Banksia Magazine-June 2023

There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of St Catherine’s College.

As a resident of the College you will have unparalleled opportunities to develop a network of friends from around the world and from every walk of life. These opportunities will last you a lifetime!

Ourcomprehensive academicprogram supports your pursuitofacademic excellence, while our innovation hub andservice-learning programsofferyou theopportunityto makeapositive difference in the worldwhilstyou study.

as a centre

and

and our residents join a formidable network of alumni

have made significant contributions to communities worldwide.

Our residents engage as citizens of the world, where our core values of diversity, integrity, courage and leadership underpin the pursuit of excellence. I look forward to you joining our community of over 800 residents across our two campuses and enjoying the ultimate university experience.

St Catherine’s College acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation as the traditional custodians of this country we are situated on. We pay our respects to elders past and present and acknowledge their wisdom and advice in our teaching and cultural knowledge activities.

Jackson Gillett

Jackson is in his second year of a Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree at Curtin University and is also an Residential Advisor (RA) at our Curtin campus. He applied to live at St Catherine’s because living on-campus gives him the perfect balance between his studies and his social life. We sat down with him to find out more.

What do you enjoy most about living at College?

The community aspect and how close everybody becomes in such a short period. You make study buddies and friends for life in the first couple of weeks. Everybody knows everybody, and it’s such an inclusive community that everyone has a place in it, no matter who you are or where you’re from.

What are some of your favourite memories?

I really enjoyed Orientation Week, especially when we played games, such as tunnel ball, sock wrestling and watermelon speed eating. We all got competitive very quickly!

The Inter-Housing Sports Carnival was also an amazing experience to be a part of. There was an overwhelming turnout from St Catherine’s, with everyone wearing their College polos!

What do you enjoy most about being an RA?

Being an RA is truly an amazing experience. The role puts you in a leadership position for a particular Level, but people from all around the College are always welcome to come and have a talk with you about anything that they may have on their minds. I really enjoy getting involved with our College community by being an RA.

Where are some of your favourite places on campus?

It has to be the Rooftop Garden or one of the various study rooms around the College. When I’m not in class, I like to play pool or table tennis in The Buttery with a few mates or relax and watch movies in the microcinema. You’ll also find me playing the piano downstairs in the soundproof music room.

St Catherine’s College at Curtin University

In February 2022, we opened the doors to our Curtin campus for the very first time. This marked a monumental achievement for our College, as we became the first independent university college in Australia to open campuses in two separate locations.

Located in the brand new Curtin Exchange Precinct, residents enjoy public transport, recreation facilities and soon grocery stores and specialty retailers right on their doorstep. The new building spans six floors of Single Rooms and Studio Rooms, with plenty of common spaces inside and outside for studying, socialising and relaxing.

A particularly special feature of the College is the Dining Hall, which serves as a vital place of connection for the St Catherine’s Community. From daily meals and catching up with friends to Formal Halls and celebrations, the design of the Dining Hall incorporates the modern style of the new campus while maintaining the warm College feel. Designs based on the Swan River also feature on the doors, showcasing the College’s connection to country, which is seen across our two campuses.

“I toured the St Cat’s UWA campus and was impressed by the culture and programs on offer. So when I was offered a place at Curtin University and found out a new St Catherine’s College was opening up, it was a no brainer for me to apply!

Now I have moved in, what I love about College life is meeting interesting people from all around the world. The best conversations happen over a meal in the Dining Hall, and they can range from light and fun to deep and intellectual. My perspective on life is broadening, and that is what your university experience is meant to be about.”

- Daniel Lim, a first year Physiotherapy student at Curtin University and Residential Advisor

Studio Room for senior students

Residents enjoying the rooftop garden

There are common rooms on every floor

“The design of the St Catherine’s building at Curtin was undertaken by architects Nettleton Tribe. The concept references the existing concrete brutalist vernacular that characterises the campus and is complemented and softened with metal fenestration in the form of curved balustrades and vertical louvres. The courtyard-style building has a communal green space as the central focal point providing an internal outlook for many of the student rooms, whilst upper levels take advantage of treetop views and vistas of the city of Perth.

The interior design was heavily influenced by the St Catherine’s team and creates a welcoming, warm and contemporary aesthetic. There are a variety of spaces for the many types of functions the College is renowned for, from a student bar to casual courtyard dining, music room and Private Dining Room. The College also has the only communal dining facilities on Curtin University’s campus, which we use for larger events and daily meals. The design has considered every aspect of the student experience and is a unique addition to the Curtin University Campus, which St Cat’s is proud to offer.”

Residents and their families in the Dining Hall on Move-In Day

- Ali Devellerez, Architect and former Board Member for St Catherine’s College

Australia Day Honours

Congratulations to St Catherine’s College Board Member, Dr Sue Boyd, and College Fellow and Winthrop Professor, Marc Tennant AM, on becoming Members of the Order of Australia as announced in the Australia Day 2022 Honours List.

