7 When I first came to Trinity, I tried to identify the underlying ideals that made the place so special. What was it that made everyone feel so at home and gave them the confidence to launch into the next stage of life? I concluded that it’s largely because there are no boundaries or barriers to anyone’s experience at Trinity – each and every person who walks onto the Bulpadock has the chance to pursue any experience and opportunity they desire. These experiences often come from peer- to-peer learning and the way in which each individual tries to grow not only themselves, but also those around them. A great example of a barrier Trinity breaks down is age. As a group of almost 300 students aged between 18–22 years, we’re often pigeonholed by society. Stereotypes suggest we avoid responsibility, wake up late, and leave essays to the last minute. While some of these typecasts may be true, it’s here at Trinity that age is transcended by the pursuit of excellence, and there are so many examples of this happening every day. This includes producing musicals and plays of an extremely high calibre, students creating their own social enterprises, and Indigenous students creating incredible initiatives to ensure the opportunity they have can be reaped by many others. As I face the prospect of moving out into the big world, I truly appreciate how lucky I have been to have lived in a place where the opportunity to learn, grow and make a difference has played out in the rooms around me. What are you studying? A Bachelor of Agriculture, majoring in agricultural economics. What is your first memory of Trinity? My first significant memory of Trinity is from day one of O-Week. Looking out over our first-year cohort collected on the Bulpadock, I found it unimaginable that among that group of people I would develop the lifelong Trinity friendships I had been told about. Two years later, I’m lucky to have developed some of my closest and most valued friends from among that group. What’s been your most memorable moment at Trinity since then? A very memorable moment of my College experience was a Wednesday Karaoke Bar night this year in the Junior Common Room. My favourite act of the night was a student performance of Pitbull’s Hotel Room Service – it was enthusiastic and hilarious. It’s special that Trinity is the kind of place where people feel comfortable putting themselves out there, in any setting, and that people will support them in doing so. Why did you decide to run for Senior Student? In my Senior Student application I spoke about watching a lot of World Cup games over winter break. I was captivated by the tournament and found myself reflecting on what it is that makes an effective team. I recognised that the traits of the best soccer teams are consistent with those of the best college – Trinity. This includes a positive and supportive environment that people want to be part of, a culture that celebrates and encourages the development of passions and skills, and a desire to excel as individuals and as a community. The reason I applied for Senior Student is because I believe Trinity has the opportunity to become an even better team, and I want to lead that action. What issue do you feel most passionate about at the College and why? The broad issue the TCAC group and I are most passionate about is fostering a positive sense of community. Our principal objective is to support an environment where students, staff and alumni feel connected with their College and one another. Come the end of next year, what will success look like to you? In applying for Senior Student I was very clear about my vision for the College and the plans I wanted to implement to address the concerns of students. These include getting students more involved in decision making, encouraging new ideas and funding initiatives through student forums, and supporting the development of – and attendance at – events. I have genuine belief in these plans, and when students voted for these ideas, they indicated they do too. Success for me will be effectively implementing all of these things. If you were to return to Trinity in 10 years’ time, what would you hope to see? I’m confident Trinity will continue to expand and develop over the next decade. What I hope is never lost is the close sense of community, which is so important and unique to Trinity. Whatever the College may look like in 10 years’ time, if I see students greeting everyone they pass, I’ll know the best and most important part of Trinity has been preserved. SENIOR STUDENTS TRINITY TODAY Meet incoming Senior Student Tom Grills A message from outgoing Senior Student Ted Wyles