Facilities Update

Introducing our Alumni Committee

Rose Parente In April os this year the St Aloysius College Alumni Sub-Committee was launched. The committee aims to keep you informed of the wonderful accomplishments of our alumni and keep you informed about upcoming events at the College.

The Alumni Committee Members are:

Rose Parente - College Archivist & Alumni Co Ordinator, Vivian Vecchio - Class of 1978, Maria Ruberto - Class of 1985 and Nadia Cinalli-Wong - Class of 1988

VIVIAN VECCHIO Class of 1978

After graduating from St Aloysius College in 1978, I was fortunate to land my first preference and study at the University of Melbourne. While there I studied Psychology and History and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts. Then it was time to engage in the workforce. I secured a job with Telecom (now Telstra) and here I spent the next 25 years of my working life with a short sojourn in 1987 while I studied a Graduate Diploma of Information Services at RMIT.

My studies have given me the tools to be able to work in various areas of Telstra, from credit management, marketing, strategy, information services and operations. The broad based skills I gained were invaluable to allow me to have a rewarding and engaging career so that now I can give back to the College as a volunteer.

NADIA CINALLI-WONG

Class of 1988

I attended St Aloysius from 1983 to 1988. I went on to study a Bachelor of Business in Accounting and as part of my university studies l participated in a student exchange program with the University of Florence in Italy which was the highlight of my studies. I returned from abroad and enrolled in my Master of Accounting and became a sessional tutor and lecturer. I landed a graduate program job with the State Revenue Office of Victoria, then spent eight years working at Ernst and Young, followed by a management role in a 2nd tier accounting firm before becoming a consultant.

I am married with 2 daughters, and my eldest has started Year 7 at St Aloysius this year. l now work as a part time business development consultant. I am thrilled to have reconnected with the College and to see how much it has changed since my days here. I remember my days at St Aloysius fondly and am proudly still in touch with many of my school friends.

MARIA RUBERTO

Class of 1985

I attended St. Aloysius College and graduated in 1985, they were some of the best years of my life. This year I celebrate 23 years in my vocation as a psychologist and as an alumna of St Aloysius College, the Mercy Cross has always been at the centre of my work. From St. Aloysius I went straight into University at Monash to study Social Sciences with the intention of majoring in Zoology. I then turned my attention to psychology as I was told it was the same, but different. I only began to really enjoy the studies in my last year, so I went on to study further and registered as a Psychologist in 1997.

Today my work is strongly aligned to the development of mental fitness and emotional health. My current purpose is to lift women’s voices, help protect their rights and allow their strengths to be acknowledged rightfully and without prejudice. To have women know that they are vital to the fabric of our society.

Alumni Profile

SUZAN EL-KHOURY, NEE. RUSTOM - Class of 2009

Where are they now?

After graduating from St. Aloysius in 2009, I decided to undertake a double degree in Bachelor of Psychology (Social Science) and Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at RMIT University. This decision came from my love of VCE Psychology, and my desire to make a difference. After completing this in 2014, I was left with the decision to pursue a career in this field, or to continue further study. While I loved the work I was doing, including working in the out-of-home care system, working with domestic violence survivors, and community members in need of emergency relief, my heart was always in education. Because of the inspirational teachers that I had at St Aloysius, and the compassionate and empowering community I was educated in, I decided to pursue Secondary Teaching at ACU. Now, it seems the values inspired by Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy had a more profound effect on me than I realised, as I was drawn to educate girls in a Mercy school, which I am now doing. Working at Mercy College, Coburg, has fulfilled me in so many ways, where now, I get the chance to further the vision of the incredible Catherine, educating the next generation in Psychology, Religious Education, and STEM. Also, as the Year 8 Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader, I can now not only teach, but care for the wellbeing of these girls in the way that my Year Level Coordinators did for me when I was at St Aloysius. It was these teachers who inspired me to be where I am now.

Through this journey, the advice I would give to any student considering where they want to be in the future, is to not be afraid to change your mind. You will only find where you truly belong by exploring your options, and do not ever feel like you have to be stuck in a job that does not fulfil you. If you do not wake up in the morning loving the job that you are going to, consider what can.

I look back on my time at St Aloysius and remember attempting to stand on a surfboard at camp in Torquay, dancing at the St Al’s Day discos with my friends, the prayerful experience at the Amberley Retreat, getting dolled up for the Years 10 and 12 formals, and the glamour of every annual production. I also remember the incredible teachers and leaders, and the lessons that opened my mind and heart to the world around me. It excites me that I can now contribute to the same kind of remarkable memories for my students now, and to come.