Dr Sue Boyd

Dr Sue Boyd AM was awarded the title for her significant service to international relations, tertiary education, and women’s affairs. During her time as a St Catherine’s resident from 1966 to 1969, Sue was the first female student to be elected as the Student Guild President at the University of Western Australia.

Sue went on to become a high-ranking diplomat, serving in countries including Bangladesh, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Fiji and played an important role in improving the status of women serving in foreign affairs.

After retiring from public service, Sue relied on her network to help further her career in business. Currently, she serves on the Board at St Catherine’s College and is the WA Chair and Executive Business Coach with Foresight Global Coaching Partnership. She has also been on the Board of the Gold Corporation, Volunteering WA and the UWA Senate and worked in the Kimberley Region with Aboriginal corporations.

Winthrop Professor Marc Tennant AM

Winthrop Professor Marc Tennant AM was awarded the title for his significant service to dental tertiary education and professional associations. Throughout his academic career, Marc has dedicated his time to addressing issues of equity and justice through reforming health services globally.

Marc is the Director and Founder of the International Research Collaborative – Oral Health and Equity in Human Sciences at UWA. The Collaborative is a global leader in driving reform focused on marginalisation and addressing health inequality. Marc is also on hand to mentor residents each week as part of the Scientists in Residence Program at our UWA campus.

Family Ties at St Catherine’s College

St Catherine’s has been home to many generations of incredible young people, which makes it so special when the children of our alumni live join the College. Alumna Tan Hui Ping recently revisited St Catherine’s when her daughter Aimee moved into our UWA campus.

We sat down with Tan Hui to find out why it is so special that Amiee decided to live at St Catherine’s.

Where did you live before coming to St Catherine’s College?

I was living with a family friend while I completed Year 12 in Perth before coming to St Catherine’s College. Prior to that, I was living and studying in Singapore.

What is your favourite memory from living at St Catherine’s?

It’s tough to choose, as I have so many. One of my favourites is the supper cookout at Upper Whitefield. The joy, laughter and tears we shared of our experiences deepened our friendships. The life experiences we learnd from each other helped me deal with the challenges that came my way when I entered the workforce after graduation.

I also fondly remember Formal Dinner nights! The guest speakers were always so thoughtfully selected and inspiring. One defining takeaway that I carry to this day is the importance of embracing not only diversity but, more importantly, inclusion. Especially respecting people who are different as well as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

This exposure in my early adulthood gave me a head start when I entered the workforce, especially when I was interviewing for job opportunities. The simple mindfulness of embracing and accepting people who are different and diverse opened up many opportunities for me in the workforce when I returned to Singapore.

and Tan Hui

How has St Catherine’s remained a part of your life?

Words can’t express how happy and grateful I was when my daughter Aimee was accepted into St Catherine’s. The experiences now may be different, but the College culture has not changed. I know that Aimee will find her own experiences living at St Catherine’s, and those experiences will help her excel in life.

I have also kept in constant contact with a fellow St Catherine’s sister. She is now living in Los Angeles. Whenever we catch up in person or over WhatsApp exchanges ever since the pandemic, we still laugh over the silly things that we did. Memories like PJ parties in each other rooms or the common area and getting told off by our floor tutor for being too loud.

Aimee

Ming Fung Chua: Tackling Climate Change with Delicious Food

Originally from Singapore, Ming Fung Chua lived at St Catherine’s from 2015 to 2018. While at College, she completed a Master of Agricultural Science studying soil and plant nutrition and held various leadership roles, such as Residential Advisor and Student Support Coordinator. She currently works for Wide Open Agriculture, Australia’s leading regenerative agriculture company. Currently, our food system accounts for 34 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions, meaning the agriculture industry has huge potential to address climate change.

We sat down to talk to her about her role and the future of farming.

Tell us about your work at Wide Open Agriculture?

Currently, I am the Digital Project Coordinator, and I manage the digital channels for our regenerative food and agriculture brand Dirty Clean Food. In my role, I connect customers to our farmers and suppliers to help them understand and show them where food comes from and how it is grown. In my work, I am responsible for sourcing and purchasing delicious, regenerative, ethical and sustainable products that are both good for the planet and people.

I am passionate about food transparency and how we can best represent paddock to plate in a way that empowers our customers to be conscious consumers.

Why is regenerative agriculture important?

Regenerative agriculture is one step beyond sustainable farming. Being sustainable is about maintaining the current state we are in, while regenerative is more about improving farming practices and helping to regenerate the land.

