The graduation ceremony commenced with the Academic Procession, in their robes, accompanied by the Processional, played on the magnificent Verbrugghen organ.

The Chancellor, The Honourable Justice John Dowd AO welcomed guests and presented graduands of The Hotel School InterContinental with their Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management degrees. The audience was also addressed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Rickard, who proudly stated:

�In the area of Tourism and Hospitality education we are indisputably Australia�s Number One, having on two occasions won the national Australian Tourism Award for Tourism Education and Training, most recently the 2003-2004 award and on five occasions the NSW Tourism Award, while The Hotel School InterContinental (which is jointly owned by SCU and InterContinental Sydney) has not only won the NSW Tourism award twice, but was presented with the Award of the Decade�. Professor Rickard went on to say that Southern Cross University School of Tourism and Hospitality Management is now internationally renowned for its research centre and paramount higher education in tourism and hospitality studies.

The Occasional Address was made by Mr Wolfgang Grimm, AM, who has had an international hotel management career at the highest level and is an icon within the Sydney tourism and hospitality industry. Mr Grimm passed on words of great wisdom to the graduating students, principles for success which could be equally applied to any industry. He emphasised the importance of having passion and a belief in what you do in life; concentrating more on what you can give as you move forward in your career than what you can get; a positive attitude; persistence; developing the ability to make quick decisions; an ability to adapt to change; and an attitude of agreeing to criticism. 

�Happiness� said Mr Grimm, is not money. Is not power. You can lose money. You can lose position. Once you have an education, however, no-one can take it away from you. Education and family are the two most important things. And If you want to be happy, first ensure the happiness of the people around you�.
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�Chancellor of SCU The Honourable Justice John Dowd AO congratulated
the Dux and runner-up of the Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management
degree; and the Year Two Student of the Year and runner-up at The Hotel
School InterContinental graduation�. L-R   Elisa Kolln, Amy Bailey, SCU
Chancellor, Denise Robinson Rennie (Dux) and Sophie Mougel

Runner-up was Ms. Sophie Mougel, who also won a three night holiday at Hayman Island, with airfares and transfers.

Earlier in the day the Year One and Year Two students were presented with their Certificates and Diplomas.

Year Two Student of the Year, Amy Bailey was awarded a night in a harbour view suite at  InterContinental Sydney, with parking, dinner and breakfast - and the free use of a laptop for the final year of her degree (which she will be allowed to keep if she is also Dux of year three, the Bachelor of Business year. Runner-up, Elisa Kolln was also given a night in the Hotel.

Year One prize winners were Front Office Student of the Year � Sarah Masters; and Food & Beverage Student of the Year � Kim Woldhuis.

The Chefs Trophy went to Melissa McGeogh, who has now been employed by the Observatory Hotel.

In 2005 The Hotel School InterContinental moves to higher education, with all three years of course work being University-based and, because of its ownership by Southern Cross University, Fee Help will be available to all students. The Hotel School will also continue to offer a separate 12 month vocational Certificate in Commercial Cookery and Diploma of Culinary Arts (City and Guilds of London)