On 25 May 2026, the young leaders of the National Union of Greek Australian Students’ Victorian Branch (NUGAS VIC) held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elected the new committee for the 2026/27 term.

The meeting brought together affiliated university club representatives, alumni and young Greek Australians who share a commitment to strengthening community bonds and cultural connection.

The evening opened with reflections from outgoing Co-Presidents Demi Bourdopoulos and Panos Stamatopoulos, alongside former Co-President Jamie Gallos, who served as Co-President during the first half of the 2025/26 term before Panos stepped into the role.

Together, they reflected on the year’s achievements, celebrated the committee’s work, and thanked members, volunteers and community supporters for their contributions throughout the term.

Co-President Demi said the year had been an “incredibly rewarding experience”, with the committee setting out to strengthen NUGAS Victoria’s presence across both the youth and wider Greek Australian community.

“This term, we reminded ourselves and the wider community that NUGAS Victoria is more than an organisation; it is a community built on friendship, culture, leadership and a shared commitment to strengthening the Greek Australian student voice,” Demi said.

For Demi, a key part of strengthening that voice was NUGAS Victoria’s involvement in the inaugural World Greek Language Day celebrations, following UNESCO’s decision to recognise the day internationally.

“A key highlight of the year was being involved in the planning committee for the inaugural World Greek Language Day celebrations and representing youth at an event that celebrated the language, culture and identity that continues to connect us,” Demi said.

“This term, we set out to connect with our community, support our members and uplift them. We continued to build momentum through our longstanding initiatives and events, including the annual NUGAS Ball, Boat Cruise, Kafeneio, traditional dance workshops, and our attendance at major community events such as the Antipodes Festival and Oakleigh Glendi.”

As part of its commitment to promoting and preserving the Greek language, NUGAS Victoria encouraged Greek-speaking at its fortnightly Kafeneio events and initiated the student-led NUGAS Kafeneio podcast.

These initiatives provided young Greek Australians with opportunities to practice the language, build confidence and engage with their culture in a meaningful way.

This term also marked the first time NUGAS Victoria established a performing dance group, which ran throughout the summer and culminated in a performance at the Antipodes Festival, one of Melbourne’s most significant celebrations of Greek culture, community and identity, which is made possible annually thanks to the hard work of the board and staff of the Greek Community of Melbourne.

Following the Presidents’ reflections, affiliated university club presidents shared updates from their respective clubs, reviewed key achievements from the year and discussed ongoing issues affecting Greek Australian students.

The President and Vice-President of La Trobe Greek Society, Angelica Spiliopoulos-Angsiting and Calista Mitsas, also addressed the significant impact of recent cuts to the La Trobe University Greek Studies program.

“The significant cuts to La Trobe University’s Greek Studies program show a disregard for the Greek diaspora and for the future of Modern Greek studies, teaching, interpreting, and Greek Australian international relations,” they said.

“La Trobe is the only tertiary institution in Victoria that offers Modern Greek studies. Without a full program, there is nowhere in our state for students to gain the qualifications needed to become Greek teachers or interpreters. This decision risks erasing the future of our language.

“We know that everyone in this room, and the wider diaspora, will stand with us as we call on La Trobe University to reconsider this decision.”

After speeches from club presidents and the outgoing executive team, the 2025/26 committee was formally dissolved, and a new committee was elected for the 2026/27 term.

Following the AGM, the incoming committee held its first meeting on Monday and began planning for the year ahead. Discussions centred on the upcoming NUGAS Gala Ball, to be held on September 13 at Crown Palladium, the convention weekend surrounding the event, and a range of exciting new initiatives set to be delivered throughout the term.

New President Martha Stamatopoulos and Vice-President Spiros Zervos then shared their vision for NUGAS Victoria in the coming year, outlining a renewed focus on community, culture, friendship and connection.

President Martha said the incoming committee wanted to create opportunities for the next generation to connect, grow and give back to the community, whilst honouring the sacrifices of their grandparents by maintaining a strong connection to Greek heritage.

“We want to ensure that the next generation has the chance to create friendships, grow as individuals and stay connected to the heritage our παππούδες και γιαγιάδες worked so hard to keep alive,” Martha said.

“We want to foster a community that cares for and celebrates all that it means to be Greek.”

Vice-President Spiros stated the committee’s vision was centred on bringing people together and creating meaningful experiences for members.

“Our vision for this term is simple: to bring people together, strengthen our community, celebrate our culture, and create experiences that members will remember long after the year is over,” Spiros said.

Confident in the new committee’s ability to build on the momentum of the past year, NUGAS Victoria enters the 2026/27 term with a strong commitment to culture, connection and community. The committee is ready to build on the legacy of those before them, strengthen the voice of Greek Australian students and continue creating spaces where culture, leadership and community can thrive.

NUGAS Victoria is proud to announce its newly elected 2026/27 committee:

Monash Hellenic Students Society (MHSS)

• Demi Bourdopoulos (Secretary)
• Yianni Mitroulis
• James Batsis (Social Cultural)

Swinburne Hellenic Society (SHS)

• Steve Zervas
• Christos Karagiannis
• Lilly Dimitropoulos (Marketing)

Melbourne University Greek Society (MUnGA)

• Martha Stamatopoulos (President)
• Jacqueline Jeruzalski
• Anna Katsoulis (Education)

La Trobe Greek Society (LUGS)

• Calista Mitsas
• Katerina Piromalis
• Angelica Spiliopoulos-Angsiting (Treasurer)

Victoria University Greek Society (VUGS)

• Yiannis Lekkas
• Sophia Melemenis
• Michael Vellianis

RMIT United Society of Hellenes (RUSH)

• Christina Maria Spatharis
• Paul Papadopoulos
• Christopher Karagiorgios

Greek-Australian Society of St Patrick’s (GASP)

• Eleni Theodora Karagiozis
• Mary Kallinteris
• James Boulgouris

Graduate Representatives 

• Spiros Zervos (Vice-President)

NUGAS Victoria said it is excited for the term ahead and looks forward to continuing to connect with members, clubs and the wider Greek Australian community.

Anyone interested in supporting, collaborating with or getting involved with NUGAS Victoria is encouraged to reach out through social media or via email at [email protected].

Source: Greekherald.com.au