Regenerative farming takes into account the entire ecosystem, from the biodiversity at the soil microbial level and the flora and fauna that exists and thrives in the same environment. It focusses on improving your water cycles, rotational grazing and capturing carbon. It’s going back to what nature intended and making our environment more resilient to climate change. It also ensures food security for our future generations.

More people should learn about this as it is the complete opposite of conventional agriculture. When you purchase from a regenerative farmer, you are supporting the environment and consuming a product from an extremely passionate person who cares about their land. At Dirty Clean Food, we pay a premium to those farmers to encourage them to continue to practice regenerative farming. We call it “for purpose, for profit”.

It’s not a new idea, and it’s been practised for a very long time. We work with amazing farmers, such as Blythe from Runnymede Farm, and the entire team at Wide Open Agriculture are the most passionate people you will ever meet.

What are your current professional goals?

One of my current goals is to continue to expand my network and support other young women in the agriculture industry. I’m also looking to learn as much as possible about the alternative plant protein space.

Jaimee Whirledge

Originally from Busselton in Western Australia, Jaimee is currently studying a Bachelor of Performing Arts at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Jaimee is also our UWA Co-President and an integral member of our Residential Advisors (RA) Team.

We sat down to talk to her about life at the College.

Why did you choose to apply for St Catherine’s?

I chose to apply because I wanted the opportunity to meet lots of new people whilst studying. I knew the College would be a place that values education, a strong work ethic and building genuine connections. I was also really drawn to the beautiful gardens and landscape around the College, as I find being in nature uplifting and motivating when I’m studying.

What has your experience been like so far?

I am loving my time at the College! I like being a part of something and contributing to the community here.

What do you like most about your degree?

I like that it is a mixture of everything in the arts. We study acting, directing, playwriting and design, giving us all the tools to put together a show from scratch. It’s important to have transferable skills because the arts industry has changed. It’s so dynamic that it’s helpful if you can lend yourself to manydifferent roles in the creative process.

I mostly enjoy playwriting. At the core of what I’m passionate about is creating stories. I love visual art, theatre, film, writing and I would like to do a bit of all of that in my life, but what motivates me is creating stories.

Why did you apply to become an RA?

The College holds a special place in my heart, and I wanted to be able to give back to the community I’ve been apart of for the past two years. The staff and students are what make St Cat’s feel like home and I want to ensure all residents feel welcome and supported throughout their time here.

What are your favourite things to do when you are not in class?

Going to Cottesloe Beach with friends or grabbing a coffee at the Bayside Kitchen. I also love seeing what performances are on in Perth.

Commencement Dinner: New Beginnings, Old Traditions

Formal events and dinners are a tradition practised at some of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Originating from the residential colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, these events are a fantastic opportunity for residents to catch up over a meal, hear from guest speakers and enrich their university experience, all while wearing their academic robes.

Up until 1973, academic robes were worn every night at dinner. The student club voted to make regular dinners more casual but wanted to keep the academic robes for special events.

The first special event of the year is our Commencement Dinner. This is an opportunity to welcome our residents back after the summer break and introduce our newest residents to the rest of the College. The event includes speeches from members of our College community with dinner and dancing under the fairy lights. We’re already counting down the days until next year’s dinner!

Around the Colleges

No matter where our residents’ interests lie, there are always plenty of events and programs happening at our Colleges for them to get involved with.

Our community thrives on a culture of support, which you can see through our high participation in volunteering work, career development opportunities and even cheering at competitions.

Here are a few of our recent highlights. —

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

During the year, our residents compete against the other colleges and student accommodation in a whole range of sport, including ultimate frisbee, dodgeball and even badminton. Last year, our Curtin campus brought home the Housing Cup. What an amazing achievement!

CULTURE AND WELLNESS HIGHLIGHTS

We have a range of events and activities that we participate in or put on for our residents. These include Parkrun, FriYAY Art Classes, Battle of the Bands, Secret Friends’ Week, volunteering, cultural celebrations, rooftop yoga and meditation. We also have over 30 clubs running across both campuses for residents to lead and join.

Networking, Mentoring and Leadership at College

St Catherine’s College fosters a thriving leadership, academic and intellectual culture, spearheaded by our comprehensive tutoring service that complements our residents’ university studies.

Residents can apply to be a leader within our community as Residential Advisors (RA). There are multiple roles and positions within the RA Team structure, and they may even be eligible to earn credit points on their university transcript for their leadership work.

Our Dean of Academics and Employability, Dr Andrew Cichy, is here to support students in their academic journey, from making the transition to university, to expanding their intellectual, cultural and professional horizons, as well as thinking through and planning for future opportunities.

With the help of residents, he also organises industry-specific lunches and dinners for networking with eminent academics, researchers and industry professionals in relevant fields of study.

For residents in their third year of study or above, we offer professional mentoring opportunities to help secure internships, gain valuable work experience and advise on the ever-evolving job market.

