Professor Address Malata, from Malawi, at ECU Joondalup with nursing students Alishia Carton, Josh Gaebler, Mark Jones, Rebecca Smith and Taylor Thompson.
Camera IconProfessor Address Malata, from Malawi, at ECU Joondalup with nursing students Alishia Carton, Josh Gaebler, Mark Jones, Rebecca Smith and Taylor Thompson. Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey d492122

ECU honours former students at inaugural alumni awards

Lucy JarvisThe Advocate

A NURSING and midwifery professor, young entrepreneur, educator and actor are winners in Edith Cowan University’s inaugural alumni awards.

ECU announced Professor Address Malata as the distinguished alumni award winner tonight at Crown Towers following her visit to the Joondalup campus on Tuesday to speak to nursing students.

Professor Malata finished her PhD at ECU in 2005, and returned to her home country Malawi where she developed an education framework for women on childbirth and HIV prevention.

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ECU Vice-Chancellor Steve Chapman (centre) with alumni award winners Chloe Constantinides, Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty, Address Malata and Rachael Maza. Alana Blowfield
Camera IconECU Vice-Chancellor Steve Chapman (centre) with alumni award winners Chloe Constantinides, Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty, Address Malata and Rachael Maza. Alana Blowfield Credit: Supplied/Alana Blowfield

As Vice Chancellor of the Malawi University of Science and Technology, she is the first woman to hold such a position in her country, and was also the first African awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Oslo and to become a Fellow at the American Academy of Nursing.

“She has tirelessly advocated for quality nursing and midwifery care to save lives of mothers and babies,” Kamuzu College of Nursing vice principal Ellen Chirwa said.

Chloe Constantinides. Alana Blowfield
Camera IconChloe Constantinides. Alana Blowfield Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Young alumni award winner , of North Perth is an entrepreneur, business mentor, drone-flying instructor and runs a cruelty-free beauty brand, Kisanii.

“My pursuit in life is all about enabling people through creativity and technology,” she said.

“I’m interested in exploring ideas that have the potential to make a huge change in the world.”

The Dapper Apps co-founder is also a director at StartupWA and completed two degrees at ECU, one in communications in 2009 and the other in creative industries in 2014.

She uses her spare time to renovate properties, explore entrepreneurial ventures, mentor at events and volunteer to help students, startups, not-for-profit groups and businesses.

“Chloe has displayed values that we as a university promote – ethics, hard work and a commitment to giving back,” school of arts and humanities executive dean Clive Barstow said.

Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty.
Camera IconErasmus Norviewu-Mortty. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Globally-concerned scholar Erasmus Norviewu-Mortty received the international alumni award for his contributions to education on local, national and international levels.

Awarded an ECU international scholarship to do his PhD in Perth, Dr Norviewu-Mortty used his doctoral studies to address inconsistent standards of education in his home country Ghana.

He set up a teacher training school in 2016 for teachers willing to live and teach in disadvantaged rural communities.

“While one educator can cause a trickle of change in a community, an entire college of educators can cause a cascade of new beginnings – this is what Dr Norviewu-Mortty has achieved,” school of education Associate Professor Glenda Campbell-Evans said.

Rachael Maza.
Camera IconRachael Maza. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Community alumni award winner Rachael Maza received an honorary doctorate at ECU’s 2019 graduation in recognition of her contribution to the arts in Australia.

Since graduating from WAAPA in 1992, Dr Maza has had a successful career in theatre, film and television in acting and directing roles.

WAAPA Aboriginal performance program coordinator Rick Brayford said she had “infectious positivity and unwavering determination to empower Aboriginal voice through the arts”.