As many will know, regular Wednesday Expert Breakfasts and Sunday Formal Dinners are unique features of St Margaret's College.
These occasions provide valuable opportunities for Members to meet interesting people, learn
some networking and social skills, gain some valuable insights and
learn new things from guests of different backgrounds and careers.
For Formal Dinners, Members are required to dress formally for a spectacular three-course meal during which we are treated to a marvellous musical interlude by fellow Members.
A group of Members meet the special guests at a pre-dinner gathering in the Atrium, and then a
general invitation is extended to all to attend the post-dinner gathering in the Valentine Common Room where the Master chairs a question and answer session with the main focus being to learn how guests have "got to where they are today”
The Master invites a number of special guests to each Formal Dinner. By the time of writing just prior to Easter 2018, three Formal Dinners have been held with guests being the following:
- 25 February: Professor Peter Crampton (Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Health Sciences); his wife Alison Douglass (Barrister); Professor Richard Blaikie (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Enterprise); and Associate Professor Maree Thyne (Marketing; College Fellow and Council Member)
4 March: Dr Jon Cornwall (Physiotherapist, Anatomist, Early Learning in Medicine Adviser); Professor Poia Rewi (Dean, Te Tumu); his wife Tangiwai Rewi (Lecturer, Te Tumu) and Professor Judy Bennett (History, former Warden of St Margaret’s and a College Fellow)
18 March: Dr John Heydon (GP, Occupational Physician, University Doctor); his wife Dr Sue Heydon (Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy and College Fellow); their son Dr Christopher Heydon (Hospital Doctor, former Welfare Staff Member at St Margaret’s); Associate Professor Mark Lokman (Zoology); and Brian Lowe (General Manager Youthline Otago).
Our Expert Breakfasts programme runs each Wednesday from 7.30 to 8.30 am and is arranged by the College Leaders. An expert is invited to have breakfast with a group of Members in the Atrium where they talk about the work they do. So far this year, the following four guests have attended the Breakfasts: Dr Phil Blyth (Anatomy and eLearning in Medicine); Dr Annika Bokor (Biochemistry); Professor Paul Hansen (Economics); and Virginia Cathro (Management Department, Otago Business School). All Breakfasts have been very well attended by Members.
(Story by the Master, Dr Charles Tustin)
