The Official Magazine of
Duchesne College
Issue 3 | 2015
Duchesne College
Strength in the Light of Truth
Sixty years of friendship Class of 1955 reunion
Launch - the Acorn Outstanding Alumnae Awards
A Decade of Dedication
Chair of Council
Issue 3 | 2015
Anna-Louise Katter
Chair of Duchesne College Council
BA/ LLB (Hons), LLM
Alumna of Duchesne (1997-1999)
Student Club President 1999
Inside this Issue
Cover Story
Strength in the Light of Truth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Duchesne College Today
Chair of Council message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Principal’s message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Strength in the Light of Truth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Determined to Give. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
On the Academic Frontline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Rose Philippine Dinner
featuring Madonna King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Duchesne Ball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Duchesne College Yesterday
Alumnae Association
President’s message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Alumnae events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sixty Years of Friendship.
The Class of 1955 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Career Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Duchesne College
Foundation
Duchesne College was founded through
the inspiration and at the direct wish of
His Grace Archbishop Duhig, in March,
1937, to provide a safe and welcoming
home for young Catholic women from
rural and regional Queensland who
wished to conduct their university
studies in Brisbane.
Crest and Motto
The name Duchesne, meaning “of the oak”,
inspired the college motto “Robur in luce
veritatis”. Robur translates as either oak or
strength, so the motto reads “Strength in the
Light of Truth”.
College Colours: Blue and Gold
The Oak Spray: represents
“Duchesne”, literally translated
from the French as “of the oak”.
Upcoming Events for
Alumnae and Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Foundation Chair’s message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Welcome to new Director of Development. . 18
The Stars: the three five-pointed
stars were chosen for two reasons:
FRONT COVER: The students of Duchesne
participating in the Procession of the Lanterns to
celebrate the feast of Saint Madeline Sophie.
1. the resurrection of Duchesne
was decided on during the Octave
of the Epiphany;
EDITOR: Anna Herbert
DESIGN & PRINT: Ignition Creative
The opinion expressed in each article of
this magazine is that of its author and does
not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
publisher, editor or Duchesne College.
2
History and Meaning
of the Duchesne Crest
Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
2. stars represent “light”, and the
name “Lucia”, where the University
is to be, is derived from “Lux, lucis, light”.
Three stars represent the fifteen
mysteries of the Rosary (asked for
by Our Lady at Fatima).
The Book: represents learning
2015 is a significant year in the life of
Duchesne College. Having achieved our
75th anniversary milestone last year, the
College Council determined that 2015
was the appropriate time to commence
a review of current operations and
embark on a strategic plan to carry the
College forward.
As the tertiary sector becomes increasingly complex
and commercialised, this plan will be fundamental. It
will also best place the College to deal with challenges
such as online learning; higher international and postgraduate student intakes; competition, including that
of university owned accommodation providers; and
deregulation.
In writing this text, I found myself recalling a passage
by author Dr Seuss: “Sometimes the questions are
complicated and the answers are simple.” In all of
the complicated strategic questions that the review
has raised to date, the answers have, however, been
‘simply’ and consistently that the Catholic identity;
Sacred Heart tradition, values and mission; and
a genuine sense of community is what underpins
Duchesne and what will continue to bolster the
College going forward.
We sincerely thank Nanette and
Steve for their contribution to
Duchesne over the past decade
and extend to them our very
best wishes
At this point, I wish to pay tribute to Mrs Nanette Kay
who, in May, announced her retirement as Principal
of the College after 10 years of service. Nanette and
her husband Steve will depart Duchesne at year-end,
returning to their family in the UK to enjoy retirement.
We sincerely thank Nanette and Steve for their
contribution to Duchesne over the past decade and
extend to them our very best wishes.
I also wish to acknowledge the efforts and support of
my fellow members of Council:
Duchesne College Council
Mrs Maxine Baldwin
Dr Josephine Bowles
Mrs Annette Boyle
Mr Mike Brady
Sr Rita Carroll rscJ
Ms Catriona Johnston (Student Executive Representative)
Mrs Anna-Louise Katter (Chair)
Mrs Nanette Kay (College Principal)
Ms Tricia Kennedy
Ms Melanie Lord
Ms Gina McLellan
Sr Kathleen Muirhead rscJ (College Vice-Principal)
Mrs Geraldine O’Brien (Deputy Chair)
Mr Mike O’Neill (Treasurer)
Bishop Joseph Oudeman OFMCap
Professor Cindy Shannon
All Council members contribute significantly by their
time, energy and expertise. They are committed to
ensuring the success and strength of Duchesne. The
same must be said of the dedicated College staff and
administration team. Thank you.
I look forward to sharing the strategic plan and new
Head of College announcement with you shortly.
Strength in the Light of Truth
3
Principal’s
Message
Welcome to the first edition
of “The Oak” for 2015. As
our students complete their
examinations and look
forward to spending the
break with their families,
it is a time to reflect on the
semester we have shared.
In February, we welcomed just over ninety first year
students to Duchesne, the majority of them from rural
and regional Queensland, leaving their families for
the first time. Though this may have been a daunting
prospect, they did not take long to settle and, supported
by the student leadership team, they have truly become
part of the Duchesne family. You will read in this
magazine of the academic achievements of our students
and of just a few of the many activities which fill our days.
