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New Bequestor - Alex Iljin (OW1982)
The Sapere Aude Bequest Society is delighted to welcome Alex Iljin as a member and thanks him for his support. Alex reflects on his Wesley experiences and the motivation for his bequest to the College:
Forty years ago, the ‘82s were eyeing off final exams and preparing to leave Wesley’s warm embrace to step out into a wider world. I have found this echoed in 2022 as we emerge from COVID and re-engage, face-to-face with family, friends, colleagues and community and Melbourne turns on a traditional winter.
Dawson Hann observed the common characteristics of Wesley students – that we are ‘irreverent rogues’. It is certainly a description that I relate to and have taken ownership of!
The values I learnt from Wesley are, on one side: empathy, tolerance, to walk in another’s shoes (as Freddy Webber used to encourage), humility and fairness. On the other: strength, resilience, being true to yourself, enforcing boundaries, directness and confidence, encapsulated perhaps best as wisdom. These have helped me navigate life’s ups and downs over the decades. I value the warmth of friendships within our Wesley family. They remain a touchstone in my life.
The opportunities I was exposed to over my school years is a cornerstone of my love of comedy, music, art and growing over time, sport.'