Emmanuel College director of marketing Jean Christie said six inspiring alumni were inducted on Saturday night — former Warrnambool mayor David Atkinson, performer Gorgi Coghlan, law partner Judith Earls, army medal winner Sergeant Sean Lanigan, accounting firm partner Felicity Melican and former Geelong Football Club great Michael Turner.

“Academy Award-winning director Adam Elliot was sensational, he was a great special guest speaker with a wonderful story to tell,” Ms Christie said.

“This year we had about 120 attend the dinner but that attendance really does rely on the family members of the inductees who attend. 

“This year there was a bit of a family reunion for the Earls family. We already have a number of potential nominees for next year.”

Ms Christie said it was the fourth year inspiring alumni had been inducted.

“It’s a successful format. 

“We have big prints of the inductees and students often take time to read about those people.  

“That’s the whole purpose, to inspire the students. It’s about the impact on the kids,” she said.

“It’s especially important this year, our 140th anniversary, that we find more and more stories of past students to inspire our students. 

“We are now trying to find out about Lady Leah Lynch (nee O’Toole) who married former federal government minister Phillip Lynch. 

“We would love to know more about Lady Leah and her charitable work.”

Ms Christie said the college was finding out more each year about the work and lives of former students.

“We would like to find as broad a range of inspiring alumni as possible because it is about inspiring today’s students,” she said.

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