Sr Mel’s ACU Honorary Doctorate Occasional Address
Canossian Sister Melissa Dwyer was 19 when she gave up her dream of winning an Olympic gold medal in javelin to serve the poor as a nun. The decision to leave the sporting world led her to Malawi, where she spent seven years as the principal of a secondary girls’ school. For her dedication to providing young people with an education, and her commitment to religious life, ACU conferred Sr Dwyer with an Honorary Doctorate in Brisbane yesterday. In her Occasional Address, Sr Dwyer shared the story of her former student, Christina, who overcame an incurable disease to go on to pursue her dream. We hope the story inspires you to make a difference in the world.
Read more about Sr Melissa Dwyer’s inspiring story here: https://bit.ly/38p9bqx
Posted by Australian Catholic University (ACU) on Tuesday, 5 April 2022
The Project Kindy Team are thrilled to celebrate Sr Mel’s Honorary Doctorate from the Australian Catholic University (ACU)! Project Kindy started because during her time as Bakhita Girls High School Principal in Balaka, Malawi, Dr Sr Mel shared the struggles of the subsistence farming kindergarten families with her friend, our founder, Donna Power. Hear her thoughts on education, community, the meaning of life and the story of her high school student Christina, in her Occasional Address shared by ACU.
From ACU’s Facebook Post:
“Canossian Sister Melissa Dwyer was 19 when she gave up her dream of winning an Olympic gold medal in javelin to serve the poor as a nun. The decision to leave the sporting world led her to Malawi, where she spent seven years as the principal of a secondary girls’ school. For her dedication to providing young people with an education, and her commitment to religious life, ACU conferred Sr Dwyer with an Honorary Doctorate in Brisbane yesterday. In her Occasional Address, Sr Dwyer shared the story of her former student, Christina, who overcame an incurable disease to go on to pursue her dream. We hope the story inspires you to make a difference in the world.
Read more about Sr Melissa Dwyer’s inspiring story here: https://bit.ly/38p9bqx“
Interview with Dr Sr Mel on ABC Brisbane Radio
Loretta Ryan interview with Sr Mel aired on the morning of the ceremony on the popular morning program ABC Breakfast Radio in Brisbane. It’s a great interview and Project Kindy even gets a mention! Thank you to ABC Radio for shining a light on Sr Mel’s story and what she stands for.
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/brisbane/programs/breakfast/sr-mel-dwyer/13827590
From Donna Power:
“I was very happy to be by Dr Sr Mel’s side as she received her Honorary Doctorate from the Chancellor of Australian Catholic University. It was a wonderful milestone on this pilgrimage we’re on together. We became friends in 2000 and 22 years on, 10 of them including Project Kindy, Mel’s decision to radically serve the poor has been affirmed by the leaders of ACU in such a profound way. Proud isn’t really the right word. It’s more a deep joy and peace that comes from knowing Who we both serve and why we reach out to the poor in love. As she said, this is an acknowledgement of all the Sisters who are on the cold face doing incredible work. I’m so glad ACU are celebrating the values of love for the poor, dignity for all, faith in action and excellence in educational leadership.” Learn more about how Project Kindy started here
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