The pursuit of academic excellence and the development
of intellectual skills are of course a priority but it is the
many other activities taking place which ensure that
our residents develop as students in the tradition of the
Sacred Heart.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge brought together the
University of Queensland Catholic community as he
celebrated the UQ Commencement Mass at Duchesne
College on Sunday 8th March, an initiative of UQ Catholic
Chaplaincy.
It is a fitting tribute to the vision of His Grace, Archbishop
Duhig, and the Religious of the Sacred Heart that this
College, which began in 1937 with only three students,
has flourished and grown in such a way. Archbishop
Duhig, who celebrated the equivalent Mass here in March
1959, would be proud of his legacy.
This year again, fifty of our residents are third-year
students. Many of them hold formal leadership positions
but all exercise a leadership role within the community.
As they prepare to leave Duchesne at the end of this year
and continue their way towards graduation or take the
first steps towards their career, the College endeavours
to prepare them for this journey. Through programs
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Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
number of alumnae. A particular treat was the beautiful
lunch with five of our alumnae who were celebrating their
60th anniversary of joining Duchesne, in the New Farm
days. In the company of some of our current residents, the
ladies shared their memories of their time at Duchesne.
Whilst life may seem to be a little more sophisticated these
days, what was so clear from the conversations was that
our current students still value that feeling of ‘sisterhood’
which epitomised life at New Farm in 1955.
such as “Meet the Alumnae”, organised by the Alumnae
Association and “Meet the Professionals” coordinated by
the Dean, residents are offered the valuable opportunity
to explore the dynamics of the workplace. Formal
dinners, with an interesting range of guest speakers, add
to these professional development opportunities.
Last year, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of
Duchesne. A key focus of the year was the development
of the Foundation, established in 2013, to build funds
to support students for whom a college experience
would not be possible without financial assistance.
We have been offering bursaries to returning students
since 2007, using only profit from our conference trade
and have supported 88 students since the inception of
this program. With the development of the Foundation,
we have been able to offer almost $90,000 this year in
Awards, Bursaries and Scholarships, including a number
to incoming students, and plan to increase this amount
in coming years. It is clear that there is a real need for this
type of support to enable more young girls to benefit from
a college experience, regardless of their family situation.
Some of our scholarships are offered in conjunction with
UQ, for example, Young Achievers and Music, and we
are grateful to the University for supporting us. We are
also grateful to the Honourable Ms Leneen Forde, AC,
for her support as Patron of the Foundation and look
forward to the work our recently-appointed Director
of Development, Mrs Anna Herbert, will carry out in
this field. Anna, herself an alumna and former Student
President of Duchesne (1996-1998), comes to us with vast
experience in the area of fundraising and philanthropy
from her fourteen years with QUT. In Anna’s first couple
of months, she has worked to rebuild connections with a
In May, I announced that I am retiring at the end of 2015.
It is hard to believe that I have been here for almost ten
years and have welcomed almost 700 new students to
Duchesne in that time. As I look back, I can see many
changes in the College but, equally, the fundamentals
have not changed. I look forward to sharing some of my
reminiscences with you in the December issue.
Looking through our archive material, I came across the
following, written by the first Principal, Mother Percy-Dove
(1937-1964) who, in her 27 years of leadership, played a large
part in the establishment of our ethos. In 1965 she declared:
“ … a university life is really a twenty-four hour per
day life, and if our students live in College they get
the full spirit of university life, and that is the only
way they really can get it. They have the advantage
also of being with girls of their own ideas and their
own ideals, and many of them say the greatest
advantage of being in College is the companionship
with girls of their own age.”
In 1949, a major fundraising campaign was launched in
Queensland to assist with the building of six residential
colleges at the St Lucia campus, including Duchesne.
Many newspaper articles were written at that time in
support of the campaign. One of these was written by His
Grace Archbishop Duhig, at whose behest Duchesne was
founded.
“These colleges are in principle something like
the colleges or houses that made up the medieval
universities. As in centuries past, different countries
sent their students to Paris or Bologna... so today
University colleges are founded in our country to give
shelter and facilities to young men and women from the
country …
These colleges are of the highest value in promoting
community life among the students, preserving
discipline and greatly aiding study. They create a
friendly spirit of honourable rivalry in scholarship
and sport, and protect the students from the many
temptations to which gifted and inexperienced youth is
generally open. Furthermore, they build up a tradition
that will be forever entwined with the University itself,
and that cannot but enrich the culture and character of
our people.”
I think these two leaders, who each gave so much to the
Queensland Catholic community, have summed up the
key elements of our College today.
Mrs Nanette Kay MA PGCE
Strength in the Light of Truth
5
Strength in the
Light of Truth
Duchesne,
Determined to Give
To mark the 150 year anniversary of Saint
Madeleine Sophie Barat’s death and her
feast day, May 25th, Duchesne participated
in the Procession of the Lanterns, an evening
acknowledging the significance of the
lantern, the light.
By Emma Cooke
2nd year resident at Duchesne College
(President of the Vinnie’s Conference)
Sr Diana Hayes rscJ, Director of the Religious of the Sacred
Heart, was a welcome visitor to the College that day and her
seminar about the life and journeys of Saint Madeleine Sophie
Barat and Saint Philippine Duchesne was an inspiration to all.
In 1800 Madeleine Sophie Barat founded the Society of the
Sacred Heart in France. Confronted as a young woman with
the choice of how to live the one life she had, Sophie, as she
was known, wanted to be so attuned to the Spirit of God that
she would be able to hear and respond to the world’s cries of
hope and pain. Her vision was to transform society through
education. Her style of leadership derived from her trust in the
abilities, talents, and goodness of others.
