The Greek-Australian Cultural League of Melbourne (GACLM) actively supports the efforts to strengthen the Department of Modern Greek at Monash University by offering financial support in the form of three scholarships to students who excel in this subject.
The undertaking began last year when, in collaboration with the head of the Department of Classical and Modern Greek Studies at Monash University, Dr Eva Anagnostou-Laoutidou, the GACLM Administrative Committee was pleased to make known its decision to offer the scholarships. On Wednesday, March 16, 2011, during a modest but important ceremony, which took place in front of first year students of Modern Greek, at Monash University, Clayton campus, the following students were awarded the scholarships: first prize to Dimitris Tselios, second prize to William Kyrou and third prize to Valerie Farnell.
Present to the event were from the Greek-Australian Cultural League, the President, Cathy Alexopoulos, the Vice President, Kathy Aronis and the Teasurer, Costas Dimaras. From Monash University were the Head of the Department of Classical and Modern Greek Studies, Dr Eva Anagnostou-Laoutidou and the lecturer, Alexandros Yiannadakis ( appointed by the Greek Education Department). Also present were local writer and poet Loula Papazois and Mr Dimitrios Tsouknidas, honorary president of the Union of Greek Writers (from Greece, who is visiting Melbourne), and the representative of the Office of Education of the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Kostas Taoulas. Cathy Alexopoulos gave all the students issues of the last two years of the annual bi-lingual literary periodical “Antipodes”, while Mr. Tsouknidas gave them souvenir lapel pins from the Greek Literary Union.
The GACLM believes that modest moves like this will help to further promote Modern Greek at the tertiary level, creating an incentive for students of Greek origin (or non) to study the Greek language, which is of more relevance today that ever before.
It should be remembered that Modern Greek returned to Monash University last year after nearly ten years of absence. A return that was largely due to the dynamic lobbying of the Monash Hellenic Student Association members.
It must be noted also that the program continues to be supported by the Greek government in an effort to stimulate and promote the Greek language in the Greek-Australian community.
The GACLM hopes that this simple but effective act will be emulated by other community organizations, especially by the private sector.