Languages and Cultures Student Prize-giving Ceremony at Macquarie University in Sydney: AHEPA NSW Prizes Awarded to Greek Language Students

The Languages and Cultures Student Prize-giving Ceremony held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at Macquarie University in Sydney awarded the AHEPA NSW Prizes to Maria Tsakonas and Zina Gabrielle Fotakis, students of Intermediate and Advanced Modern Greek, respectively. The event was attended by Constantinos Yiannakodimos, Head of the Public Diplomacy Office of Greece in Sydney, Theophilus Premetis, President of Macquarie Greek Studies Foundation, and Ioannis Theodoridis, Secretary of the Foundation, along with Dr Jane Hanley, Discipline Chair of Languages and Cultures. Maria Tsakonas spoke highly of her experience studying and refining her written skills in the Greek language, expressing her gratitude to Dr Patricia Koromvokis, her lecturer, and her grandparents for encouraging her to speak Greek at home. Zina Gabrielle Fotakis also shared her story of enhancing her employability through her language-learning journey and thanked her family and Dr Koromvokis for their support. Dr Koromvokis expressed her pride in her students’ hard work and acknowledged the support of AHEPA NSW towards the Program of Modern Greek Studies at Macquarie University. Studying a second language is a rewarding venture that can facilitate growth and many experiences, and this event highlights the importance of language and culture in education.