Bernie's 2 Minute Friday

Michael has built a successful and decorated career in the legal field since graduating from St Bernard’s in 1991. After earning a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and working in a local law firm, he took the opportunity to move to Hong Kong and work as an associate at Allen & Overy. Since then he’s only looked up, moving up the legal ladder through various roles in Hong Kong, a time that Michael described as “a defining feature of my career”. In 2012 he moved back home to work for AIA Australia. Michael went from strength to strength over his 13 years at AIA, leading his highly capable team to numerous awards including:

• Australasian Law Awards In-House Team of the Year (2017, 2018, and 2021)
• Australasian Law Awards Excellence Awardee (2022)
• And named four times on the Australian GC Powerlist (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022) a list of the best in-house lawyers in the country.

He also played a crucial role in AIA’s expansion into health insurance with AIA myOwn and provided support for the AIA Vitality program, which champions health and wellness.

This year Michael has begun a new leadership role at Equity Trustees, providing his experience and legal skills to the firm and its clients. We wish Michael all the best in his new role and congratulate him on a decorated career so far!

Image via Vanguard Law Magazine

The annual Chris Lane Golf Day will be held on Friday, 22 November.

A must on the calendar, come and join us for a fantastic day of golfing, food, drink and catching up. With prizes to be won, in particular a rare chance at a trip to the highly prestigious Cathedral Golf Club (with food and drink included!), this event is not to be missed for any golf enthusiast! Tickets are $100 per person (inclusive of food and green fees) and can be booked here: https://www.trybooking.com/CWFBA

Bookings are open until 5pm Monday 18 November.

We're delighted to announce the launch of our new alumni platform, Alumnly, designed to offer you improved engagement with our fantastic Old Collegians community.

Our new platform opens up a world of possibilities for you to connect, engage, and stay informed. Whether you're browsing through photos from cherished moments, exploring or posting job opportunities, seeking support, or staying updated on upcoming events and reunions, our platform is here to cater to your needs. You can also share your own achievements and stories, fostering deeper connections within our vibrant community. It has been great to see lots of sign-ups already and Old Boys have begun networking, updating their profiles and reminiscing with photos from back in the day.

Last week we sent out an email from Alumnly, containing instructions on how to access your updated alumni site. With our new platform, the login process is now smoother and more convenient than ever – just a simple click of a button. Upon logging in for the first time, we kindly ask you to review and update your contact and other relevant details to ensure we can stay connected and informed. If you don't have access to the email, you can sign up here: SBOCA Alumni - St Bernard's College 

We have some fantastic events planned for our alumni next year, including Reunions, St Bernard’s Foundation Events and St Bernard’s Old Collegians Association (SBOCA) Events. These are a great way to stay connected to our community and Alumnly will help you stay updated and informed on all of them.  

We would love to see even more sign-ups in the coming weeks to continue building an exciting and supportive Old Collegians online community. Any questions or concerns can be directed to alumni@sbc.vic.edu.au. 

Friday, 1 November 2024 marked a significant milestone for the College as we officially opened the new McDonald Upton High Performance Centre. The ceremony was honoured by the presence of the Hon. Ben Carroll, Deputy Premier of Victoria, Minister for Education and Minister for Medical Research, who cut the ribbon and declared the facility officially open with College Principal, Dr Michael Davies.

The McDonald Upton High Performance Centre represents an investment in our students' future and highlights our commitment to providing leading educational and athletic resources. We extend our heartfelt thanks to McDonald Upton Real Estate for their generous support, which made this facility a reality. It was a pleasure to hear from Mr Milo Rasinac, Partner at McDonald Upton, who spoke on behalf of the company.

We were also delighted to welcome Mr Andrew Van Meel, a representative of the School Advisory Council, Mr Paul McDonald, Estate Agent at McDonald Upton, and Ms Natasha Zucco, wife of Joe Zucco, a Partner at McDonald Upton and a St Bernard’s Old Collegian, along with other distinguished guests, students, and staff, all of whom joined us to celebrate this remarkable achievement.

The opening of the High Performance Centre enhances our capacity to provide exceptional facilities and training opportunities for our students. We look forward to seeing the incredible achievements and character development that will arise from this new space.

The St Bernard's Old Collegians Association are excited to announce that the SBOCA Grant program will continue in 2025! 

The Global Gateway Grant is available for Old Collegians planning international study, and the Leadership in Community Grant to help fund those who are making a positive difference. 

Check out our interview with Simon Vitelli (class of 2019) for a taste of what the Global Gateway grants can help you achieve! SBOCA Grants Program - Mr Simon Vitelli 

For application details or more information please contact Ben Lamaro at blamaro@sbc.vic.edu.au.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the St Bernard's College Motorsports Academy in 2025, the first program of its kind in Australia. This innovative initiative has already generated significant interest from both parents and students. We are eager to engage with professionals and enthusiasts in the motorsport industry.

For more information or to explore potential collaborations, please contact Erin Mepham at emepham@sbc.vic.edu.au