Students, industry partners, donors and staff gathered at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney this week to celebrate academic achievement and future opportunities to thrive in business at the Macquarie Business School’s annual Dean’s Excellence Awards.

This year’s theme was ‘Thriving Teams’ and attendees heard from Sydney FC stars Alex Brosque and Jada Mathyssen-Whyman about their experiences of team culture and success in the world of elite sport.

Both athletes shared personal stories of interactions with great leaders, such as inspirational coaches, family members, and other elite athletes who have defied expectations.

Alex, who is the club’s leading all-time goal-scorer, said thriving teams “are about building a culture that encourages doing your best for one another.”

Jada added, “The best teams thrive by overcoming many obstacles together to reach their end goal.”

The evening’s student speaker, Amy Ridley, shared her story of representing Australia in goalball at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Amy, who has two per cent remaining vision, said collaboration is an even bigger part of her life than most. The law and commerce student calls on a large network of support, made up of friends, family, peers, colleagues, academic staff and even strangers, every day.

Drawing on her experience at Macquarie, Amy demonstrated the University’s point of difference: you to the power of us – a collective team for ambition, support and success.

“The Macquarie Business School team has become a huge part of my personal team,” she said.

“There have been many moments where I have completely panicked about how to access and understand an economics equation or model that is predominantly visual, or how to access statistical software that refuses to interact with a screen reader. Yet the Macquarie team has helped me to overcome nearly every hurdle.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that the Macquarie Business School team has given me, and the way they have allowed me to thrive.”

As well as the student speaker, Amy was the recipient of the Jim Jones Memorial Prize, which is awarded for academic excellence in the Microeconomic Analysis and Applications unit.

The Dean’s Excellence Awards not only highlight the outstanding achievements of students within the Macquarie Business School, they also honour the valuable contributions of industry partners, donors and individuals.

Professor Eric Knight, Executive Dean of the Macquarie Business School, said: “To our students, thank you for your hard work, dedication, and commitment.

“May you continue to thrive as you move forward in your academic and professional journeys. Your accomplishments inspire us all and reflect the very best of what Macquarie Business School has to offer.

“We are also very grateful to our industry partners and prize donors who directly support our students every year. Your support is deeply valued and crucial to our collective mission of building civic-minded business leaders who can contribute to a highly skilled, engaged and diversified workforce within Australia and around the world.”

Meet some of the winners

Tu Pho

Tu was awarded the prestigious Alf and Pearl Pollard Memorial Prize, which recognises the most outstanding student completing their final year of undergraduate studies in the Macquarie Business School.

Tu studied actuarial studies and information technology at the Macquarie Business School while also undertaking an internship with reinsurance company Munich Re. Tu is now pursuing a postgraduate research degree in Actuarial Studies.

"Winning the Alf and Pearl Pollard Memorial Prize is an incredible honour and the highlight of my time at Macquarie University,” Tu said.

“The rigorous coursework and supportive community at Macquarie University were instrumental in my academic and personal growth. My degree prepared me to excel in my internship role at Munich Re, where I applied the knowledge and skills I gained daily. This award not only recognises my hard work and dedication, but it also inspires me to continue striving for excellence in my future endeavours.”

The Alf and Pearl Pollard Memorial Prize was established in 2002 in memory of Alfred Hurlstone Pollard, the late Professor of Statistics at Macquarie University who introduced the Business School’s world-renowned Actuarial Studies program, and his wife, Pearl. The prize this year was just over $9000.

Kyra Todd

Kyra was the recipient of three prizes at this year’s ceremony: the Halder Chowdhury Prize in Finance, awarded for academic excellence in the Bachelor of Applied Finance; the Victor Argy Memorial Prize, awarded for academic excellence in the Macroeconomic Policy unit; and the Westpac Prize, awarded for the best performance in Bachelor of Economics.

“My Macquarie University experience shaped my career in economics,” Kyra said. “I developed a strong work ethic and the confidence to tackle complex problems. The Economics PACE unit, in particular, taught me invaluable research and presentation skills, enabling me to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.”

The Halder Chowdhury Prize in Finance was established in 2018 by Indranil Halder, the son of Mr C Halder and Mrs K Chowdhury, to honour his maternal and paternal families’ respect for education, generational commitment to nurturing education and Indo-Australia ties.

The Victor Argy Memorial Prize was established in 1993 to honour the memory of Professor Victor Argy, who has been described as an “enthusiastic educator” and man of “humanity, enthusiasm and generous nature”.

Bradley Miller

Bradley was awarded the Allen Knott Scholar Award, which recognises academic merit in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, and a Dean’s Merit Award.

Bradley, who works in clinical operations at an oncology biotech company, said: “The Macquarie Business School MBA program equipped me with advanced strategic insights and leadership skills, and its emphasis on experiential learning and global perspectives has broadened my horizons, enabling me to tackle complex challenges with confidence. Beyond the academic elements, the supportive network of peers, alumni and faculty was invaluable, fostering lifelong connections and igniting my passion to make a meaningful impact.”

The Allen Knott Scholar Award was established in 1980 and is one of the longest-standing prizes presented at the Dean’s Excellence Awards. It honours the late Associate Professor Allen Knott, a Rhodes Scholar and the first full-time appointee in Management Studies at Macquarie University in 1969.

You can watch the highlights below.

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Explore our other event videos: Watch Professor Eric Knight in conversation with Cate Campbell OAM and Amy Ridley