Our Partnerships

Throughout 2021, the Alumni Association in partnership with Somerset Storyfest, presented a series of five Literary Experiences throughout the year, along with Workshops, Masterclasses, Featured Authors, and involved current students and Alumni students. Storyfest is the writers’ festival for the Gold Coast, the cornerstone of which is its annual three day event held in March. Storyfest nurtures emerging writers and provides opportunities for readers and writers alike. Offering over 130 events to the wider community, Storyfest has secured its place on the Gold Coast’s cultural calendar.

The Somerset Gift takes place each year at the Somerset College synthetic Athletic Track, and features some of the best Athletes in the local region. The Alumni Association is proud to partner of this event, which attracts a range of participants and aims to be a highlight of the Gold Coast Athletics Calendar. The Alumni Association’s is delighted that their partnership with The Somerset Gift provides race sponsorship, volunteering, assistance, and participation in the events.

With so many of our Alumni having taken an entrepreneurial career path, the Alumni Association is pleased to partner with the Celebration of Entrepreneurship. The Alumni Association continues its support of students with the knowledge, networks, and hands-on experience to help them launch their own enterprises both now and in the future. The Celebration of Entrepreneurship is designed to support the growth of students’ entrepreneurial skills both within the College community and from around Queensland and Northern New South Wales. The Alumni Stage not only hosts College Alumni who share their journeys and successes with current students, but also accommodates sessions whereby students from Prep to Year 12 are able to meet a range of Alumni entrepreneurs. These exciting sessions and performances are designed to encourage students to view entrepreneurship as an inspiring, and also viable, career path.

The Koala Trail was created over 2013 and 2014 by our Artist-in-Residence, Mrs Suzi Lucas, assisted by Years 4 and 5 students, staff and members of the College community. The Koala Trail represents the koala’s struggle to survive in an unforgiving landscape, starting from the ocean and moving through bushfire and other areas of devastation, before finishing in a more peaceful place in a regenerated habitat at the end of the trail, giving hope to the koala.

A partnership was launched between the Alumni Association and UQ Racing, this is a student-led team competing in Formula SAE, a competition where university students design, build, and compete in Formula-style open-wheeled racing cars. Each December, thousands of students, volunteers and spectators experience around 35 university teams pitting their machines head-to-head, with the event now attracting teams from the across the world including the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Japan, New Zealand, and USA.  As part of this partnership, UQ Racing attends the Somerset College Open Day and Celebration of Entrepreneurship, hosts Design classes here at Somerset, and provides mentoring to students. Somerset alumnus Kydra Walden (Class of 2018), along with fellow team members from UQ Racing, built and launched two Formula SAE race cars for the 2019/2020 competition season, providing practical experience in fields from aerodynamics to electric vehicle systems. Both Formula SAE race cars proudly display the Alumni Association’s stag.

The Alumni Association in partnership with Somerset College, has sponsored students, parents, and staff to have their name engraved into a paver as a lasting record of their valued support of Somerset. The pavers are now proudly and permanently displayed along the Anniversary Walk at Somerset College.