St Catherine's School Magnolia Magazine 2024

CAREERS START HERE

GIANT SHOULDERS TO STAND ON

St Cath’s girls old and new had a wonderful time sharing stories and learning from each other at this year’s Jane Barker Luncheon. At this year’s luncheon, students from Year 9, themselves the daughters and granddaughters of Old Girls, had the opportunity to interview our alumni about their time at school. This incredible learning experience brought the past to life for the girls, as our alumni shared memories of everything from maypole dancing on our birthday to finding a shark in the Bronte Baths and taking ballroom dancing lessons with boys from local schools. For Ellie M (Year 9), these stories had a personal connection, as many of the Old Girls attended school with her great aunt, Sarah: “My favourite thing was hearing all the stories about her. She used to sneak out to see her now-husband and was a bit of a troublemaker. Considering the fact that she is now so polite and sensible, it was a bit of a surprise.” Our Year 9 students left the event feeling grateful to our alumni for sharing their stories and with a renewed appreciation for our long history.

Each year, we host a series of Career Conversations sessions where our current Year 12 students learn from our returning alumni.

offering networking advice for university. The discussions are frank and realistic, allowing students to gain valuable insights from women who have been in their shoes. “The Career Conversations events are a great opportunity for our alumni to come back to St Cath’s and connect with our current students,” Mrs Meagan Sharpe (Mclachlan, STC2003), Community Relations Manager, said. She noted the consistently positive response from both alumni and current students after each event. “It is incredible that our alumni get to play a role in helping our Year 12s begin to plan what their lives post-St Cath’s will look like,” she added. Our Tertiary Adviser, Ms Ramona Lobo, has seen this firsthand. “These sessions let our Year 12 students hear directly from recent graduates, making the advice more relatable and impactful. Students get great ideas about potential jobs, learn how career paths can change and can ask about the challenges and steps needed to reach their career goals,” she said.

Over the years, generations of our girls have brought positive change to the world with empathy, humility and drive. As our current Year 12 students prepare to join this legacy, our Careers Conversations sessions offer them a glimpse into their futures. Each session, themed around a specific industry or career, invites recently graduated alumni to share their personal and professional journeys, helping students plan for life beyond their final year of school. During these sessions, our alumni act as mentors, answering questions, recommending programs to apply for and

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