Two Notre Dame academics behind a transformative student immersion program that has improved the lives of more than 1000 vulnerable children in India have been recognised on the national stage.
Dr Vidya Sagar Athota from the School of Law and Business and Associate Professor Sean Kearney from the School of Education were last night recognised in the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT).
Dr Athota and Associate Professor Kearney were awarded Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning for creating a program that immerses Notre Dame students in the community in Tenali, India.
After the first immersion experience in India in 2014, the academics worked with students to develop the Dayamani Foundation – an Australian charity that built a school for at-risk children in the Tenali community.
The pair have since led more than 100 student volunteers to India, where they teach in the school, serve food, work on the grounds and meet with local business leaders.
The students return to Australia after about four weeks with a better understanding of the challenges of poverty and discrimination, and the power of education.
Research on the impact of the program found 99 per cent of people who took part between 2014 and 2020 felt the experience had helped them secure a job.
Many participants also felt more engaged with their community and reported being more academically focused when they returned to university.
Notre Dame congratulates Dr Athota and Associate Professor Kearney for their outstanding work, which closely aligns with the University's commitment to integral human development – one of the five pillars of our recently released strategic plan.
