Toorak Collegian Stories

When I was in Year 10 at Toorak College we were given a careers project involving the selection of three potential professions. Mine were very eclectic: guide dog trainer, marine biologist, and lawyer. Clearly I had no clue what I wanted to be! By the time I finished school, I had done an exchange in South Africa and wanted to be a diplomat. I was told a law degree would open doors to this and other careers, so I enrolled in a combined law/arts degree. I found the study of law very tedious and…

Born in Nigeria, raised in Australia and a citizen of the Netherlands, you are a true global citizen. How did your time at Toorak influence your pathway? My career direction was decided at Toorak College when Mr. Brown told me I was about to fail chemistry. After successfully negotiating a passing grade on the promise that I would never again set foot in a chemistry lab, I studied art with Mrs. Taylor and loved it. I have fond memories of sitting in the dark looking at slides of famous works of…

I took a very long time to decide what career I wanted to pursue, mainly because I liked many of the subjects I took at school and then at university. It was a very broad selection, from chemistry through to gender politics and anthropology. I remember thinking from an early age that I wanted my career to be something that would make a difference in the world, but I had no idea how I could achieve that. The decision to focus on chemistry as a career happened very suddenly after a third-year…

What if there was a way to tackle global poverty, reduce inequality, accelerate climate action and promote peace, to improve the lives of everyone on the planet, all from a single investment? There is, and she’s right in front of you: the adolescent girl. Girls aged 10-19 are the most powerful catalysts for global change according to the UN. If every girl in the world’s developing countries was able to complete her education rather than dropping out of school, it would add billions to their…

Kate Pullen Discusses The Joys And Challenges Of Building A Freelancing Career In Visual Arts And Design Can you please introduce yourself and briefly describe what freelance work looks like for you? Hello! I am Kate, and I call myself a freelance letterer and illustrator. What this looks like can change from day to day: Monday might see me spending time opening emails requesting quotes for new jobs, that I would then pass onto my agent; Tuesday could see me visiting the site of an upcoming…

As Director of Amavi Transpire, Paige Harris has built a global wellbeing community offering meditation, movement, and 360 wellbeing experiences to hundreds across the world How did you find your career path as a Director of your own wellness business? If we trace this journey all the way back, Amavi began when I was just a small girl, practicing Qi-gong with my dad. It was these early formative years that inspired the pathway I am on today. As time went on, I faced challenges in my home…

Dr. Megan Bowman, Director of the Centre for Climate Law and Governance, King’s College London; Head Girl 1989 After graduating from Toorak College, I studied Arts/Law at Monash University with a double major in Japanese Language and Egyptian Archaeology. In the classroom I learned about Renaissance art and Roman senates in my Arts degree and the full gamut of legal process in my Law degree. Outside of the classroom I earned a wage at a karaoke bar by pouring whiskey and singing Harajuku tunes…

The first African-Australian woman to lead a multi-million dollar corporate venture fund Have you heard of venture capital? It’s like the lifeblood of global start-ups - they wouldn’t be able to survive without it. Venture capitalists (VCs) are like the fairy godmothers of entrepreneurship, except instead of a magic wand, they use their vast network and expertise to help start-ups access the resources they need to scale and grow. And let me tell you, it’s not an easy job. To put it into…

Carolyn’s extraordinary passion for our School, and ensuring its legacy continues to grow and develop from generation to generation, is one that can only be described as inspirational. Carolyn has held many roles at Toorak since commencing as a student in the 1960’s including parent, staff member, board member and most significantly as President of the Collegians Committee. Her contribution has been wide and varied and includes her time as a P.E teacher in the late 70’s and early 80’s when she…