- Summary
- Monday Evening Program – hear about the careers, research and areas of study from senior academics and professionals.
- Public speaking, debating, creative arts and oratory competitions.
- SCR vs JCR quizes and debates.
- Sir Douglas Menzies Oratory Competition
The range of activities on offer at Queen’s College extends far beyond sports and socialising. A number of educational and entertaining events are organised each year, many by the students themselves. These events include:
Monday Evening Program
Organised by the Master, the Monday Evening Program is a weekly series of 45-minute talks from senior academics or professionals, providing insight into their experiences and areas of research. Residents have the rare opportunity to listen to, discuss with, and ask questions of experts in diverse fields whom they would not likely meet outside of College. Examples of past guests include:
- Mr Brian Howe (former Deputy Prime Minister)
- Mr David Hopper (United States Consul General)
- Dr Simon Torok (CSIRO and Wyvern)
- Bishop Tom Frame (biographer of Harold Holt)
- Sir Frederick Eggleston Creative Arts Competition
The College’s annual Creative Arts Competition covers three categories: Literary Arts, Plastic Arts, and Performing Arts. Entries range from the conventional to the highly unusual and showcases what is often hidden talent among members of the College community.
Sir Frederick Eggleston Foreign Affairs Competition
Students interested in foreign affairs have an opportunity to voice their opinions in an annual public speaking contest. Each speaker presents a short talk giving their view on a chosen issue in contemporary international politics.
For speakers who are more concerned with style than substance, the Oratory Competition allows students to engage and persuade an audience using flair, passion, and the occasional thought. The speeches are always very entertaining and have covered topics ranging from “A Spoon is a Very Dangerous Thing“ to “Experience is a Waste of Time”.
SCR versus JCR
There is a natural, instinctive rivalry between the Senior Common Room (comprising the College’s tutors and staff) and the Junior Common Room (its students). Two annual events formalise this.
The first is the Student Club vs High Table Debate. Teams are chosen to represent each side for a debate in first semester. The topics are light-hearted, as is the debate itself.
The other arena for inter-Common Room aggression is the hotly contested trivia quiz. Again students lock intellectual horns with their tutors, but this time everybody can be involved.