The Duchesne/St Leo’s St Vincent
de Paul conference helps support
the Vinnies Buddies Day programs,
offering recreational respite care for
disadvantaged children and their
families. The conference consists
of eighty student volunteers from
Duchesne and St Leo’s Colleges
involved in supporting the Inala,
Fernvale, Ipswich, and Gatton
Buddies Day programs through
fundraising and volunteering at
monthly Buddies Days.
There were two fundraising events this semester: the
Duchesne/St Leo’s trivia night and the carwash.
A prayer to guide us
Loving God, holder of my days,
I know that I am destined for a great mission in life.
There is some place in life which will remain
unfilled unless I fill it.
Help me to discern what my gifts are and give
me the generosity to use them to benefit others.
Guide me in your ways that I may know with
confidence that the gifts you have given me, if used
well, will bring new life and blessing into the world.
Then I will fulfil the great dreams you have for me.
Show me how to live out my mission to be truly,
your Love, your Heart, in a suffering world.
Amen.
(Based on the words of Janet Erskine Stuart)
Sister Kathleen Muirhead rscJ
Vice-Principal, Duchesne College
(1992 - present)
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Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
For trivia night, each team chose a team name and
costume theme, with the best-dressed prize going to
team Crayola. Despite Leo’s winning the trivia cup,
the night was a great success, with challenging trivia,
fun mini-games, more than 150 people involved
and $635 raised in profits! The carwash was also
an effective fundraiser, with nearly $430 raised.
Combined with left-over profits from the previous
year, the Duchesne/St Leo’s Vinnies group was able
to donate a $1500 cheque to the St Vincent de Paul
Society, which went towards sports equipment
for Buddies Days, and contributed to funding a
Combined Buddies Day in May.
Part of the heart of Duchene has been a
determination by residents to support
others and give back to the community.
Fun, faith and knowledge can be interwoven into a
university student’s daily life and this year the women of
Duchesne are expressing their very generous spirits through
participation in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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•
Clean-Up Australia Day
Zonta Birth Kit packaging
Earth Hour participation
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Read-a-Thon
World Vision child sponsorship (3 year old Nelsy
from Honduras)
Bridge to Brisbane
ANZAC Day Dawn Service
St Vincent de Paul fundraising
Cancer Council Girls Night In (for breast and
gynaecological cancers)
Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea and Daffodil Day
World Vision 40 Hour Famine
Oaktree Campaign Live Below the Line
Easter and Christmas collections for Brisbane’s
homeless
Strength in the Light of Truth
7
(Let me put it on the record: College simply could not
function at its current level without these Leaders; their
generosity and intellect, their collaborative, can-do
approach and their engagement are remarkable.)
There are many returning students whose
achievements were recognised at our Academic Dinner
in March and are serving as superb role-models for
their College sisters.
In second semester 2014, passing grades were
distributed as follows:
7 (High Distinction) – 109
6 (Distinction) – 283
5 (Credit) – 215
4 (Pass) – 119
P (Ungraded Pass) – 25
Academic Commendations were awarded to
students who had achieved a Grade Point Average
greater than 6 across the entire year.
Lucy Boyd chatting with Denis in his famously paper-free office
On the Academic
Frontline
Denis Brosnan
Dean of Students
The day before I started to type this contribution,
I was at a surprise 80th birthday party. Not
surprising was the fact that a Duchesne Alumna
was there too; as I’ve found over the years,
Duchesne Alumnae turn up from all over the
world at any time. I’d not seen her for too many
years, and she was so pleased to see that Gina and
I are back at Duchesne. The conversation almost
inevitably turned to the “then” versus “now”.
Name
Degree
Andrea An
Chantelle Bailey
Allison Brown
Emma Cooke
Gabriella Crow
Georgia Donovan
Monica Gehrke
Erin Gibson
Lauren Hannant
Holly Johnstone
Molly Kelly
Meg Moore
Holley Morton
Eve Murphy
Isobel Murray
Tanja Newman
Taylah O’Brien
Hannah Olufson
Sophie Olufson
Sophie Ryan
Sophie Speight
Tayla Stanke
Montana Waddington
Isobel Whittle
Isabella Zappala
B Science
B Exercise and Sport Sciences
B BusMan/B Commerce
B Arts
B Arts/ B Laws
B Nursing/ B Midwifery
B Speech Pathology
B Paramedic Science/B Nursing
B Health, Sport & Physical Education
B Arts/B Ed(Sec)
B Nursing
B Arts
B Engineering
B Fine Arts
B Science
B Speech Pathology
B Speech Pathology
B Exercise and Nutrition Science
B Science
B Arts/B Laws/Dip Lang
B Physiotherapy
B Speech Pathology
B Physiotherapy
B Arts/ B Laws
B Engineering
Three special awards were also made.
The Joan Percy-Dove Award, first made in 1972, was
made to the First Year student who had achieved the
highest GPA:
Jiayue (Clara) Jiang, B Advanced Science Honours,
with a GPA of 7
The Philippine Duchesne Award was made to the
Second Year student who had achieved the highest
GPA:
Sariah Xu, B Music Performance, with a GPA of 6.6
The Alumnae Award for Academic Excellence was
made to the student who, in 2014, was in at least her
second year of residence and who had achieved the
highest cumulative GPA:
Elise Witter, B Science, with a GPA of 6.625
The names of these three award-winners will soon be
inscribed on the Honour Boards and Shields on the
walls of our Dining Room, for all to see. That is how
our traditions started and grow and are maintained.
