It is with great sadness that Flinders University has learnt of the passing of Peter Torjul, (BA (Hons), GDipHealthScience, GCertManagement) Director, Education Pathways at Flinders University. Professor Chris Brebner, Genevieve Haskett and Verity Kingsmill remember their colleague and friend, and the legacy that will live on for generations of students.
Peter grew up in Adelaide and was educated at the Blackwood High School before completing his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at Flinders University in 1989. He commenced employment with the university in January 1990 and held many positions across his career including in Careers and Counselling (which incorporated Internships, Graduate Skill Development & Employer Engagement), Graduations and Examinations, Admissions and Student Recruitment.
Peter believed strongly in widening participation in higher education and he was a true innovator and progressive leader. His work encompassed visionary approaches to career development and employability, including work integrated learning, that provided opportunities for all our students. In this work he widened participation, based on his core values of equity, access and opportunity for students with a particular focus on including those from diverse backgrounds, first in family at university, regional communities, and from non-traditional educational pathways.
The Inspire Peer Mentor program won an Australian Learning and Teaching Collaboration award for raising awareness of the benefits of completing Secondary Education and of moving on to post-secondary study. From the Assessment Centre and Portfolio Entry to the national award-winning Inspire Mentor Program, his creativity knew no bounds. There were too many initiatives to list, and remarkably, he was still dreaming up new ideas just weeks ago. His passion for opening doors never faded.
A life member of the National Association of Graduate Career Advisory Services (NAGCAS), Peter was a non-conformist career leader, who believed in contextualising strategies in students’ real-life experiences. At the core was his desire to ensure approaches met the needs of our students’ first and foremost, then the University’s and the State’s needs.
Peter was unmatched in his knowledge of Flinders, brilliant in his unconventional thinking, a humble leader, and deeply kind-hearted. He had a unique ability to see opportunities and implement initiatives years before they were adopted by the sector. His passion for social justice was unwavering. He believed fiercely in making university, especially Flinders, accessible to anyone willing to give higher education a go.
Peter was a visionary who truly experimented bravely. He was a mentor, and a dear friend and colleague to many. He made a difference, and the legacy of his work will continue to shape lives and access to education for years to come.
Vale, Peter.
Throughout his career at Flinders, Peter interacted with a number of current staff and students. If you would like to share your memories of Peter, please email petertorjultribute@gmail.com.
***
Flinders University acknowledges that this news may be upsetting for members of the Flinders family. Please remember that staff can access the Employee Assistant Program (EAP) at any time, and the Health & Wellbeing page has a list of resources and support services available for students.