International Women's Day 2022

Celebrations were held across the College on Tuesday 8 March in honour of International Women’s Day (IWD), an annual event that recognises women’s achievements throughout history and around the world. At St Mary’s College, we educate and empower our students to contribute to a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. We champion and celebrate the trailblazers, changemakers and leaders who work hard in their communities to achieve greater gender equality and provide opportunities for women from all walks of life. IWD is also a day when we acknowledge women who are marginalised in our society. As a College, we advocate for First Nations gender justice, recognising the challenges that many First Nations women face and celebrating the importance of women in leadership in these communities. Our IWD celebrations commenced with a special breakfast for our Year 11 and 12 students, at which we were delighted to welcome Holly Andrée, alumna and 2017 Head Prefect, as guest speaker. Holly delivered an inspiring speech that reflected on her time at St Mary’s and her journey since graduating from the College. In line with this year’s IWD theme, ‘Break the Bias’, Holly spoke about the importance of rewriting the narratives around expectations for young women in today’s society. She encouraged students to tread their own path; to follow their passions and contribute in their own individual ways. “Personal success takes time, and you don’t need to rush into your futures. You are completing your final years of schooling during a pandemic and it’s OK to take time to work out what’s next for you,” Holly said. The focus on women empowering women continued in the Senior School assembly with Year 12 Deputy Prefects, Caitlin Marr and Mackenzie Kinghorn welcoming alumna Lucy Eade (class of 2020) and Kelsie Raspin (class of 2010) to the couch for an insightful and thought-provoking chat about their journey at St Mary’s, their experience as undergraduate students and how the College has influenced their career trajectory. We are incredibly proud of our students at St Mary’s College and the strong, resilient women they are.

Below: Students celebrating International Women's Day with a breakfast and assembly and joined by alumna Holly Andrée (pictured top left with Head Prefect, Millie Lane) and alumna Kelsie Raspin and Lucy Eade on the couch with Deputy Prefects, Caitlin Marr and Mackenzie Kinghorn (pictured top centre).