Family tradition to study at the University of Queensland

12 June 1997

Genevieve Rosengren will become the eighth consecutive member of her family to graduate from the University of Queensland at a ceremony at Mayne Hall, St Lucia on May 14 at 8pm.

A strong family contingent, including father and mother Kevin and Noelene, will be on hand to see Genevieve receive her bachelor of commerce degree.

Seven of her siblings have graduated from the University over the past 13 years including Michael (BE (mining), 1984), Peter (BCom, 1985/LLB, 1987), Stephen (BCom, 1986), Catherine (BPhty, 1988), Andrew (BE (mining), 1989) , Jennifer (BA, 1992/LLB, 1995) and David (MBBS, 1994). Michael, now working as a mining engineer with Mount Isa Mines, and Andrew, a mining engineer with CRA based in Melbourne, were also Rhodes Scholars in 1985 and 1991 respectively.

Mr Rosengren, a consulting mining engineer with his own company, Kevin Rosengren and Associates, said all his children had pursued successful careers since graduation - Peter is a partner in Brisbane law firm McCullough Robertson, Stephen runs a travel insurance business in London, Catherine works as a physiotherapist in Vancouver, Jennifer is a Brisbane-based barrister and David, a doctor at Mt Isa Hospital. He said his children's study at the University of Queensland had become a family tradition.

'There has never been any question of where the children would complete their tertiary study,' he said. The family has lived at The Gap since moving from Melbourne in 1981. Mr Rosengren said they had always loved Queensland since his work had taken him to Mt Isa in 1968 for four years.

'Our only regret is that we didn't move here sooner,' he said.

Mr Rosengren attributed his children's amazing academic success to a close and co-operative home environment and no television set. He said all the children had worked part-time jobs for their spending money while living at home.

He said Wednesday night's graduation would not be the last either - Genevieve has yet to complete a parallel bachelor of laws degree while her younger sister Caroline is in the second year of a parallel bachelor of arts/bachelor of business degree at the University of Queensland. Jacqueline, is in her final year at All Hallows School and hopes to attend the University of Queensland next year. Anthony and Louise are still at primary school. Contact: Mr Rosengren telephone 3366 5088 (work).