16 minute read
Student Investment Club
A VOICE AT THE table
A club at Women’s College is demystifying the finance and investing world for a group of students from diverse fields of study.
Advertisement
CARILLON CAPITAL, the Women’s College Investment Club, was founded four years ago with the aim of educating interested students from any background on how to become financially independent and financially literate.
The club meets weekly to discuss financial markets and investing. Its 25 members take turns to prepare and deliver market updates and stock pitches, drawing on their own research from company financial reports and the Australian Financial Review.
“A lot of us had the perception that financial markets and investing is a bit of a boys’ club, just for those ‘in the know’,” says club convenor Charlotte Hattersley. “We thought: why can’t we get in on the next Woolworths or Tesla? A lot of our learning happens through conversation. The
– CHARLOTTE HATTERSLEY,
INVESTMENT CLUB CONVENOR
main aim is to discuss stocks and what’s happening in the market, but also to have an open forum where everyone in the club can feel comfortable to ask questions about financial concepts or terminology.”
The club has evolved over its four years into a virtual portfolio which uses an online ASX market simulator finance platform. Students “buy” shares based on stock pitches and watch what their investment would have yielded. Current members of the club are taking a range of degrees, from commerce and engineering, to science, architecture, nursing, arts, and law. “There are people on both ends of the spectrum: those who have never done any business or finance related subjects, to people who are fully versed in the financial world,” says Charlotte. Students learn to read financial statements and how to set up and operate a trading account, something most in the club have now done. Charlotte reports that members are encouraged to pitch a stock they have bought or intend to buy: a practice which encourages all members to do their research, to learn from each other, and to have the courage to actually begin building their portfolio. Most are working and are keen to invest.
Charlotte is eloquent about the motivation behind the group: “As women, historically the finance world hasn’t been welcoming to us, so in many respects we need to be over-prepared to feel confident. The girls in the club have said they don’t want to leave the finance and investing conversation to their dads and brothers; they want to get involved and be part of the conversation themselves. They are more eager to learn and be knowledgeable than to make money. It’s all about having a voice at the table.”
Intergenerational links
A new mentoring program is connecting alumnae across the decades.
meNToR ANGelA fRITH [1984-87] Director, Fire up Solutions & Stepchange Consulting
meNTee HANNAH mcleAN [TROST: 2016-17] Change Consultant, National Australia Bank N THE MIDST of last year’s COVID-19 lockdown, Women’s College launched a
Ipilot alumnae mentoring program aimed at assisting young professionals aged 28-35 with augmenting the next stage of their careers. The program matched twelve young alumnae with mentors drawn from the senior ranks of the Women’s College alumnae community, mostly from the 1980s and 90s. The pilot built on the success of the student mentoring program which has provided career assistance to students from the third year of their university studies for almost two decades. Participants in the pilot were located in Australia, Europe and the USA, with mentees working in government, publishing, health, finance, law, consulting, marketing and strategy. Their mentoring needs ranged from balancing work and personal life to career transitions, promotions and leadership development. Alumnae Committee member Angela Frith [1984-87] assisted with the design of the program, sourcing mentors through her own College networks and mentoring a young alumna herself. “We’ve reached a point in our careers where we have seen a lot and can help our mentees in getting over their career hurdles. It’s a pleasure to have a two-way dialogue where your experiences and your story is helping others with similar challenges.” Participants in the pilot reported increased confidence and improved personal executive engagement as key benefits, as well as having a sounding board for career decisions and guidance to support them through transitions. Alumnae connectivity across the decades was a particular highlight. As one mentee remarked: “I think the Women’s relationship is so special. For me, it meant that I could build trust really early on and felt comfortable doing so.” Senior alumnae interested in mentoring in the 2022 program are invited to contact Mary McGuirk: secretary@thewomenscollege.com.au
GIVING BACK
There is something enchanting about these corridors and the stories they hold of the generations of women
- VALEDICT ISABELLA HARRIS PG 34
3.
