Awards were presented for helping with Ballarat’s Shower Bus project, running a food co-operative in Gippsland, supporting new international students to settle into Victoria and develop their english skills and creating inclusive GLBTIQ community facilities and services on campus.

The awards marked the end of a successful year of co-curricular activities, including more than 4300 hours of community service and more than 1000 hours of leadership development activities.

The nominations were opened up to the wider university community and all nominees were voted on by a selection panel of both staff and students.

Twenty-two leadership awards were given out, along with 24 volunteer awards, 16 sports awards and 10 outstanding achievement awards.

The volunteer hero awards went to 10 students who achieved more than 150 volunteering hours, including Sam McColl who clocked up 461 hours of service through St John’s Ambulance and the CFA.

The International Student Committee and Student Senate were recognised for their service to the university.

Eighty-two awards were given out in total.