Gina McLellan with Sophie Olufson,
Monica Gehrke and Sophie Ryan
Gina with Sariah Xu
She asked about the food, and we were able to say that the threecoloured peas – Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s – no longer
tempted diners. Nor were there any of the dreaded beef olives, so there
had clearly been an improvement in at least one respect. There were
others. She had been Treasurer of the Student Club, which she said
had been a fairly relaxed business, with its highlight an occasional
sherry and a different dinner with the Principal. So she was delighted
to hear of the countless responsibilities of today’s Student Leaders.
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Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
Strength in the Light of Truth
9
In 2006, we had only four third-year students. In 2007, the year this
dinner was introduced, we had grown to about 15. In 2015, with over
fifty third-years for the second consecutive year, it was wonderful
that the majority were able to take advantage of this experience. We
invite as many guests as students to this event, with many of our
guests being alumnae. We are grateful to all our guests who share
so willingly of their experiences and expertise.
The guest speaker at this event is always an alumna of Duchesne. In
previous years, we have benefited from the wisdom of a Magistrate,
a Research Scientist, a Lawyer, a Journalist, a Media Advisor, a
Music Teacher and an International Recruitment Consultant.
This year, it was a pleasure to welcome back Ms Madonna King.
Madonna lived at Duchesne College between 1983-84 and was
awarded the Sr Joan Percy-Dove Bursary in 1984. Her return to
Duchesne as keynote speaker for the annual Rose Philippine
Duchesne Dinner was a highlight for first semester.
Many will recognise Madonna as an award-winning
journalist, author and commentator. She has long been
known as the voice of current affairs in Queensland,
heading the top-rating current affairs program on the
ABC for six years, and winning several national ABC
awards for her journalism.
Rose
Philippine
Dinner
features
Madonna
King
The Rose Philippine Duchesne
Dinner, held in April, was
introduced as a way of
recognising the role our senior
students will play in society
as they leave their College life
behind and move on to the
remainder of their studies or to
their chosen career.
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Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
Madonna was able to share with the audience her experiences as a
young woman from rural Queensland starting out as a resident at
Duchesne. She mentioned how much she cherished the friendships
she forged at College and remarked that she still holidays with
those same friends and their families today.
The dinner guests enjoyed hearing Madonna speak about
writing her articles for the Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend
magazine and her latest book (her fifth), a biography of Federal
Treasurer Joe Hockey. Last year, she authored the biography
of Australian of the Year and inventor of the cervical cancer
vaccine, Professor Ian Frazer.
It was a true honour to welcome alumna Madonna King back
to Duchesne.
Duchesne
College Ball
The most important date on
the Duchesne Social calendar
- the Duchesne Ball.
The annual event was hosted at the
gorgeous Victoria Park Golf Complex
on 29th May with chandeliers hanging
elegantly from the roof, an incredible
band playing all night and the theme of
1920s ‘prohibition’.
Thank you,
Sally Hall
Duchesne Librarian for 36 years
retires, but that brown shag-pile
carpet keeps going.
Congratulations to Sally on her retirement from
Duchesne as Librarian in the Joan Percy-Dove
Library. Sally joined the College as an employee
in 1979. Over the years, she has seen many
women enjoy the Library during semester time
and cling to the desks during SWOTVAC. Today
the books are fewer and the wireless internet
provides access to many more pages to study, but
the familiar surrounds and genuine warmth of
the Library remain at the heart of College life.
“I have been so fortunate to form
such real friendships with the staff
and families at Duchesne. It is a
special place filled with so many
characters. As it is with anyone who
has spent time at Duchesne, I will
miss the College, but the memories
will stay with me and make me smile
for a long time into the future.”
Strength in the Light of Truth
11
Alumnae
Association
President’s
Message
Ms Julie Kayes
Launching
new award.
While contemplating
awards recently, the
Alumnae Association
voted to launch the new
Acorn Alumnae Award, a
prestigious annual award
for former residents who
have achieved outstanding
success in their fields
and made exemplary
contributions to their
communities. We are now
seeking applications for
this award.
For more information,
see the back cover of this
edition of the magazine
or visit http://www.
duchesne.uq.edu.au/
alumnae. Please feel free
to nominate yourself or
someone outstanding you
know.
The Alumnae Association was established
on the 1st June 1962 with the first Alumnae
President being Gloria Fish (Nolan).
The organisation was formed to provide
opportunities for ex-students to meet each
other and encourage a united spirit among
members. They hoped alumnae would take
their place confidently in University and
community life.
Today, fifty three years on, I am proud to say the Duchesne
College Alumnae Association has similar aspirations for its
members. As a group, the committee organises events and
activities at the College and elsewhere. While reconnecting
with friends and mentoring younger women, we also
aim to raise funds for initiatives such as the Alumnae
Valedictory Award.
More than forty years ago, the Alumnae Association
initiated the Sister Joan Percy-Dove Bursary through a
dinner and an appeal which raised $900. When asked
how she felt about a bursary for students who contribute
to College and academic spheres, Sister Percy-Dove
was quoted as saying: “Need I say that I am thrilled and
moved by the news of the bursary and very honoured that
the Alumnae wish to call it after me – you could not do
anything that would please me more.”
The Duchesne Alumnae Association also raised funds
in 1972 to commission a portrait of Sister Percy-Dove by
renowned artist Graeme Inson which to this day hangs in
the Joan Percy-Dove Library looking out over the students
as they study.
