Olivia Taifalos delivered a heartfelt Alumni speech at Commencement 2026 on behalf of the 2026 graduating Scholars.
Good evening, Louise and Graham, distinguished guests, fellow Scholars and brand new Tuckwell Alumni. For those who don’t know me, my name is Olivia Taifalos, I am a 2019 scholar and now a newly graduated baby doctor working at the Canberra hospital.
First, I’ll start by thanking Graham and Louise Tuckwell – of course we are all not here without their vision and passion to begin and continue to support the Tuckwell Scholarship program. As someone who has been to more commencements and Tuckwell events than most - it has been an absolute privilege to not only watch but also participate in shaping and changing the program to what it is today.
It only seems obvious that when you bring together people with similar values that great things will happen but it also requires a lot of work from our biggest supporters, The Tuckwells, the Scholars house staff, the ANU, our family and friends, and a Community that can only continue to grow and outnumber the rest and one I am now very honored to be a part of – The Tuckwell Alumni.
To my fellow Alumni, it is hard to describe how incredibly blessed I feel to graduate alongside you all. Bar a few, I think I have watched most Scholars in this room hear their name and walk across the stage to the ring of that incredible bell. I have seen the amazing work, ingenuity and passion that you have all in different ways brought to your communities and fields of interest and it is no surprise to see that we have excelled and will continue to do so, no matter what we choose to do.
I have loved watching the energy you have all invested in the Tuckwell scholarship program building on the work of those before us to continue to truly co-design this program into something that works best for us - the Scholars.
I remember many times in earlier commencement ceremonies watching the graduating Scholars receive their pins listening to the degrees they have obtained and the jobs and pathways they are moving on to next and thinking – how they seem to have their life so together, how they are so confident and successful and hoping I would get there someday too.
I’m here to say, despite appearances, I still have no idea what I’m doing, and I think many of my fellow alum will agree that the uncertainty of graduating and moving on and away from the structure of the Tuckwell program can feel immense.
However, it has been said many times before, but once a Tuckwell Scholar, always a Tuckwell scholar and the unique journey you are on while in the program whether that’s 3 years or 12, will change you, and at least from my perspective has helped me to be the future professional and person I am today.
I am so incredibly excited to see where this next step will take us as Alumni and the connections and networks of the Tuckwell Community are to me - some of the most valuable parts of being a Tuckwell Scholar. I am constantly surprised and also not surprised by where I find fellow Scholars’ or those connected to this program and the potential doors opened in this way. Although I must say I did not expect those connections would be being recognised as the “girl from the Tuckwell Facebook ads” while eating a kebab outside of Mooseheads at 2am -which unfortunately did actually happen to me.
Reflecting on my time in the scholarship program, there are so many wonderful memories and I genuinely cannot believe how quickly these last 7 years has gone. From late nights on the beach at Kiola singing Bohemian Rhapsody even after the speaker cuts out, the hilarity that was helping to run a virtual interview weekend complete with zoom icebreaker games, winning the weekly chime prize that one single time in all these years and of course the bittersweet moments of watching my 2019 cohort graduate and start the next stage of their lives.
Finally, to the incoming Scholars, without getting too emotional, I fear I must give you a little bit of advice from an older but not particularly wise Scholar. You will be told many, many times about imposter syndrome and unfortunately no matter how many times other people tell you that you shouldn’t doubt yourself – you may still. The only true way I have found to beat it, is to accept that you can’t, and to keep working hard and being yourself.
Choose wisely how and where you invest your time because no matter what you do, if you do it with the integrity and passion that got you here, you will be successful. Don’t be afraid to lean on the support offered by the Tuckwell program and take the help when you need it. Finally, attend as many Tuckwell events that you can, share your experiences freely and send Lois lots of photos of them, remember to call and visit your family but most of all - have lots of fun and try not to leave your letters to Graham and Louise till the last minute.
Thank you
