Fellowship SCOGA 2022

The St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association Fellowship was established in 2018 to strengthen the aim of SCOGA which is to support the professional development of Old Girls and to positively impact our community.

The Fellowship offers a financial contribution of up to $5,000 towards further study, a project and/or related travel that will fulfil the purpose of the Fellowship. The Fellow will act as an ambassador within the SCOGA community and as a role model to current students.

In 2022, the SCOGA Fellowship was awarded to Dr Hilary Grover (‘10).

Can you outline the program the Fellowship will support you with?

The Female Athlete Program centered at the Boston Children’s Hospital focuses on girls and women in sport. This program aims to empower athletes of all ages from elite athletes to weekend warriors. The program’s objectives are aimed at advancing knowledge around women’s health, which has been an understudied area for generations. In recent history only 11% of sport’s studies have focused on female athletes and their unique physiology. Understanding women’s physiology is vital as it needs to be factored into coaching, game development and program structure to help women to attain success in the sports world.

How would this Fellowship demonstrate benefits to the wider community?

On a practical level this fellowship would equip me with a range of leading-edge clinical skills and knowledge that would shape my practice. I often hold education sessions at sporting clubs and education for the broader local physiotherapy and allied health practices. I feel so lucky that with my profession I am constantly working with grassroot clubs and elite sporting bodies. Being able to empower women and girls at all levels of activity with the most up-to-date knowledge about their own health and give them agency over their own biology is extremely powerful.

How would this Fellowship align with the School’s Values and Motto?

When thinking about the School Motto ‘nothing is great unless it is good’ this reflects perfectly with the study of health science and performance.

How can we expect our women and girls to achieve greatness if we have not addressed the fundamental physiology and health concerns that keep them healthy and well? The basis of goodness is investing in the foundation of people, the very basics of women’s health still require significant research so women can thrive day to day and achieve greatness.

One of our School Values is Curiosity and being involved in research exemplifies this.

It is the process of forming questions and seeking answers. St Catherine’s Senior Rowing Crew’s success at Henley further highlighted to me that my work in the sporting space is something that was solidified through my time rowing and being Captain of Boats for St Catherine’s.

I am aiming to contribute to our sporting legacy at St Catherine’s in a non-athletebased way and has wider ramifications for women and girls in sport. I aim to level the playing field for women and men in sport by shifting the focus to women’s participation and focus on the rise of the female athlete.

To read the full Q&A with Dr Grover visit www.stcatherines.net.au/scoga

Applications for 2023 Fellowship applications open in July 2023.

SCOGA’s focus is to assist, promote and unify our Old Girl community. SCOGA is committed to fostering friendships and providing opportunities for engagement among our broad membership of over 7,000 St Catherine’s Alumnae.

Working to support Alumnae and the School, our activities include reunion programs, the SCOGA Fellowship, Mentor Program, awards to students and support for School building works, Heyington Hubs, sporting clubs, representation on School Council and committees and much more.