Where are they now – Bayley Cocking (SPC 2013-18)

The College recently reconnected with Old Collegian Bayley Cocking (SPC 2013-18), pictured meeting TV presenter Peter Hitchener, who is currently interning with the Ballarat Times newsgroup and recently wrote about the great work of the College’s OCA Pastoral Care Program. Bayley shares his fondest memories of school life and the teachers who had an impacted on his time at SPC.

Bayley Cocking meeting TV presenter Peter Hitchener.

Where has life taken you since leaving SPC?
Since leaving SPC, I’ve been studying journalism at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus. I’ve also been interning at the Ballarat Times newsgroup since December of 2019.

What are your fondest memories of your time at St Patrick’s College?
There’s too many to recount. I played rugby from Year 7 to Year 12, that was a great experience. The athletics carnivals were brilliant. Melbourne Experience was an enjoyable week. Helping out with the SHOUT team was also pretty fun. The absolute best experience though, would be the History Tour in 2018. Heading around France, Belgium and Germany was an unforgettable experience and I’m so grateful that St Pat’s was able to orchestrate the trip.

Which teacher from your time at SPC had the greatest impact on you? Why?
That’s a tough question. I think a lot of teachers at St Patrick’s had a significant impact on me. I’d say runners up (in no order) would be Mr (Joseph) Magee, Mr (Kieran) Baxter and Ms (Jen) Casey. First place, however, would have to go to Mr (Geoff) Brodie. He was certainly interesting, to say the least. He was always down for a chat and had a very unique sense of humour that really only makes sense after you’ve spent a year with him.

How has your education shaped your professional life?
To be honest, I’ve never really enjoyed maths and science. To be totally honest, I’ve never really been good at maths and science. I definitely preferred English and humanities-based subjects throughout my time at SPC. In Year’s 11 and 12 I structured VCE around the subjects I was most interested in, so English, literature, legal studies, Australian history, things like that. I’ve always enjoyed writing and writing, so it seemed obvious to try make my way in the news-media industry.

How has your time at SPC shaped your personal values and your family life?
I have a pretty good relationship with my immediate and extended family. My parents would always come down on Saturday mornings to watch me get knocked down in rugby, so St Patrick’s certainly fostered that connection. I would say that my personal values were definitely shaped by the College’s principles, teachers, and students. I think my time at St Patrick’s just helped me to be a better person in general.

If you could pass on one message to the students of today, what would it be?
Make the most out of your time at St Pat’s. You might not want to be in school right now, but once you leave, you’ll realise just how great the time was.