A Day of Giving, A Lifetime of Opportunity

‘Have a go no matter what’

Can you tell us about yourself when you first started at Fintona?
I was very nervous because I was living in a new city (that I had never been to before) as well as a new school which was extremely different from my strict conservative Church of England school in Hobart.

How did you change and develop as a result of your time at Fintona?
I remember embracing everything I joined in on, there was an expectation that you would ‘have a go’ no matter what.

Do you feel lucky to have attended Fintona? Why?
It is only on reflection later in life that I think I truly came to see the importance of my Fintona education, after realising so many other women didn’t have the experience of being expected to embrace their potential regardless of what that was. On finishing school I couldn’t wait to leave, at the time I though it meant I didn’t like school, but actually I now realise it was because Fintona had helped me develop a sense of independence and curiosity and it was time to get on and put it to work.

‘I imagine my life’s direction, self confidence and future networks may have been very different had I not had this life altering opportunity.’

Can you tell us about your experience as a Fintona Student?
I was always gregarious but thrived in a small girls’ school environment where excellence was expected, where everyone was encouraged to stretch themselves to try new things and take on new responsibilities. A life long skill I acquired at Fintona was public speaking-a half hour weekly class has blossomed into something that has helped my career, my personal life and later my philanthropic endeavours. While drill in the mornings & bathing a plastic ‘baby’ in Mothercraft have probably faded into the archives, I’m sure the mentoring & leadership of the House system continues, the Senators and elected Consul too… innovations in community engagement & opportunity long before feminism was a thing and Barbie called out the patriarchy!

Can you tell us more about your life and career after school?
Fintona gave me confidence to be bold, try new things, question authority and to go nose to nose and toes to toes with men in hitherto male dominated fields. Fintona girls didn’t do typing and shorthand, we didn’t make the tea unless we wanted to but over the last nearly 55 years & many reunions, our OFA cohort have all turned out exactly how they were going to in year 12.

Why have you chosen to support a means-assessed scholarship?
Fintona deserves the brightest students, not just the most fortunate!

What is your hope for the student who receives a means-assessed scholarship?
That it will open up a world of possibilities…

Can you tell us about yourself when you first started at Fintona?
I started at Fintona in Year 7 and I was very shy, however Fintona encouraged me to try new activities, meet new people and come out of my shell.

How did you change and develop as a result of your time at Fintona?
I tried every opportunity that I was offered and I am so glad I did, because I became much more confident in my abilities, knowing what I was good at and also not so good at, and I was able to make so many new friends from all different year levels.

Can you tell us more about your life and career after school?
Fintona has provided me with a plethora of valuable skills such as problem-solving, organisation, communication and teamwork which have helped me manage the university workload, as well as make new friends and new relationships, and enter the workforce. I have been studying Science and Arts at Monash University (and I am hoping to major in Ecology and Conservation Biology and French and minor in Japanese) and I have been working at Ben and Jerry’s making ice cream cakes as a part-time job. University is surprisingly different to school, but I am enjoying the new challenges that life is throwing at me, and I am very much enjoying life.

Do you feel lucky to have attended Fintona? Why?
I feel incredibly lucky to have attended Fintona because it was the perfect place to flourish and grow in a safe environment with lovely people all around me there to support me and help me figure out exactly what I wanted to do.