The creation of the St Margaret's Alumni has become an integral part of the work of the St Margaret's Development Office.
What is the Alumni?
We see membership of the ‘Alumni' as comprising all present and past students, staff and friends of St Margaret's. When we consider that the School has a history spanning 116 years, the task of tracing our ‘lost' past students is a major undertaking, particularly as, until 2006, no concerted effort had been made to do so.
The work of the Development Office in establishing and promoting the St Margaret's Alumni has been supported by volunteers. Our Volunteers are past students, some of whom are also past staff. Their knowledge of the St Margaret's School Community, and the amount of time that they give back to their old School, has resulted in a continual flow of new entries in the Alumni Register, and the School welcomes these with open arms.
Why have an Alumni?
The major purpose is to re-connect past students with their School. Once we have again made contact with a ‘lost' St Margaret's girl, she becomes part of the mailing list for the twice-yearly School Newsletter The Flyer and the St Margaret's Foundation Newsletter The Foundation Pen and, very importantly, we can ensure that she is included on the invitation list when her significant Reunion years occur.
Alumni Functions
Just adding a name to a mailing list does not automatically re-connect a person with their old school. The Development Office has therefore welcomed many ladies back by inviting them into the School. A very important annual event is the luncheon for the ladies who graduated from St Margaret's from the 1920s through to the 1950s.
As well as this, regular Alumni Business Breakfasts are held where past students are invited to come along to the Arts Centre Foyer to enjoy each other's company and listen to the stories of their old school friends. Some of the presenters at our Alumni Breakfasts have included:
Rhyll Gardner (senior of 1981) of St George Bank Limited
Dr Deborah Mills (1977) - Doctor, author, and businesswoman
Sally Bain (nee Jenyns) (1984) - Author, television personality, chef, fishing enthusiast and yachtie
Dr Ros Taplin (1969) - Head of the Department of Sustainable Science, Bond University
Amanda Stein (1986) - Owner of Panda Pearls
These multi-talented past students have successfully combined their career paths with the over-arching and all-important responsibilities of family life. The challenges and rewards that they each face in achieving this has figured prominently in their informative addresses.
How can you help?
Please contact us when you change your address!
Let all your old St Margaret's friends know that we would like their contact details too!
Please contact Beverley Fox in the Development Office on 61 (7) 3862 0884 or email bfox@stmargarets.qld.edu.au if you have any enquiries relating to St Margaret's Alumni.
St Margarets Alumni are able to keep in touch with what is happening at the School through the St Margarets Flyer and Foundation Pen.
The Old Girls' Association encourages past students to maintain active and supportive contact with the School. There are branches of the Association in Sydney, country areas and overseas.
