed to a full professorial position at the University of Adelaide Medical School. He is the current Chief Examiner for Radiation Oncology in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and the Deputy Chief Censor of the College. He is a member of the Education Board and continues to be an editor for the national journal as well as publishing articles. He remains a very active teacher of senior doctors wishing to become specialists. He was the previous Chief Accreditation Officer and combines a busy clinical practice with academic work.
On a personal note, his beloved wife Colleen died several years ago, but he has remarried and now has two very young children from his second marriage, with over a twenty-year age gap between the children of his first marriage!
John's father Thomas Leung (OW1953) is a retired surgeon who takes great pride in his children, who are both medical practitioners, as well as his grandchildren and several brothers.
After completing a Master of Science in Geology at Melbourne University, Melinda worked in the iron ore industry with Fortescue and BHP as a Geologist, Operations Supervisor and Project Manager. Taking a break to pursue an MBA at Barcelona’s ESADE Business School, Melinda will start an exchange program with Kellogg Business School, Northwestern University, Chicago in January.
Melinda is a passionate advocate for gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the resources industry. She does this through education outreach, encouraging girls and young women to get into STEM disciplines, mentoring women in the mining sector and speaking out about inequalities in the workplace.
Her recent TEDx talk, 'Women in Leadership: Why we need more at the top,' discussed how increased participation of women at the leadership level can bring improvements and opportunities in mining, lead to safer and more productive workplaces and better culture.
Melinda remains indebted to teachers like David Steele and Dawson Hann, but it was Arianna Benson who inspired her love of physical geography, pulling her towards a career in earth sciences.
The Suncorp Super Netball League brings netball into the light and we’re proud to see Molly Jovic (OW2013) shine with the Collingwood Magpies.
Molly Jovic joined Collingwood in 2020 as a replacement player and went on to have an outstanding debut season, taking out Collingwood's runner-up Best and Fairest award. Her successful debut year saw her re-signed as a permanent player for the 2021 season and continue that form to retain her spot for 2022.
A competitive midcourter with plenty of grunt, Jovic leaves no stone unturned on court.
Prior to her Super Netball debut, the versatile mid-courter was a member of the Tasmanian Magpies and City West Falcons in 2019, following two years with Victorian Fury and was named in the 2019 VNL Championship Team of the Year.
During her time at school, Molly played in the Firsts from Year 8 to Year 12 and since leaving, was Assistant Coach to Wesley netball icon, Marg Molina OAM.
