14 minute read
OLD GIRL PROFILES
PROFILES
A St Mary’s education is different for every girl. It is not just about the curriculum or the maroon uniform; it encompasses so much more. Each student is encouraged to tread her own path to reach her potential and engage in a variety of activities. We are delighted to share the stories of three of our Old Girls with you.
Q & A
WITH OLD GIRL MARLANIE HAEREWA (’16)
CLASS OF: 2016
CURRENT ROLE:
Performer / Theatre Maker
TERTIARY EDUCATION:
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM DINNER GUEST?
Zendaya
MUSIC YOU ARE CURRENTLY LISTENING TO?
Billie Eilish
FAVOURITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL?
Art
SUM UP YOUR EXPERIENCE AT ST MARY’S IN 3 WORDS:
Full of memories
MARLANIE HAEREWA (’16)
a: When I graduated in 2016, I had no idea what career I wanted to follow. I was always interested in acting but I hardly ever took this on board at school. I loved singing and at St Mary’s I was involved in many opportunities that allowed me to perform on stage, which is where my confidence grew and became stronger. In Years 11 and 12, the daunting question of ‘what do you want to do after school?’ was creeping in. I had my eyes set on a Bachelor of Performing Arts at WAAPA but had absolutely no experience in theatre or performance making. Therefore, I thought I should try out the Cert IV in Aboriginal Theatre at WAAPA. This was a full-time course, exploring Indigenous plays and learning the basic techniques of acting. I was captivated. Acting and the arts soon became a big part of my life. I then auditioned for the Bachelor of Performing Arts and was successful. It has been a long three years of studying at WAAPA, and now that it is the end of 2020, I am in my final weeks of graduating with my degree and moving on to more exciting things.
a: During school I was given so many opportunities to sing on stage and push myself that I believe St Mary’s was the platform I needed to boost my stage presence and confidence and it also helped with my communication skills.
a: Since starting my degree, I have also had many opportunities in the arts industry. At the beginning of 2019, I lived in Singapore for three months, completing a summer exchange unit at the Intercultural Theatre Institute where I studied the ancient art form of Noh Theatre. This was an intensive experience where I found myself learning Japanese language. I returned to Perth to continue my studies and perform in Barking Gecko Theatre Company’s play My Robot where I had the privilege of touring Western Australia and performing at the State Theatre Centre. In the final months of 2020, I have been completing my degree and have also found myself touring to Broome with Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company’s show FIFO. This has meant that my family from Derby could also come and watch me perform. There are many other opportunities that I would love to share; however, they will be announced later in 2021. I am so grateful that I have experienced these wonderful opportunities early in my career - it has been a blessing. Q: Who has been your biggest influence? a: My biggest influences have been my family. They have been very supportive in the career choice I have made. They have worked hard to give me the best opportunities in life; therefore, any opportunity I am given, I take with both hands and give it my all. I have to thank my family for being my biggest fans.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
a: The accomplishment that I am most proud of is coming out of my shell over the years. I remember being a very shy girl who never liked the attention. I didn’t think I would be the one going to university and studying something I love. Graduating with a degree never crossed my mind I wasn’t confident I would be able to accomplish this, but here I am, doing just that. It is something I am very proud of.
a: My fondest memories during my time at St Mary’s are of Mrs Godinho’s English classes. She taught me to smile, even on the days I didn’t feel like I wanted to. Mrs Godinho’s support and guidance were always so strong. There are days where I miss sitting in her English class, just learning.
Q: What advice do you have for current St Mary’s students.
a: If you seriously put your mind to it, you can do it. Don’t ever let anyone say that you can’t - you are the writer of your own book. So, fill it with amazing memories, experiences and personal accomplishments, because one day you’ll be asked to read your own journey, so make it a good one.
WITH OLD GIRL MONICA ZHENG (’10)
CLASS OF: 2010
CURRENT ROLE:
Part-time podiatrist and fulltime student (again) studying Doctor of Medicine
TERTIARY EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine (2014) at the University of Western Australia
DREAM DINNER GUEST:
Mary Quant – pioneer of female fashion in the 1960s
MUSIC CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
Zero Gravity – Kate MillerHeidke
FAVOURITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL:
Music
ST MARY’S EXPERIENCE IN 3 WORDS:
Invaluable, encouraging, fun
Ihad always wanted to study medicine, but I didn’t achieve the ATAR grades or admission exam requirements to receive an offer at undergraduate medical school. Instead, I studied a Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine at the University of Western Australia, with an aim to study postgraduate medicine instead. Despite graduating as a podiatrist in 2014, it wasn’t until 2017 that I received an offer to commence a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame Fremantle. In those three years, I found a passion for dance medicine and science, and now treat whole spectrum of dancers from local ballet schools to the West Australian Ballet. I travelled to Italy, Spain, Portugal,
China and the Kimberley region, exploring and learning about different
MONICA ZHENG (’10)
cultures and meeting friends that I keep in touch with to this day. Whilst this made it difficult to revert to a student mindset when I finally started university again, I was very grateful that I had experienced some of the outside world. I’ve continued to work and travel during my studies, endeavouring to maintain a balance with university requirements. I haven’t so much decided on the pathway I wanted my career to take, but rather an end goal that I want to get to. One of the first assignments we had at medical school encouraged us to reflect on our emotions and express these in a creative manner. A few weeks earlier, I bought myself a hot air balloon charm (because I thought it was cute) and realised that it was quite an appropriate symbol for the journey I had just started. I know what my destination is, but I also know that I’ll be tossed from side to side, soar above the clouds and occasionally feel like I’m plummeting to the ground as my flame threatens to flicker out. Sometimes these things will be in my control and sometimes they won’t. Instead, I think my defining moment has been the realisation that things happen for a reason - it might just take a while for you to see it.
a: The array of opportunities available at St Mary’s allowed me to explore numerous different interests and encouraged me to try things I perhaps would not have considered otherwise, without fear of judgement or failure and with support to get back up and try again. The sense of being part of a community has also resonated with me, and I’ve continued to pursue different interests and put my hand up for opportunities to be a part of different communities, societies and organisations in life after school.
a: By nature, I am quite reflective, and a strong focus on emotional intelligence, reflection, personal and professional development in my medical degree has only reinforced that. This year definitely solidified those things that I am grateful for – family, friends and good health – and has forced me to stop and take some time for myself when I would usually be full steam ahead in social, work and university life. It was nice to take a step back and slow down and not feel like I had to be busy all the time!
