Mazenod College

Congratulations to Lucas (Year 10) and Ryan (Year 10) on their outstanding results in the 25th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition.

Lucas was awarded First Place in the Victoria and Tasmania Division, while Ryan received Third Place, held recently at the University of Melbourne.

Following his success at state level, Lucas went on to compete in the Australian Chinese Bridge Competition National Finals, where he was also awarded First Prize. This remarkable achievement means Lucas will now represent Australia at the Global Chinese Bridge Competition in China, joining outstanding Chinese language learners from around the world.

The competition tests students across several areas, including Chinese cultural knowledge, speech presentation, language proficiency, and talent performance connected to Chinese language and culture.

Lucas and Ryan prepared for several months and showed great commitment throughout, attending every practice session and approaching each stage with focus and determination.

We congratulate both students on this achievement and wish Lucas every success as he prepares to represent Australia on the global stage.

Over the past two weeks, our Year 10 Food Technology students have completed their practical Morning Tea assessment tasks.

Students worked through the full design process, developing menus, consulting with a client, refining their ideas, and preparing dishes in response to a brief. The task challenged them to apply their skills in planning, preparation, presentation, and service in an authentic setting.

Across both groups, staff were treated to a diverse menu of student-made dishes, from savoury bites to desserts, each reflecting careful preparation and personal creativity.

We are proud of the way students approached the task, showing focus, resilience, and professionalism under pressure.

Nishan Velupillay Selected for Australia’s FIFA World Cup Squad

Nishan Velupillay (MOC 2019) has been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Nishan, who plays for Melbourne Victory, has made six appearances for the Australia men's national soccer team, scoring three goals.

He secured his place in the squad following an impressive 30-minute performance against Mexico on the weekend.

Australia will play Switzerland in a friendly on 7 June before opening its World Cup campaign against Turkey on 14 June. The Socceroos will then face the United States on 20 June and Paraguay on 26 June.

Nishan was a key member of Mazenod College’s highly successful 2019 Senior Soccer team, led by Emilio Montoya(MOC 1995), which claimed both the Senior ACC Premiership and the Melbourne City FC Premier Schools Tournament title.

The Mazenod College community congratulates Nishan on this outstanding achievement and wishes him every success as he represents Australia on football’s biggest stage.

Mazenod has finished first overall at the Northern Star Chess Tournament qualifiers, held at Viewbank College on Thursday 21 May.

Competing against schools statewide across seven rounds, our students showed focus, composure, and strong decision-making throughout the day. The result saw the College finish one point ahead of host school Viewbank College to win the team event.

Eleven Mazenod students have now qualified for the Semi Finals later in the year.

Akshobhya delivered an outstanding individual performance, finishing undefeated and placing 2nd overall on countback.

With the tournament open to students up to Year 12, this was an excellent result from a young Mazenod team.

Mazenod delivered a strong performance at last week’s Volleyball Victoria Schools Cup #1, held at Dandenong Stadium.

Across three full days of competition, 78 students from Years 9 and 10 represented the College across eight teams.

Results included:

Year 10 Honours, Gold
— Third consecutive year as champions
Year 9 Honours, Gold and Silver
— Both teams went undefeated before meeting in the Gold Medal match
Year 10 Division 1, Bronze
Year 10 Division 2, 4th
Year 9 Division 1, 5th
Year 9 Division 2, 7th and 8th

A standout moment came in Year 9 Honours, where Mazenod was granted permission to enter two teams in the top division. Both teams went undefeated through the tournament and met each other in the Gold Medal match, marking a historic moment for Mazenod Volleyball.

Thank you to the staff, students, and families who made their way to Dandenong to support the teams during the medal matches.

Congratulations to Mazenod flute teacher Lisa-Maree Amos, who performed with Orchestra Victoria at Carnegie Hall in New York as part of the premiere of Harry Connick Jr’s first symphony, 'Elaboratio'.

The performance was conducted by Jessica Gethin and marked a major international moment for Orchestra Victoria, bringing Australian musicians to one of the world’s most renowned concert halls.

A wonderful achievement, and a proud reminder of the calibre of musicians who teach and inspire our students at Mazenod.

🏆♟️ACC INTERMEDIATE CHESS CHAMPIONS - DIV 1♟️🏆

Congratulations to Mazenod College on winning their respective division in the ACC intermediate chess tournament! Mazenod displayed critical thinking and exceptional skill.

A special mention to St Bernard's College (Year 9 Campus) who hosted the event!🌟

Well done to everyone who competed on the day!

Dimosthenis “Deon” Manasis (MOC2002) has been presented with the 2026 Leave to Serve Award, inducting him into the Mazenod College Alumni Awards.

Deon is the Director and Instructor of the MANASIS School of Greek Dance and Culture, a Melbourne-based cultural school dedicated to preserving, teaching and sharing Greek identity through dance, education and performance.

His work has taken Greek culture into schools, community events, aged care settings, fundraising initiatives and international stages, while keeping service and belonging at the heart of his mission.

After receiving the award at Friday's assembly, Deon wrote to the College reflecting on the lasting influence of his time at Mazenod, describing the College as part of the foundation that shaped his values, resilience and sense of purpose.

The Leave to Serve Award recognises Old Collegians whose lives reflect meaningful action, leadership and service to others. Deon’s contribution to culture, community and education is a fitting example of that spirit.

Congratulations, Deon.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Mazenod College and Avila College production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: The Broadway Musical.

Join us from 15 to 18 July at the Alexander Theatre, Monash University, as our students bring this much-loved story to the stage.

A major production like this brings together months of rehearsal, music, choreography, design, technical work, and collaboration across both school communities.

Secure your tickets here:
https://mpac.monash.edu/event/beauty-and-the-beast/

At today’s College Assembly, we were honoured to welcome Uncle Glenn Loughrey, a Wiradjuri artist, writer and speaker, to speak with our students and staff.

Uncle Glenn shared reflections on identity, listening, Country, responsibility and reconciliation, offering our community a thoughtful opportunity to consider how we walk with others and how we respond to the stories that shape this land.

His words were especially meaningful during National Reconciliation Week, as we continue to listen, learn and deepen our understanding as a College community.

We thank Uncle Glenn for his generosity, wisdom and presence at Mazenod today.