I thought you may like a little reminder of our
distinguished alumnae who have received the Sr Joan
Percy-Dove Bursary (listed right).
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Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
1972
Michele
Rienecker
1973
Gina
Biondi
1974
Catherine O’Brien
1975
Louise
McEniery
1977
Denise
McCoy
Tracey
Rodda
1978
Paula
Lake
1979
Julie
Hennessey
1980
Victoria
Wai
1981
Keryn
Metcalfe
1982
Cathy
Delaney
1984
Madonna
King
Veronik
Verkest
1985
Carolyn
Hobson
1986
Gina
McLellan
1987
Michelle
Tilley
1988
Helen
Edwards
1989
Louise
Ahern
1990
Katie
McMahon
Kate
O’Brien
1991
1992
Katherine Howison
Melanie
Lord
Megan
Black
Catherine McDougall
1993
Judith
Perrett
1994
Majella
Wiemers
1995
Elisa
Tack
1996
Andrea
Patane
1997
Ruth
Marshall
Lillian
Simeoni
1998
Sarah
Fulton
1999
Sarah
Simeoni
2000
Tania
Fontana
2001
Gretchen
Carrigan
Brenda
Martin
2002
Susan
Buckland
2003
Jeannette
Palmer
Anna
Vanderstaay
2004
Jenna
Flemming
2005
Emily
Robinson
Aimee
Sullivan
Elise
Lenske
2006
Recent Alumnae Events
“Meet the Alumnae” Panel
Topic: Can I have my cake and eat it too –
the big questions about my career path.
The Alumnae Association hosted a seminar
on 1 May featuring a panel of former College
residents from three different decades. The
questions from the audience proved tricky
and at times entertaining. Feedback from
the evening: “the wealth of information and
wisdom to be gained from just listening to
other women’s stories is invaluable”.
NAME: Dr Maree Crawford
STUDIED: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor
of Surgery, University of Queensland, 1978.
Fellowship of the Royal Australasian
College of Physicians.
DUCHESNE RESIDENT (1972-1977)
HOMETOWN: Toowoomba
OCCUPATION: Paediatrician at Lady
Cilento Children’s Hospital working in
General Paediatric Medicine and Child
Protection.
BACKGROUND:
• 25yrs involvement in child protection
and extensive involvement with
children in out-of-home care (OOHC)
• Chaired the working group which
contributed to The Royal Australasian
College of Physicians Health of
Children in OOHC Policy in 2006.
• Received Queensland Government
Child Protection Week Research Award
in 2008.
• Research interests in infants of
substance-abusing mothers and health
of children in OOHC.
• During her training, Maree spent time
in Mt Isa in rural and remote paediatric
care and Aboriginal health and later at
Guy’s Hospital London.
SPARE TIME:
• Maree has 4 adult children involved in
university studies.
• Involved in Zonta International,
continuing her French studies through
IML and enjoys walking, yoga and
gardening.
NAME: Mrs Anna Herbert
and professional fundraising. She has
STUDIED: BA Business, QUT. Undertaking worked in product management with the
MA Business, QUT. (Philanthropy and Not- largest telecommunications companies
in Australia and New Zealand and for
for Profit Studies)
over a decade managed multi-million
DUCHESNE RESIDENT (1996-1998)
dollar fundraising programs for tertiary
Student Executive President 1998.
education at the Queensland University of
HOMETOWN: Back Plains, Darling
Technology, most recently as the University’s
Downs. Grain and cattle property.
Philanthropy Manager.
OCCUPATION: Director of Development – SPARE TIME: Married to Liam, has two little
Duchesne College Foundation
girls, Emily 8 and Abigail 5.
Member of Zonta Club of Brisbane Inc and
BACKGROUND: Prior to working for
Duchesne, Anna spent 18 years building a enjoys photography and painting.
career in marketing, business development
Megan
Smith
2007
Cathryn
Moore
2008
Eliza
McInnerney
2009
NAME: Ms Kaitlin Matthews
Claire
Rose
2010
Courtney
Kingston
STUDIED: BA Mechanical & Aerospace
Engineering at UQ.
Emma
Roberts
2011
Rebecca
Cuzzubbo
2012
Laura
Frederiksen
2013
Laura
McMahon
2014
Jiague
(Clara) Jiang
DUCHESNE RESIDENT 2009 to 2010.
HOMETOWN: Mackay
OCCUPATION: Site Mechanical Engineer,
Sims Metal Management, Rocklea.
BACKGROUND: Kaitlin graduated in
2012 and spent two years working as a
mechanical engineer in multiple mines in
Central Queensland. Today Kaitlin works
for one of the leading metal recycling
companies in Australia, New Zealand and
Papua New Guinea.
Introducing “Heads
Up” a program for
the real world.
This year, as we expand
and reconnect with
more alumnae than ever
before, the Alumnae
Association has been
considering the vast
mentoring potential in
our Duchesne “old girls”.
Many of the current third year
residents will soon be stepping
out completely independently into
their first career positions. This
can be an extremely daunting
time! That’s why we’re introducing
“Heads Up” - a mentoring
program connecting current third
year residents with early career
alumnae to give them a little bit
of a heads up about working and
living in the real world today.
We are looking for volunteers
to be involved via a small time
commitment as mentors.
Can you answer some of those
core questions such as:
• What should I write in my
resume?
• How do I apply for
apartments when I move out?
• What is a tax return?
• How do I cook something
other than 2 minute noodles?
