LEADERSHIP
A 20 Year Legacy for Loreto Toorak While her achievements at Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak are many, it is the little things that stand out for outgoing Principal Dr Susan Stevens. As she prepares to enter the next chapter of an accomplished career after almost 20 years at the helm, her fondest memories are of the people she worked with and the reason they worked so hard – the students. Every day produced precious moments, such as the time Dr Stevens ventured into the school’s historic grounds to discover that senior students had produced T-shirts reading ‘I love Physics’ – in pink for them and blue for their teacher.
the Air Force bases and went to whatever Catholic school was near there,” she says. The young Dr Stevens was passionate about music and an exceptional pianist. She also excelled at STEM subjects, like her father, and was dux of Maths at school. “My wonderful parents would say … you do what you love,” she says. While completing her degree at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Music, Dr Stevens won the prestigious Ormond Exhibition prize for academic
“They were walking around just because they loved their subject so much and they wanted the younger girls to see it,” she says with a smile.
excellence and the Una Bourne Pianoforte Scholarship for outstanding practical performance twice.
Such is life at Loreto Toorak, where girls are inspired to be the best they can be, and to consider others in everything they do.
Dr Stevens worked for a brief time at Mt St Joseph Girls’ College Altona West, before focusing on raising her young family for the next 12 years. During this time, she completed many degrees and her PHD in music.
As Principal, Dr Stevens nurtured and led an already strong Catholic culture to cement the School’s place as one of Australia’s finest. Her skills as an academic, mother and educator helped to enhance all aspects of school life.
Doing what you love Family has always been important to Dr Stevens, who grew up in New South Wales and Victoria as her late father, Bruce, worked as an aerodynamicist and physicist in the Royal Australian Air Force. “He taught pilots how to fly so we always lived near 4
Dr Stevens returned to the workforce in 1996 and joined Our Lady of Sion in Box Hill. In 1998, she joined Loreto Toorak as Deputy Principal – Director of Pastoral Care.
A Loreto leader Less than four years later, in June 2002, Dr Stevens was appointed Principal. There was a lot to learn, but her time as Deputy Principal under the mentoring of Dr Anne Hunt provided a solid base and her experience as an academic and mother
