In Conversation with Dr Mark Roberts

Dr Mark Roberts and his wife Lisa Anne Ayres are current Lauriston parents. Their daughter Beatrice, is in Year 2 and has been at the School since she started at Sutherland House as a two-year-old. Mark was welcomed to the Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle (EKC) this year and talked passionately about his support for the School.

What motivated you to give a bequest to Lauriston?

I’ve always held a strong belief in giving back to the community and helping make places and institutions that are important in your life even better for future generations. Lauriston means more to me and my family than the dozen years my daughter will spend at the School. It’s about fostering an ongoing relationship with the School that involves generational engagement and a commitment to the wider Lauriston community. Giving a bequest is about investing in the School’s future and the education of girls who will be here in decades to come. It’s about supporting the stewardship and long-term planning by the School and ideally, also encouraging others to contribute to the School in some way.

Why do you so strongly believe in the need for philanthropy in education?

One of the most important determinates of educational outcomes is the resources available to facilitate student learning and character development. Philanthropy is crucial to building, expanding and renewing learning resources and to ensuring Lauriston is producing well-rounded and erudite female leaders who are globally competitive. Lauriston is very fortunate to have a supportive community that helps it have such magnificent facilities and student resources. But the stark reality is that traditionally girls’ schools — even schools like Lauriston — receive substantially less philanthropic support than the well-known boys’ schools. This is something that must change.

Was your school experience much different to what you see in your daughter’s education?

A few decades have gone by since my school days, but some of my sharpest memories revolve around the lifelong friendships I made and the difference many of the teachers made on my thinking and perspectives. I’m hopeful my daughter’s school experiences are the same and that she’s able to look back on her school days and understand just how important they were to her life’s foundations.

Has being a very involved dad changed the way you see family responsibilities?

I’ve never subscribed to the view that a dad should have a career and a mother should rear the children. Every family is different, but in my view it’s very short-sighted for fathers to take a traditional approach to family role divisions yet somehow expect their daughters to come out of Lauriston and not face the same issues confronting society today, like the persistent wage-gap for women and poor representation of women at the top ranks of businesses. Dads have a key role not just in supporting their daughters’ growth at Lauriston, but in using their own behaviours, expectations and decisions to help make life beyond Lauriston better for their daughters and for all women. I also think it’s very important for both parents to be aspirational role models to their children in the careers they choose, the community engagement they have, and the values they share as a family.

What are the highlights of your family’s Lauriston journey so far?

My daughter is only in Year 2, so we have a long way to go. It’s been fabulous seeing her embrace the opportunities at Lauriston and she’s certainly thrown herself into many activities. It’s been great to have the Ullmer Sports & Wellbeing Centre open and the Adventure Playground. Both are such fantastic spaces for learning and play; and I must say, the slide at the Adventure Playground is a terrifying blast of fun for an adult!