From mid-May through early June, 19 students from Syracuse University–including 14 from Falk College–spent the start of their summer in Australia for the “Australia: Sport, History and Culture” class taught by David B. Falk Endowed Professor of Sport Management Rick Burton.
For nearly three weeks, the students traveled from the Melbourne Cricket Ground to Cairns to the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney, Australia’s largest city. As part of their immersion trip, each student was required to contribute to Aussie 24, a blog that captured their day-to-day experiences.
The entire blog is worth a read, but here a few daily excerpts to get you started:
Rugby lessons in the park
Day 3: Julia Cronin ’26 (sport management major)
Our group walked to Victoria University, where we met with Matthew Klugman, who taught us about the history and rules of Aussie Rules Football and the social impact of the game. After a captivating lecture, our group got lunch and headed to Flagstaff Gardens Park with Damian Hecker (“Damo”) to try out Aussie Rules Football. We started out with drills and then played a scrimmage game. I even surprised myself and scored a goal.
Later, we watched the St. Kilda Saints vs. Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium (in Melbourne). We all got dinner at the stadium, and many tried the famous Australian meat pies and kangaroo meat! Our group understood the game much better after getting the chance to play it ourselves in the park earlier. Unfortunately, St. Kilda (Professor Burton’s favorite team) didn’t pull off the win but the game was so fun to watch nonetheless.
Day 6: Finley Dermody ’27 (sport management)
This morning, we started our day with a walk to the Twenty3 Group’s office, where we met with CEO John Tripodi. He gave us a presentation on the (marketing) company that he started himself. It was fascinating to hear about his journey.
Next, we heard from Raphael Geminder ’82, G’84, a Syracuse alum and chairman of the (packaging company) Pact Group, who flew in from Europe to speak with us. Geminder shared his experiences at Syracuse University and talked about sustainability initiatives at Pact. He talked about the circular cycle compared to the linear cycle, as well as the importance of a good role model over a good job.
We walked to the Melbourne Museum and had the chance to explore the museum prior to the official tour. We then had a guided tour at the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre. The tour was very educational and gave us a deeper understanding of Aboriginal culture and history.
Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.
Day 9: Anna McDonald ’26 (sport management)
The trip to the Great Barrier Reef took about two hours through rough ocean waters. On the way there the boat crew taught us about the marine life we might see, proper scuba diving and snorkeling techniques, and told us what to expect from the day.
Arriving at the reef was beautiful, from the boat you could see some of the corals and the water was very blue. I got the opportunity to scuba dive for the first time, and it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I got to see some many different types of fish and all the corals. After the first dive we ate lunch and had the opportunity to dive or snorkel again. This time I just snorkeled, which was just as cool.
Day 12: Leda Rossmann ’26 (history)
We arrived in sunny Sydney very excited for warm weather since it’s been pretty rainy in Melbourne and Cairns. We drove to Bondi Beach to visit the legendary Bondi Icebergs Swimming Club. The pools are saltwater and freezing cold. I was so excited to jump in. I was a competitive swimmer for most of my life so the water is one of the most calming and nostalgic places I can be.
Our bus driver took us on a guided tour of the Sydney sights. We saw The Gap and heard the story of Don Ritchie, who saved at least 180 people who were going to jump off the rocks. We also saw Lady Macquarie’s (rock) Chair, where she would look into the harbor to watch for ships bringing news of her family during the early colonization days. We saw some of Vivid Sydney, a light/art show in the harbor with lights into the sky and on the bridge and art projected onto the Opera House and other buildings.
Walking the Great Ocean Road.
Day 15: Doug Capdeville ’24 (communication and media studies)
After spending time on the beach and listening to a presentation about the local surf club, we headed to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks rugby facility. There, we learned how to play rugby. The staff was super friendly and taught us the basics, which was really fun. We even got to try out some drills ourselves.
After that, we sat through a lecture by the Sharks’ staff. They talked about the team, their strategies and what it’s like to be part of the rugby community. It was really interesting to hear about the behind-the-scenes stuff.
The day ended on a high note with an exciting Sharks game, which was about an hour away from the rugby facility. The atmosphere was incredible—fans were cheering and the energy was off the charts. The game was intense and really fun to watch. From the beach to learning rugby and experiencing a live game, it was a day filled with awesome memories.
Day 17: Thomas Wildhack ’26 (sport management)
After an unforgettable two weeks, the final day had arrived. Fortunately, we had had another free morning, which gave some of us the chance to fit in one last adventure, and others to catch up on some much needed sleep.
I had previously found out that not only was June 1 the first day of winter, it was also the first day of whale season. Humpback whales would begin a great migration from Antarctica up the coast of Australia in search of warmer waters. I figured that whale watching would be a great way to go out on a big splash. Once we made our way into the ocean, it didn’t take long to find some activity. A few whales were splashing around, and swam over to the boat to show off their skills. I thought the whales would be scared of the boat, yet I learned many whales are incredibly curious creatures and often approach boats.
We finished off the trip with one final group dinner at the Great Southern Bar. We reflected on our favorite moments of the trip, and took one final group photo. All of us couldn’t believe how fast these last few weeks went by. We made memories that will last a lifetime and bonds that will last forever.
Visit the Falk College website for the full story with daily excerpts. To learn more about other experiential learning trips, academic programs and career opportunities in the sport industry, visit the Department of Sport Management website.