UWA and Curtin Academic Award Winners at our Scholars’ Dinner, with Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne and CEO Fiona Crowe.

Faculty and Industry Lunch - Inflation, the Economy and You

Faculty and Industry Dinner - Women in Leadership

Faculty and Industry Dinner - DNA Zoo

Faculty and Industry Lunch - The Future of Work

Postgraduate Dinner

Medicine Networking Picnic

Six Noongar Seasons with Dandjoo Darbalung

Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access program Dandjoo Darbalung has spent several years putting together a series of large canvas artworks that represent the six. These pieces are the work of our residents, with contributions from the wider St Catherine’s community including schools that have participated in the Dandjoo Darbalung outreach program.

If you would like further information on Dandjoo Darbalung or our schools outreach program, please get in touch with our Director of Dandjoo Darbalung Maxine Brahim at dandjoo@stcats.com.au

Birak: December – January

The first summer. Noongar people would practice burning to force native animals into the open, making hunting easier.

Djeran: April – May

It’s all about good tucker as the cooler weather sets in. Noongar people would continue fishing along the coast. Bulbs, seeds, Jam gum and berries were plentiful and were collected.

Djilba: August – September

The second part of winter and the wettest and coldest time of the year, with clear cold nights. Food is abundant in this season, and it is a perfect time to stock up on good tucker like native potatoes.

Bunuru: February – March

The second summer. The hottest time of the year, with little or no rainfall. Noongar people would move closer to the estuaries for fishing.

Makuru: June - July

The first rains. Noongar people would move inland once the rains had replenished the water systems and prepare for Djilba, the following season, which has heavy rains and cold nights. Noongar people would stock up on fire tools and medicine.

Kambarang: October- November

The wildflower season, when the days become longer, warmer and drier. The baby birds are born, reptiles surface from hibernation and wildflowers bloom. Noongar people would move closer to the coast where the frogs, turtles and freshwater crayfish were.

Preparing Young People for the Future of Business

Bloom’s Orbit Accelerator Program is a one-year program that provides five small business founders with the tools to accelerate their business.

The program consists of ten workshops facilitated by industry professionals, paired with one-on-one coaching from Program Director Jeroen van Dalen. By the end of the program, these young entrepreneurs will be better prepared for the future of their business and see long-term growth.

In late 2021, after a visit from the Minister for Innovation, Bloom was one of eight applicants who successfully applied for a Western Australian Government X-Tend Grant for 2022 and 2023. This gives Bloom the sustainability to run this course for at least two years and build out the success of these young founders.

The first five participants of the Orbit Accelerator Program are Alex Montinari, Fanny Westlund, Imogen Blow, James Audcent and Isabelle Ng. Each participant currently owns a business, and

through the Orbit Accelerator Program, they are learning from industry professionals who are experts in their business fields.

“A program like Orbit increases the innovation atmosphere already established at St Catherine’s College. Residents have the chance to work in the coworking space besides entrepreneurs with established businesses and learn about innovation for the individuals who live and breathe it!” Said Bloom’s Director of Innovation, Andrew Stead.

If you would like to find out more about Bloom: The Centre for Youth Innovation, please get in touch with our Director of Innovation at hello@bloom.org.au

Members of our Bloom Community with CEO Fiona Crowe, Minister for Innovation Don Punch, and Director of Innovation Andrew Stead.

YOUR NEXT STEPS

How to Apply

St Catherine’s is a leading residential college and we have set a high bar. This is why we are selective and focused on academic excellence and your potential to make a positive difference in the world.

Applications (UWA campus) and pre-applications (Curtin campus) are accepted 12 months in advance of beginning your studies. It is advisable to apply early in the year (even before you receive a university offer) to ensure you secure a place.

Research

Visit our websites to find out more about life at St Catherine’s, our programs, services and events. You can also visit us for a tour (anytime!) or you can watch our virtual tours online now.

Apply

For our UWA campus, visit livingoncampus.uwa.edu.au and rank St Catherine’s as your first preference. For our Curtin campus, visit stcatherines.curtin.edu.au and follow the prompts. Once you have successfully applied, we will contact you for an interview.

Interview

Residency positions at St Catherine’s College are highly competitive so it is important you increase your chances of selection by preparing for your interview. Our interview process is designed for you to learn more about us and for us to learn more about you.

Offer

We make offers on a rolling basis and because we are a popular choice, applying as soon as possible and before receiving your university offer is crucial to securing your place at St Catherine’s.

enquiries@stcats.com.au

Curtin Campus

Building 433 University Boulevard Bentley WA 6102

+61 8 6478 7680 stcatherines.curtin.edu.au

UWA Campus 2 Park Road Crawley WA 6009

+61 8 9442 0400 stcatherines.uwa.edu.au