Q:
Who has been your biggest influence?
a: My family. They have always encouraged me to step outside my boundaries and try new things, to persevere with things I might have lost faith in, when they know I will be grateful for it, once it’s done. Whilst they are my biggest support, they also are the most critical. But they know me better than I know myself and I’m always thankful for their influence.
Q:
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
a: There isn’t a single accomplishment I’m most proud of. I think accomplishments can be ever evolving. I’m proud of so many things I’ve done; they’re all special and important in different ways, but I’m always looking forward to my next challenge.
a: Metricup and Year 9 camp before it was built, the opening Music Under the Stars concert and subsequent music and Year 11 camps, planting the grape vines and drinking the wine made from those grapes, which we were given the year after we graduated!
1. Have a sense of purpose so you can get the most out of the things you do – big or small, personal or professional. It could be to go for a run, to read a book, to work in the field you’re passionate about, to have the courage to say yes to opportunities and even more courage to say no to others. 2. Forge your own pathway and don’t be afraid of the obstacles, junctions or detours that will inevitably come your way. 3. Be yourself, because everyone is different. There is only one you. Celebrate what makes you special and look after it.
WITH OLD GIRL T i FFa N y all EN (JACKSON ’93)
CLASS OF: 1993
CURRENT ROLE:
Chief Executive Officer, Construction Training Fund (CTF)
TERTIARY EDUCATION:
Diploma in Project Management, Certificate in Direct and Digital Marketing, Certificate III in Business (Frontline Management), Australian Institute of Company Directors
WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM DINNER GUEST?
Andrew Denton
MUSIC YOU ARE CURRENTLY LISTENING TO?
Imagine Dragons, Tame Impala, Baker Boys, The Weekend
FAVOURITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL?
Physical Education
SUM UP YOUR EXPERIENCE AT ST MARY’S IN 3 WORDS:
Memorable, foundational, family
After I graduated, I went to Bolivia as an exchange student. When I returned, I realised that the pathway I thought I was going on was no longer where I wanted to go. The experience had really broadened my eyes as to what was out there and the opportunities. Not that I felt constrained; it was more that I thought I had to have an answer when I returned, but as soon as I got back, I realised that you don’t have to have an answer and your life can take you in so many directions. I’ve never really had a defining moment where I’ve decided my exact career pathway. Instead, all of the steps in my career have just been doors that are open and I have been brave enough to walk through them. I’ve allowed opportunities
TIFFANY ALLEN (JACKSON ’93)
to happen, but I still don’t really know where I’m going. So, the defining moments for me have been never saying no to an opportunity and using my values to guide me in my decisions, knowing what I believe in and following my heart. Ultimately, where my journey after St Mary’s has taken me is to two beautiful children and a variety of roles, which have allowed me to really contribute to the WA community.
a: I think it gave me a really strong foundation in diversity and really appreciating the value that every person can bring, that understanding that we are all different, and you really have to have eyes wide open and not have bias or filters on everyone or pigeonhole them. Because St Mary’s is so big, people come from all different backgrounds, so it really has that diversity of views. It’s really been my foundation for life – that I haven’t then been closedminded to what’s in front of me and that’s allowed those opportunities. The sense of community at St Mary’s has also instilled in me the importance of being part of something that’s bigger than myself.
a: Yes and no. I think I’ve always been very grateful to be living in WA and to be brought up here. I think this year reinforced why our state has so many great things going for it. And even though people may say it is a quiet state or is so far away, those are now our advantage points, so it probably surprised me that other people are only realising that now.
Q:
Who has been your biggest influence?
a: The matriarchs in my family. Both my Grandma, Joyce, and my Mum, Robyn, have been my biggest influence. Both are very strong, outback-raised women. They’ve survived a long time working hard in tough Australian environments, so would never let me get away with anything and I was held to account always. They taught me about standing up for myself, asking the question why, never doubting myself, always giving everything a go, and never letting myself run away with my ego.
Q:
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
a: Winning the 2019 UDIA Women in Leadership Award and showing my kids that smart work, good ethics, values and a belief in yourself and others can take you a long way; showing other female leaders that you don’t always need a trade skill or a university degree to be successful. The award also gave me a platform to continue building on my charity work for Headspace and so far, I have raised over $21,000. Mental health is so important for all generations and all schools and workplaces.
a: Meeting such a diverse group of people and connecting with them on all different levels. Particularly at the Duke of Edinburgh camps, wandering around the bush trying to find our way, thinking for the last five kilometres that we were heading in the right direction, only to find out we weren’t and having to trek back and arrive at camp in the dark, giggling the whole way.
1. Be proud and humble at the same time. It’s important to own your successes as well as your failures. 2. The path you choose may not be the path you ultimately take and that’s ok. Be true to your values and you will reach success. 3. Don’t see barriers as a dead-end; they are just solutions you haven’t found yet. Never give up. Lastly, my favourite saying, “Diversity is a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, belonging is having your voice heard”. St Mary’s was always and still is a place that I belong.