Senior Student Hannah Heading outlines the House Committee goals for 2022
COMMUNITY TIES
HE 2022 House Committee is excited for the year ahead. Our community ties are strong, as evidenced by the last two years of adapting and adjusting to the
Tpandemic. The ‘Wizzie’ spirit has endured. The House Committee is committed to maintaining the momentum of leaders past, who worked hard to fortify a culture that fosters authentic, ambitious and empowered young women. For our current Senior and Sophomore cohort — whose College tenure has been marked by rather remarkable interruptions — 2022 holds the promise of a social, yet safe College year, a little closer to “normal.” For our incoming Fresher cohort, their first year holds this same exciting promise as well as the opportunity for new connections and stepping outside of comfort zones. The House Committee, Resident Assistants and Academic Assistants comprise our Student Leadership Team, that leads our dynamic and exceptional Women’s community. Culturally, pastorally and academically, the three teams come together to provide a holistic and thoughtful network of support to every Women’s student - with no ‘Wizzie’ left behind.
LEADERSHIP TEAM GOALS foR 2022 • cultivate a social capital unique to Women’s, • empower the collective student voice by working with their best interests & feedback, • embolden our already fortified Women’s traditions, whilst creating our own along the way, and • role model authenticity, inclusivity and ambition in our leadership endeavours.
This year, Women’s College welcomed one of our most diverse cohorts of new students, from a range of backgrounds in terms of schools, hometowns, nationalities and cultures, and study disciplines. Our Welcome Week included hosting events with our neighbouring colleges: brunches with St John’s and Wesley College, drinks with Sancta Sophia College, and dinner with St Paul’s College. The traditional Intercollegiate Formal Dinner, at which each College hosts students from every fresher cohort, was a great opportunity to forge friendships and remains a special way in which we build community.
The Leadership Team has embarked on a busy calendar of activities for the year, adding some new events to the mix. In addition to social events such as the Formal and College ‘Sippers,’ we’re looking forward to social sport with our neighbouring colleges, and to introducing a new cultural event, Shakespeare on the Grass, directed and produced by students and performed on the College lawns. An immersive experience that will involve audience participation, we are excited to trial this event for the very first time. Spirits are high at Women’s College.
Our Fresher cohort have impressively and eagerly involved themselves in all that College life has to offer. Also, seeing the Sophomores and Seniors taking on both leadership responsibilities and participant “team-player” roles, I have every faith that our whole 2022 student body will be instrumental and successful in fortifying and building on the unique, exceptional culture that already exists here. Each plays an important role in setting the cultural agenda.
HANNAH HEADING SENIOR STUDENT
Reconnecting in person
AST YEAR again saw our regular alumnae programming
Lsadly interrupted due to the pandemic. While our ability to connect in person was severely hampered, the Alumnae Committee continued to meet virtually and, as always, there was still a great deal of activity among our alumnae body. A significant number of alumnae were named in the Queen’s Birthday and Australia Day honours over the past twelve months, reflecting the rising numbers of women being recognised in these important awards. Citations for Helen Hardcastle AM [1969-71],
Belinda Allen OAM [1972-73], Mary Walker OAM [1975-78],
Christine Biggs OAM [1982-85], Catherine Birman OAM [1985],
Kellie Dickerson OAM [1989-1992], Pamela (Jill) Hodgson OAM [1961-1965], and Julie Sutton OAM [1954-55] appear in the ‘Awards and acknowledgments’ pages in this Magazine. These are just some of the examples of the strength of women within our alumnae community. We are very proud of their achievements. 2021 saw the launch of the College’s Realise campaign, which has a goal to build our scholarship fund to $30 million by 2040. The campaign will assist young women with academic potential to attend Women’s College and university regardless of financial or geographic constraints. The goal is ambitious, but then again, Women’s College has never seen ambition as a dirty word, and I would wholeheartedly encourage all alumnae to participate if they can. Thank you to the many alumnae who have given their time and sage advice through the College mentoring programs. The Committee continues to support current students through the Alumnae Scholarship, awarded annually on the basis of merit and need to a resident student, and through the Sibyl Leadership Grant. The 2021 Grants were awarded to two recipients, Isabella Harris and Nicola Dabboussy, whose proposals in their fields of Architecture and Law promised to deliver life-changing experiences to these two senior students. I have no doubt these young women will change the world one day. As we look towards the remainder of 2022, I sincerely hope that we can begin connecting as an alumnae group in person more regularly. Dates are being held for alumnae events such as interstate gatherings, our Alumnae Awards (held over from 2020), and the much-loved Wisteria Lunch. Look out for notice of these events in forthcoming electronic communications. As the College marks 130 years this year, there can be no doubt that the celebrations will be wonderful.
LUCINDA GARLING ALUMNAE PRESIDENT
Left: Paulette and daughter Georgie at the opening of the Sibyl Centre in 2018
Right: Paulette as a graduate
Perpetual legacy
Through a generous gift in her will alumna Paulette Milliner is supporting future generations of the Women’s College.