• What are the reasonable
expectations for a graduate
recruit in a big company?
Contact: Duchesne Alumnae
Association Vice President, Elli
Johnston
Email: ellinor.johnston@
uqconnect.edu.au
Provide: your name, your
contact details and your current
occupation/area of study.
Strength in the Light of Truth
13
Career Spotlight
Name
Grew up
Years at Duchesne
Studied
Occupation
Greatest
Professional
Achievement
Greatest Personal
Achievement
Favourite Quote
Where To
From Here
Bernadette Young
Ipswich
2008 – 2009
Bachelor of Science (Physics), 2011
I have two jobs, both at 612 ABC Brisbane radio producer
for the Breakfast program, and co-ordinator of the
Community Correspondent program
Being part of making the new Community Correspondent
program a success, so that it’s likely to be replicated
across the country later this year
The thing I’m most proud of is completing the ABC’s
Women in Broadcast Technology scholarship. I didn’t
think I was good enough or that I could do it, but I was
and I did.
“Have patience with all things, but, first of all with
yourself.” - St Francis de Sales
I want to be a High School Physics and Maths teacher
(which was my intention when I began my degree!). I’ll
move on to that when I get sick of working in radio or the
ABC fires me.
Sixty Years of
Friendship.
The class of 1955
Prior to its current location, Duchesne
was located at “Oakleigh” 52 Merthyr
Road. (1947-1958)
Cranley (nee McPherson), Del Watt (nee Michelmore),
Naomi Ryan (nee Wright) and Kathie Parer (nee Martin) not pictured.
L to R: Patrea O’Shea (Lemass),
Patricia Cranley (McPherson), Del Watt
(Michelmore) Naomi Ryan (Wright)
Name
Grew up
Years at Duchesne
Studied
Occupation
Greatest
Professional
Achievement
Greatest Personal
Achievement
Together the five ladies made a donation to the Duchesne
Alumnae Association on behalf of the Class of 1955.
Favourite Quote:
Where To
From Here
14
Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
Maria Murtas
Small country town of Ashford, NSW
and then Yetman NSW until the age of
15. My parents were farmers.
Years at Duchesne 1972 – 75
Studied
B.A. Dip Ed. Majoring in French and
History
Occupation
Secondary School Teacher (English
as a Second Language - ESL)St.
Laurence’s College.
Favourite
I have many fond memories
Memory:
• The friendships I made – we are still
friends
• The silly antics we got up to,
especially in first year
• One of the tutors who would come in
to help us with Humanities subjects
• The ‘At Homes’ College balls
• Having the chapel right at one’s door
Lauren Nolan
Lauren Nolan
Gympie
2003 – 2005
Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement Studies –
Education) – graduated 2006
Occupation
I was as a secondary teacher (HPE, Maths and Science)
at Assumption College in Warwick (a Catholic co-ed
school, approx. 240 students at that time). Currently
work at St Laurence’s College (a Catholic boys school, Yrs
5-12, approx. 1800 students). Now Head of Middle School
Studies, but still teaching HPE and Maths.
Favourite Memory Very difficult to limit it to one – possibly ICC Ball
Recovery in 2004 – a very wet, muddy affair! Touch
carnivals were also a highlight on my calendar each year.
The lunch, hosted by College Principal Nanette Kay, was
a chance for memories, story-telling and laughter. Several
members of the current College student executive attended
the lunch and giggled at the tales of mischief recounted by
the guests. It seems little has changed over the course of
sixty years. It was a delight to share that moment between
generations of women from Duchesne.
THANK YOU to Patrea O’Shea (nee Lemass), Patricia
Name
Grew up
Name
Grew up
Years at Duchesne
Studied
On 23 May, Duchesne welcomed four friends
from the year 1955 at a lunch to celebrate
60 years since living at Duchesne. For these
women however, their memories of College
are not at St Lucia but New Farm.
When asked how their friendships have survived over the
passage of time, a simple answer- if nothing else over the year,
always send Christmas cards with a little note about what is
going on in your life, sometimes that’s all it takes.
Bernadette Young
Phoebe Baldwin
Gympie
2009 - 2011
Bachelor of Business Management
Working as an Event Manager in New York for a non profit
organization that is focused on ending extreme poverty.
Producing an event for 250,000 people on the National
Mall in DC that tackled the impacts climate change and
its effect on the worlds poorest.
Making the decision to leave everything I knew and step
outside my comfort zone to move to New York without
knowing anyone or knowing what I was going to do when
I got there and despite some bumps along the way, for it
all to work out in the end.
When the going gets tough, just keep going.
Wherever the next challenge or opportunity takes me.
Phoebe Baldwin
Name
Years at
Duchesne
Studied
Occupation
Lucy Weaver
2005 – 2006
Bachelor of Science
Working as an OCE
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
at the CSIRO in Melbourne
Greatest
I have two, in equal first place.
Professional
1) Being awarded my PhD in
Achievement
Organic Chemistry, and 2)
securing my dream job at the
CSIRO!
Greatest Personal Coming second place in a local
Achievement
homebrew competition
Favourite Quote
The mind is everything. What
you think you become. –
Buddha
Where To
Back into the lab, to continue
From Here
working towards what I hope
will be a successful career as
a research scientist. (But also
back to the brewhouse too - to
ensure that I win the next
competition!)
Lucy Weaver
Strength in the Light of Truth
15
Vale Carolyn
Uhrich (nee Kearney)
November 16, 1939 - March 12, 2015.
