Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon
Thursday 18 March 2021 9:03am

ANews0221 1980 Dental reunion  class photos 650px

Members of the Dental Class of 1980 celebrated their COVID-delayed 40th anniversary reunion by revisiting one of their old haunts – the Faculty of Dentistry's Walsh Building.

The gleaming facility, which has been transformed with state-of-the-art equipment and spaces, was unrecognisable from their student days.

And in a strange quirk of COVID fate, the building would have still been a construction site if the reunion had gone ahead as planned in mid-2020.

“It's absolutely perfect like the stars are aligning,” said Eryn Agnew, one of the reunion organisers.

“It's just the most amazing building. This was our main clinical building. We never enjoyed the view because as students you never notice the nice things. We were very spoilt and didn't know it.”


ANews0221 1980 Dental reunion 2 650px

The original class of 1980 has spread across the globe and branched into numerous specialties. For example, Eryn and her husband, Faculty of Dentistry Dean Mike Morgan, have just returned from living in Australia.

A total of 25 classmates out of 60 in the original class are attending the reunion.

“There's a few from overseas who couldn't make it. They were keen but couldn't come. But they've sent really nice messages.”

After a day of getting reacquainted “the stories were starting to come out.”

“We had one or two characters in our class. Most of us have mellowed but there's still the 20-somethings in there,” she laughed.


ANews0221 1980 Dental reunion 1 650px


ANews0221 1980 Dental reunion 3 650px

O26 Right menu small banner
Also in this issue...


O26 Otago images thumbnail
Otago images - Otago Dental School
Images from the Otago Dental School through the years.


O26 alumni in the news thumbnail
Alumni in the news
An overview of some of the amazing things that University of Otago alumni are doing right now.


Pearl Matahiki thumb
Pearl Matahiki leaving the helm of the Māori Centre
Pearl Matahiki on leaving her role as Tumuaki (Manager) of Te Huka Mātauraka (Māori Centre) after 20 years at the centre.


ANews0321 VC farewell thumbnail
Nurturing the next generation of citizens
The Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne extends a farewell to all alumni, and speaks of the challenges of the past year and her pride in Otago's staff and students.


ANews0321 Motion Sickness team thumbnail
Creative disrupters keeping it real
Otago alumni are the creative force behind the government's online safety campaign, deftly using humour as a courier for a serious message.


ANews0121 Jonathan Lemalu thumbnail
Your Story - Happy to be home and planning a concert tour
Jonathan Lemalu and his family have been busy settling into life in Dunedin, while also planning a national concert tour.


O26 Networks and Events thumbnail
Networks and Events
Galleries from a variety of events that have taken place during 2021


O26 Making a Difference thumbnail
Making a difference - Remembering Sophia
The first Sophia Michelle McMillan Crestani Scholarship was awarded in March this year and fundraising for a second is well advanced.


Professor Helen Nicholson and Dr Elman Poole thumb
Supporting Otago - Dr Elman Poole
A generous gift of NZ$3 million will support southern students to pursue their studies at the University of Otago and University of Canterbury (UC).


Right Lecture Hot Picks
Access the wealth of information shared by Otago (and visiting) academics available to view online

Back to top