Academic travels from Middle East for USC honour
A former University of the Sunshine Coast business academic has travelled 12,000km this week to receive an honorary award at USC’s graduation ceremony tomorrow night (Thursday 24 April).
Dr Paul Corcoran, who now works at Emirates College for Advanced Education in Abu Dhabi in the Middle East, will become an Honorary Senior Fellow for his work at the University of the Sunshine Coast from 1995 to 2007.
Dr Corcoran was appointed USC’s Registrar in 1995 before the University opened in 1996. He later became a Faculty of Business academic, rising to the post of Head of School of Management.
USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas AM said Dr Corcoran had been responsible for overseeing the construction of much of the University’s administrative structure.
“He is widely respected within the University and beyond, not least by me for his outstanding contribution to the development of this University in those crucially important early years,” Professor Thomas said.
Thursday’s ceremony also will see an Honorary Doctorate presented to pastoralist Ian Kennedy AO, for his lifetime of achievement as a Sunshine Coast business leader and for serving as USC’s Chancellor from 1997 to 2007.
Mr Kennedy is the owner of the Kilcoy Pastoral Company and has worked as Chairman of the Australian Meat Exporters’ Federal Council.
Professor Thomas said Mr Kennedy’s efforts over the past decade had been invaluable to the development of the University.
“As Chancellor, he applied his business experience directly to the scrutiny of the University’s directions, finances, staffing and culture,” he said.
Award-winning agricultural businesswoman Martha Shepherd of Cooroy and former USC academic Associate Professor Karen Brooks also will become Senior Fellows at the graduation ceremony.
More than 2,200 people are expected to attend the ceremony which will be streamed live on the University’s website at www.usc.edu.au.
— Claire Bruynius