Born in Murwillumbah, NSW.
Carolyn lived at Duchesne in 1960-61
where she studied in Social Work and
Counselling.
Carolyn Uhrich (nee Kearney) was a gracious Aussie
adventurer who set sail from Sydney with a job as a
social worker and counsellor in Montreal already in
her pocket, thanks to the connections of her mentor,
Jean Pearce, who had studied at McGill University.
Carolyn and her fellow Aussie adventurer, Jean
Heimgartner (nee Dempsey), planned to spend one
year in Canada followed by one year in London before
returning to Australia. They soon entered the Montreal
social scene where Carolyn caught the eye of a young
Canadian medical student whom she later married.
On a recent visit to Duchesne,
Carolyn’s close friends Natalie Shaw
(nee Dempsey) and her sister Jean
Heimgartner (nee Dempsey) remember
her as a gracious and caring student.
Always elegant.
Natalie also shared with us some
wonderful photographs of her wedding
to the late Michael Shaw. Natalie and
Michael were the first couple to be
married in St. Leo’s Chapel.
Natalie and Jean
Michael was a Leo’s boy. One of
Natalie’s favourite photographs was
published in The Courier Mail early
1959. From Left to right, Rex Joyner(
Medicine), Michael Shaw ( Maths/
Science), Larry Perrett (Medicine), and
Buddy McGrath (Architecture).
The “80” on the wall refers to the number
of hours they had been playing Bridge.
Legend has it they made it to 84hrs
which broke the standing record for the
Guinness Book of Records.
Carolyn and Phil eventually moved west to settle in
Vancouver with their sons, Bill, Karl and Ted, living
on Sentinel Hill with its marvellous view of Vancouver
Harbour and the city. A fan of style and beauty, travel,
literature, music and art, Carolyn was particularly
fond of Armani and Versace silk blouses, tiger lilies
and orchids from the tropics.
Her office at North Shore Family Services was known for
its beautiful flower arrangements, but more importantly
for the support she gave her clients who will remember
her for the changes she helped bring about in their lives.
Her occasional appearances on local TV counselling
programmes, cemented her local reputation.
Carolyn remained an Aussie at heart and after the death
of her husband increasingly yearned for her Aussie
family and friends. A brain tumour cruelly ended her
dream of returning home more permanently.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR
ALUMNAE and FRIENDS
4 August: Meet the Alumnae
7pm-8pm at Duchesne College. Topic: “How to stand out from
the crowd in your first job interview.”
8 August: Croquet Day
1:00pm – 5:00pm at McIlwraith Croquet Club
Corner of Auchenflower Terrace and Dixon
Street, Auchenflower.
Come dressed in a costume from one of your
favourite College events.
Cost: $22.45 per person.
16
Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
Chair of
Foundation
Message
Ms Gina McLellan
Duchesne College Foundation, Chair
Alumna of Duchesne (1986-1988)
My dedication to the College and its new Foundation is a
tribute to the strong community values my parents gave me
in my hometown of Chinchilla and I’m blessed to have the
opportunity to pass those values on. I see these wonderful
young women in front of me and I want to invest in the positive
contribution they will go on to make in the world.
This creation of opportunity and aspiration is what the Duchesne College
Foundation is about. Whilst the Foundation was formally established in 2013,
our culture of giving started many, many years ago with the amazing vision of
the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and the Duchesne Ladies Appeal Committee. A
group of women absolutely dedicated to raising funds to build and furnish the
College. The committee operated from 1947-1975 and campaigned energetically
through a direct appeal, art union, spring fashion parade, garden parties, bridge,
tennis, BBQ parties, jumble sales, exhibition of antiques, a stall at the Exhibition
and a ball at Lennons Ballroom.
If you would like to contribute to the Carolyn
Uhrich (Kearney) memorial project
for Duchesne students please contact the
Duchesne College Foundation on 07 3377 2326
or email [email protected]
I am thrilled to be part of the reinvigoration of fundraising and philanthropy
committee for Duchesne. It may have been 40 years since the Ladies Appeal
Committee went into recess, but the love and energy for Duchesne remains just has
high. I am delighted that Anna Herbert has returned to Duchesne to lead the next
phase of our philanthropic journey.
Sunday 23rd August
Teddy Bears’ Picnic
2:00pm-4:00pm
Duchesne College
Free fun for all the family
and a chance to celebrate
Sr Kath Muirhead’s Birthday.
I am equally delighted to see the Honourable
Leneen Forde AC become patron of the
Duchesne College Foundation. I would like to
take this opportunity to congratulate Leneen on
the recent completion of her time as Chancellor
of Griffith University. Among her many
accolades including Former Governor of the
State of Queensland, Leneen has spent the last
fifteen years leading Griffith University, meaning
she is indeed a powerful role model for the
young women of Duchesne.
More event information: www.duchesne.uq.edu.
au/alumnae
Alumnae Association committee meetings: first
Tuesday of every month at 7pm, Duchesne College.
We would love to hear from you.
Please take a moment to complete the questionnaire
contained in this magazine or fill it in online.
The Honourable Ms Leneen Forde AC
LLB Qld DipMed Tech Ottawa DUniv Griff
DUniv QUT Hon DLitt Qld Hon DUniv ACU
DUniv USC
Chancellor, Griffith University 2000-2015
Strength in the Light of Truth
17
Duchesne
welcomes
alumna as the
new Director of
Development
Anna Herbert
Director of Development
Duchesne College Foundation
Growing up in a time of drought,
plummeting grain and cattle prices,
my parents Jim and Jan Pauli, were
determined that I fulfil my potential
and go on to university after doing
well at high school (Clifton State
High). Like so many other firstyear students, I had rarely visited
Brisbane or experienced everything a
large city had to offer.
