Swinburne alumni come together at the Mechanical Engineering ‘78 reunion

Swinburne’s mechanical engineering graduates from 1978 have reunited once again at the Hawthorn Hotel, marking a 15-year milestone since their first reunion in 2009. The venue, once known as the Governor Hotham Hotel, held special significance, particularly as the group fondly referred to their Friday afternoon time slot as “GH104.”

The 1978 graduates reunited at this year’s function, with 16 out of the 24 alumni attending. They shared stories of past studying endeavours, work experiences and transitioning to retirement. The event was also attended by representatives from the Alumni Engagement team, alongside academic figures such as Professor Justin Leontini and Professor Geoffrey Brooks from the School of Engineering.  

Neil Evenden, one of the alumni who attended, says that reunions are always an amazing opportunity to see the different paths people have taken in their career. 

“For some it was business, our own or large corporations. Others found their passion in NGOs or government departments. Many make the effort to travel to Hawthorn just for the reunion.”

“I personally only worked as an engineer for 2 years, then transferred my skills and knowledge to marketing. Over my 40 years of working life, I became more interested in working with people and less with products.”

The 1978 cohort formed one of Swinburne’s first batch of engineering graduates after engineering courses first started being offered in the 1970s. The connections they built during their time at university have endured throughout their lives and have formed an integral part of who they are.

“Conversations at reunions always include stories about student life, because that was our shared experience. But more and more these days it's about 'how many grandkids we have', 'how long we've been retired' and 'how do we fill in our days',” Neil says.

“The personal friendships and bonds have certainly endured over the years and are only being strengthened during these catch-ups. Here’s to the next reunion in 2025!”