Avondale College

Educational philosophy

During the 1890s, Ellen White reformed the curriculum to make the Bible the center of study, in place of the classics. This change soon spread to the United States.

Values

History

A small Bible school was commenced in Melbourne in 1892, on the counsel of Ellen G. White. She preferred a rural location, and as a result a search for a rural location was commenced in 1893. A common account is the furrow story, in which Ellen White was reported to have had a vision concerning the land.

Finding land for a college seemed to be an impossible task, as the small church in Australia at the time did not have the finances to support such a project. Eventually the committee searching for the land found a 1,450-acre (5.9 km²) block of land near Cooranbong (121 kilometres (75 mi) north of Sydney) priced at $3 per acre ($741/km²) because of its "poor, sandy and hungry" land. They asked White to inspect the land, who gave her approval. An agricultural expert from the government who was commissioned to look over the land reported that it was of extremely poor quality. The land was purchased in the Spring of 1895, and the Avondale School for Christian Workers was opened there in 1897. In 1911 its name was changed to Australasian Missionary College. The College was a major influence on later Adventist education.

Shortly after 1951, students could study a Bachelor of Science through the external program of the University of London, and a Bachelor of Arts through Pacific Union College.

Renamed Avondale College

The 1960s was a vital time as the College expanded. In 1964 the institution was renamed to Avondale College and the current men's residence, Watson Hall, and first-year women's residence, Andre Hall, were completed by the following year. In 1974 it received government accreditation to offer bachelor degrees of its own. Master's degrees were first offered in the 1970s, through Andrews University, and from Avondale itself in the 1990s.

Adventist Heritage Centre

Information and records of the Oceania region are kept at the Adventist Heritage Centre, which is located within the library of the College campus.

Heritage architecture

There are a number of historic buildings that have been preserved on the Cooranbong campus. These include Bethel Hall and College Hall (which formerly functioned as the College Chapel), both of which are unique multi-story wooden buildings. The refurbished Chan-Shun Auditorium is based on the original auditorium. Photographs and memorabilia of the College in its early years are housed in the Sunnyside Museum located at the nearby EG White Estate.

Today

The Cooranbong shopping district and Freemans Drive now occupy some of the land that was part of the Avondale Estate, creating a disjointed estate. Avondale School, which once shared facilities with the college, and the Cooranbong Aerodrome (which up until 2006 was used as part of the aviation certificate training) are located on one section and the college on the other.

FEE-HELP was introduced to the College in 2005. PhD degrees have been offered since 2006 upon approval from the New South Wales Department of Education and Training. In 2010, the college council voted to change its name to "Avondale College of Higher Education" as an interim step to achieving full university status.

For 30 years the college operated a school of aviation, first at Cooranbong and then at Cessnock Airport in the Hunter Valley after the Cooranbong airport closed. In 2008 the school was closed due to concerns over its long-term financial sustainability. Enrollment for the school reopened in January 2009. However, it is expected that the school will be sold during 2009., but as of mid 2010 the sale is being finalised.

The college maintains close links with many colleges and universities within the Seventh-day Adventist education system and international students have an option of spending the semester or year at Avondale. It also has mutual agreements with the University of Newcastle, University of New England and the nearby branch of Charles Sturt University where students have the option to do "cross-credit" courses online. In 2013, the college signed a memorandum of understanding with Charles Sturt in its bid to attain full university status and, in academic year 2015, the first students graduated with degrees jointly awarded by both institutions.

List of presidents

Source (1897–1990): Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia

Academics

The college is organised into four faculties:

Undergraduate

All courses are taught on the Lake Macquarie campus. The nursing school is primarily located on the grounds of Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga. Nursing students have the option of spending their first year on either campus.

The subjects Christian Studies I and II (or substitutes) are required for all students. The first covers salvation and Christian belief and lifestyle, while the second has a more specifically Adventist focus. A three-year study of student grades by faith tradition showed "little statistical variation", meaning "[b]aptised Adventists are not advantaged and those of other faith traditions are not disadvantaged".

Postgraduate

The college offers Master's degrees (taught and research) and graduate certificates/diplomas in education, nursing, leadership and management, arts, theology and ministry. The PhD programme is offered predominantly in the fields of Seventh-day Adventist studies and Australian history.

Student life

Avondale College fosters a wide variety of students from varying cultural backgrounds and beliefs. Over the years, the college has hosted students from all continents. The majority of students are from Australia, New Zealand, North America and Pacific Islands. Exchange or transfer students from Adventist tertiary institutions in Europe and Asia make up the bulk of foreign students not from the aforementioned countries.

On campus, social activities form a part of student life outside academics. The auditorium, gym, library, College Hall, and cafeteria all provide meeting places for students. Both Indoor and Outdoor students have ready access to on campus events and services.

In common with the Seventh-day Adventist community, Avondale College ceases secular activities on a Friday afternoon. Over the Sabbath hours students are encouraged, though not required, to attend a variety of religious programs. There student-led Bible study groups and evening worship services open to students and staff alike. The men's and women's residences also host their own worship services during the weekday.

Evangelical author Philip Yancey gave a presentation at Avondale College Church on 20 October 2001, which was broadcast throughout the South Pacific Division. He returned to speak again at Avondale in 2007.

Residential

The Lake Macquarie campus has three halls of residence: Watson Hall for males, Ella Boyd Hall for senior females and Andre Hall for first-year females. Students also have the option of renting a College View residence, an off-campus housing estate owned by the college.

The Sydney campus (nursing school) has a single large hall of residence mainly for female students. Male students reside in a separate section of the building.

All halls of residences have single and double rooms and are equipped with basic amenities such as wireless internet, computer rooms, student lounge, kitchen and bathrooms.

Avondale College Church

"College Church" is situated on the main (Lake Macquarie) campus. Seating 900, it is one of the largest Adventist churches in Australia. Its main services are "7:28" (formerly "First Church") on Friday evenings; as well as small group Bible study or "Sabbath School", children's Sabbath School and a main church service on Saturday mornings.

The church regularly hosts major college events, such as an annual presentation on church-related topics and other creative arts events or concerts. Keynote speakers at the presentation have been Fritz Guy at the 13–15 September 2002 conference, "Being Adventist in 21st Century Australia" (papers available online), Bill Johnsson in the 22–24 August 2003 conference, "Hebrews for Aussies in Century 21", Alden Thompson in 2004, and Kendra Haloviak in 2005. The 2006 conference included Andrews University president Niels-Erik Andreasen as a presenter. It was initiated by the "Membership and Relational Issues Committee" which formed in 2001. The annual Avondale College Murdoch Lecture started in 1997.

Publications

Student publications include the Orana, "a means of introducing students and staff to each other" early in the semester, and the yearbook Jacaranda. There is also a student newspaper called "The Voice", which is published twice a month. The weekly campus newsletters is named Connections.

Notable alumni