AULETTE MILLINER [1970-73] endowed a
Pperpetual scholarship to Women’s College through a gift in her will in 2013. The Paulette Milliner scholarship endowment was established to “provide partial College fees for a NSW country student enrolled in a humanities course at the University of Sydney and resident at the College.” Paulette attended Nowra High School and entered Women’s College in the latter part of her first year at the University of Sydney, where she undertook an Arts degree and then a Diploma of Education. Her years at Women’s College were fondly remembered; she recalled her fresher room in the Main building as the very first room of her own, and Principal Miss Doreen Langley as “wonderful, caring and understanding.” To combat her initial homesickness, Paulette worked as a student waitress during the week, serving afternoon tea to her peers in the Menzies Common Room and turning down the Principal’s bed of an evening as part of her paid duties. At weekends she returned home via train to Nowra to see her parents and to maintain her part-time job at the local newsagency. After graduation Paulette began her career as a high school teacher before moving into the Ministry of Education. She was one of eight graduates selected to set up the NSW TAFE Staff Development Division, responsible for policy and programs in organisational development and human resource management. She went on to work for Macquarie University before joining healthcare company Abbott Australasia, where she rose to the position of National Human Resource Development Manager. She spent the latter part of her career as a consultant designing training and development programs, and working in change and performance management and corporate communications with a range of large companies.
Paulette passed away in March 2021, and her bequest will realise her vision for the scholarship in her name. Paulette’s daughter Georgie Skipper has been working with the College to bring the scholarship to life, and its first recipient will be named in 2023. Georgie notes: “My mother had a deep love for the College. Her Commonwealth Scholarship and journey to the Women’s College gave her the growth to develop her career and the impetus to support other young women from the country into education and diverse career fields. I look forward to realising the Paulette Milliner Scholarship for many young women to come, who will be able to have the privilege of attending Women’s College, as my Mother did, all those years ago – and benefit tremendously from the opportunities it presents.”
The Women’s College acknowledges the generous support of gifts and legacies received from donors, 1 January to 31 December 2021.
Raising support
Pacita Alexander Alliance Catering Anonymous donors Katherine Archer Victoria Baker James & Nicola Barrett-Lennard Charles Beaton Amanda Bell AM Christine Biggs OAM Katherine Brown Quentin Bryce AD CVO Gavin & Janelle Buchanan Peter Bull Ann Burke Penelope Cameron Elizabeth M Campbell Louise Carroll Anna Colless John Copland AO Annabelle Cruikshank Claudia Cruikshank Holly Dalton Jennifer Davidson Ryan Davis Georgia Dawson Gineke de Haan David Dixon Robyn Doughty Melanie Drake Emma Dykes Gillian Eagles Carol East Stephanie Edwards Maryam Eghtedari Estate of the late Dr Ann Moyal AM Estate of the late Brenda Jean Stevenson Sven & Kendal Fittler Janet Flint Susan Fuller Denise Fung Romy Fung Future Generation Australia Lucinda Garling Carolyn Gavel Samantha Gavel Jennifer Giles Christopher & Patricia Goodman Philip & Emma Grange Rebecca Griffin Alexandra Grimwade Joan Grimwade OBE Lisa Gulesserian Pauline Harding Alex & Tess Harvey Anne Henchman Lindy Henderson Margaret Henderson Bronwyn Herbert Melissa Heris Joanna Holt Judith (Sally) Humphrey Anne Karinch Katharine & Thyne Reid Foundation Alisha King Lucy Shook Yiu Koe Lay Hui Kwee Anne Le Couteur Rosalind Lehane Christa Lenard Sharon Leow Tina Leung Jocelyn Lloyd Penelope Lloyd Rosalind Loo Fiona MacLachlan OAM Sarah Madew Maple-Brown Family Foundation Limited Joan Masterman AM Janet McCredie AM Rose McGready Mary McGuirk Patrick & Sharon McKendry Emelia Milliner Claire Milson Stephanie Moffitt Sally Montgomery Patricia Morgan Kristin Lee Moses Rowena Newman Annie Ng Robyn Overall Rebecca Overton Mary Page Rosemary (Jean) Page Claudia Palma Elizabeth Katherine Palmer Nhi-Y Pham Robert Pryke Eleanor Putnam Ruth Rabin Suzanne Reid Siobhan Richardson Avriel Rogers Dee-Ann Seccombe Prather Sandra Katie Sippe Julia Smart Natalie Smith Patricia Smith Jane Spring Rosalind Strong AM Julie Sutton OAM Acram Taji AM Cara Taylor The Barton Foundation The Katrina Dawson Foundation Elizabeth Thompson Elizabeth Tondl Roger Traves QC Leo Tutt OAM Annabelle Wadsworth Meredith Wagstaff Fiona Walter Lucinda Warren Sarah Webster Susan Weston PSM Alan & Ethel Wigzell Felicity Wilson Peter Wilson & James Emmett Women’s College Alumnae Association Women’s College Students’ Club Anna Wright-Hands Yim Family Foundation
