The remarkable transformation from child soldier to successful lawyer shows no signs of slowing down for Deng Adut.
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The 2017 NSW Australian of the Year winner added to his long list of achievements on Thursday night when presented with the University of Wollongong’s Young Alumni Award.
Born in South Sudan, Mr Deng’s life took a dramatic turn for the better in 1998 when the then 14-year-old secured asylum to Australia.
Only 16 years later he graduated with a Master of Laws (Criminal Prosecution) from UOW, before co-founding AC Law Group in Western Sydney with Joseph Correy, specialising in criminal, family, personal injury and employment law.
Mr Adut was one of four prominent UOW alumni and four distinguished members of the university community recognised for their excellence, leadership, service and impact, at the 2017 Fellowship and Alumni Awards.
The formal award presentation ceremony on October 19 was the centrepiece of a gala dinner held at the university’s Innovation Campus attended by more than 200 guests.
Matt Bullock was presented the Alumni Award for Professional Excellence.
An innovator in the world of e-commerce, he established the Spinify Foundation, a registered charity in Australia which supports such non-profit organisations as OzHarvest, Ronald McDonald House, and the Kiln Incubator in Canberra.
The Alumni Award for Research and Innovation went to Dr John Best, best known internationally for helping spearhead the development of The Bushmaster, the world’s most successful wheeled armoured vehicle.
Sally Riley, who won the AFI Award for Best Short Film in 2000 for Confessions of a Head-hunter, took home the Alumni Award for Social Impact.
Former Kiama Mayor Sandra McCarthy was one of four people awarded university fellowships on Thursday night.
Ian Brown, Christine Thompson and Paul Sharrad were also recognised for their outstanding achievement, exceptional service and significant contributions.
UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings, congratulated the 2017 Alumni Award and University Fellowship recipients.
‘’So many alumni and members of the UOW community have a positive and lasting impact on the world, I am especially proud though of those being formally recognised in 2017.
‘’They’ve all, in their own unique way, contributed to UOW’s continuing success,’’ Professor Wellings said.
