The ACUMA Incorporated Joe Curtis Memorial Award
The Joe Curtis Memorial Award is an annual award of $5000 designed to assist ACUMA members and their respective campus service organisations in extending their professional development through international travel to ACUMA international partner organisations event(s).
These organizations’ events may include AMSU, ACUI, NACAS, AMICCUS-C conferences or professional development seminars in the year of the award.
Applicants for the Joe Curtis Memorial International Travel Grant are required to complete an application containing all relevant documents and submit it by the deadline to the address provided. The ACUMA President and an ACUMA Board nominee will judge the award.
The Award
The Grant comprises an annually-awarded cash contribution of $5000, of which $2500 is contributed by the ACUMA Incorporated Board and $2500 by the Tertiary Access Group inclusive of GST.
Successful Applicants
The awarding of the travel grant takes place at the annual ACUMA Conference Dinner and Awards Presentation. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to contact the ACUMA Inc. board for feedback on their submission.
Who was Joe Curtis?
For over 20 years, Joe Curtis worked with and for students and staff of both Swinburne and Monash Universities. He was always available for staff and students. He put the students and university before his own needs and was always trying to improve service at all levels. For many years Joe was an active participant in ACUMA and attended many overseas conferences with ACUI and other organisations, and was an excellent example of an Ambassador for higher education campus service organisations, Australia and ACUMA.
Joe passed away in 2002. This fund was established in 2003 to acknowledge and remember Joe Curtis.
Joe had formal qualifications in Catering and Hotel Management at William Angliss College and Hospitality & Tourism at VUT (Footscray Institute of Technology). After William Angliss he worked at the Hilton International for three years, followed by seven years at Swinburne. In 1983 he commenced work at Monash University as Catering Manager, Monash University Union. He was seconded to Melbourne University for a period of time. In 1990 he was appointed Manager, Operations Group. In 1991 he was Acting Warden of the Union, then Warden in 1992 and in 1993 he was appointed to the position of Director of Monash University Union. In 1999 he was appointed as CEO of Monash Unicomm and in 2001 he was appointed General Manager of Monyx, Catering.
Applying for the Joe Curtis Memorial Award in 2010
2009 Joe Curtis Memorial Award winner
Robert Stephenson, General Manager
Bendigo Student Association - La Trobe University
Rob travelled to the United States and researched leadership and student development.
2008 Joe Curtis Memorial Award winner
Tilda Sikes, Membership Manager
Arc@UNSW - University of New South Wales
Tilda travelled to Asia in 2009 to extend her professional development by visiting Asian higher education service organisations.