First class
Isabella Harris
Sibyl Grant/Australia Day award/KDF scholar
SABELLA HARRIS arrived at College in 2018, having completed
Iher HSC at St Matthew’s Catholic School in Mudgee. With the support of a Katrina Dawson Foundation scholarship Bella flourished at College and in her degree, the exacting Bachelor of Design in Architecture. In her fourth year at Women’s Bella received the Sibyl Leadership Grant, awarded by the Alumnae Committee for a self-designed project to further a senior student’s personal and professional development. Her work as an undergraduate and in her Honours thesis led the National Council of Women NSW to recognise Bella with an Australia Day Award. At this year’s Chancellor’s Dinner, held to honour our high-achieving students, Belinda Hutchinson AC, Chancellor of the University of Sydney, awarded Bella the Janet Elspeth Crawford Prize. This prize is given by the University of Sydney to the Women’s College student who achieves the highest results in Honours. In her speech on behalf of the 2021 Valedicts, Bella spoke of the ‘space between’ – an architectural and imaginative space, but also a temporal space between entering and leaving College – a space of transformation. It is a ‘special place’, according to Bella, ‘a place of welcome and inclusivity’. It is also a place of ‘understated purpose; an enabling space of personal and academic growth, of connectedness and friendship’. She spoke movingly of the importance of beauty and meaningfulness of College’s buildings. The Federation style of Main is ‘more like a home than a college’, Bella observed: it is a structure that reflects the sense of welcome and comfort it provides every member of College. There is ‘something enchanting about these corridors and the stories they hold of the generations of women’ before us, Bella said, and the students valedicting and continuing had now become part of that wonderful narrative. Having completed Honours, Bella is now undertaking the Master of Architecture degree. She is excited to continue exploring the possibilities for inclusive, sustainable design. Like so many of our newest alumnae, Bella maintains very close ties to College, and has taken on the role of tutoring many of our undergraduate Architecture and Design students.
From the Chair
HE COUNCIL is pleased to welcome its three newest members, Annie Fenwicke, Rowena Newman and Renae Ryan. Renae Ryan is Professor of Biochemical Pharmacology, Academic Director of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) Program, and Academic Fellow on the University of Sydney Senate. Renae replaced Professor Tony Masters as the Senate Representative on the College Council from January this year.
Women’s College alumna Rowena Newman [1992-95] brings 25 years of international experience in brand marketing and communication to her role on Council. She is currently Head of Marketing at media firm Premium Content Alliance.
Alumna Annie Fenwicke [Clissold: 1984-86] is Program Manager of the SAGE Program at the University of Sydney, a group dedicated to increasing the participation and retention of women and diverse people in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine. Annie brings her experience in equity and diversity as well as her legal expertise as a former solicitor in the private and public sectors.
Rowena and Annie have been appointed to the casual vacancies caused by the retirement from Council of Justine Beaumont and Judy Mills at the end of 2021.
SAMANTHA GAVEL CHAIR OF COUNCIL COUNCIL ELECTION 2022 Under the Women’s College Act 1902, elections are held biennially for half of the Council membership and Council members are elected for a period of four years.
The Council of The Women’s College represents an active, diverse and talented cross-section of people interested in promoting the strategic goals of the College for the benefit of our young female resident and affiliate students studying full-time at universities in Sydney. Members of the Council volunteer their time and expertise, support events, promote the College and provide stewardship of its resources.
In accordance with Section 6 of The Women’s College Act, 1902 (as amended 1997), an election will be held later this year for five vacancies on the Council of The Women’s College within the University of Sydney.
Details about the election process, skill sets and experience being sought in potential candidates, eligibility to nominate and eligibility to vote will be forthcoming via email to our community over the next few months.