PHOTO M?
The young women I see at Duchesne today almost
twenty years after my time are still benefiting from
the sense of adventure and also “belonging” that
College life provides while they study. To me,
Duchesne was the ultimate base from which to
launch the next phase of my life in an environment
of mutual support – everyone else was going
through the same thing.
Connections made at Duchesne are life long, I have
witnessed that genuine bond recently from our
senior Alumnae and I have experienced it first-hand
too. The first person I met at Duchesne on day one as
a wide-eyed fresher – went on to become my Maid of
Honour and the Godmother of my older daughter.
“Never forget where you came from”. I heard a
wise woman say that once. The rural background
so many of us share has crafted who we are today.
I haven’t forgotten, and I make sure my daughters
experience my heritage too.
18
Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College
The College is situated within
the University of Queensland
Campus, St Lucia, Brisbane
between the University lakes and
the Brisbane River. It is a short
walk from the College to all the
facilities available on campus
including Brisbane city buses and
the high speed catamaran service.
Admissions for Future
Students
Open now. Closing date for applications is
September 30th 2015.
Why philanthropy is so important.
Without support, many families from rural and regional
Australia could not even consider sending their daughters on
to tertiary education because the cost of living, particularly
accommodation, is too far out of their reach.
A girl with the intellect and character to succeed may never
realise her full potential through university education. To
address this inequity and put higher education back into
the hands of a young country woman, the Duchesne College
Foundation has developed a scholarship support program.
I invite you to consider making a contribution
to support the Duchesne girls who will follow
in our footsteps.
The primary purpose of the Duchesne College Foundation is
to provide support, via scholarships for young women from
rural and regional Queensland and NSW to attend Duchesne
College while conducting their university studies in Brisbane.
Priority Area:
• Scholarships for women from rural and regional areas.
Other Major Projects
• Refurbishment (Library, Dining Hall and Chapel)
• Sporting (new boat for Duchesne Rowing Team)
All gifts greater than $2 to the Duchesne College
Foundation are tax deductible.
Visit: www.duchesne.uq.edu.au/how-to-apply
Conference and Functions Hire
Duchesne College can cater for a variety of functions. From a casual
gathering to a black tie formal dinner or a cocktail party, the unique
location and superior facilities of the College will help to make any
event a success.
Duchesne College has the facilities and expertise to cater for
conferences that run for a number of hours or a number of days.
Fully serviced rooms are available for conference guests. Conference
rooms are suitable for seminar and lecture groups of 5 – 150 people.
The College has conference facilities overlooking the University
lakes. These rooms can be equipped upon request with data
projector and laptop, whiteboards and sound equipment. There is
also a fully air-conditioned dining room with inbuilt PA system, a
digital projector with large screen and audio work station.
Catering
Our experienced chef and catering staff are happy to individualise
menus based on your requirements.
Students who are interested in applying to live at
Duchesne College are encouraged to download
the relevant forms from the College website.
Provisional offers will be made in October 2015
with a second round of offers in January 2016
when QTAC offers are made.
Duchesne is a residential college for 201 female
students. Although we are a Catholic college,
our students come from a range of backgrounds
and faiths in rural and regional Queensland,
northern NSW and overseas. Duchesne offers
a high level of pastoral care in a supportive
environment to young women as they make the
transition from school to university life. Our
brother college, St Leo’s, situated adjacent to us,
provides a similar level of care for male students.
Contact Duchesne College
Phone: (07) 3377 2333
Email:[email protected]
Web:www.duchesne.uq.edu.au
Post: Duchesne College, College Road, St. Lucia Queensland 4067
Alumnae Association: [email protected]
College Foundation: [email protected]
Events and Conferences: [email protected]
Strength in the Light of Truth
19
Acorn
Launch of the
Alumnae Award
Duchesne College
Outstanding Alumnae
Award – “The Acorn”
An initiative of the Duchesne
College Alumnae Association.
The inaugural Duchesne College
Outstanding Alumnae Award will be
announced in 2015. Named “the Acorn”, it
is a prestigious award for former residents
who have achieved outstanding success
in their fields and made exemplary
contributions to their communities.
Why the acorn?
The acorn is the nut of the oak tree.
A symbol strongly associated with
Duchesne and our motto.
The name “Duchesne” means literally “of the Oak”. The
acorn nut usually contains a single seed, but it has the
potential to grow into the large Oak tree – a tree known for its
strength and longevity. The acorn is a symbol of inspiration
for current residents and it is a reminder of the great
potential held within a single seed.
Applications now open.
The Duchesne College Alumnae Association is accepting
nominations now.
Selection criteria:
1. The alumna must have lived at Duchesne College for a
minimum of one year.
2. Demonstrated personal contributions to the wider
community resulting in a positive impact on others.
3. Demonstrated professional contributions to their
chosen field/s.
4. Demonstrated alignment with the values of Sacred
Heart Education.
The inaugural outstanding alumna will be announced in
September this year and will feature as a keynote speaker at
an upcoming dinner.
Nomination forms are also available online at
www.duchesne.uq.edu.au/alumnae
Strength in the Light of Truth
20
Issue 3 I The Official Magazine of Duchesne College