From the President – February 2025
Dear Alumni
I welcome you to our first blog for 2025. Since my first communication in November, I hope that you have had the opportunity to rest, recharge and spend time with family and friends.
The new year presents a time for establishing new goals and resolutions, both personal and professional. With the 2025 school year about to begin, preparation by parents, students and College staff is well underway.
From an alumni perspective, our first very significant event will be the Reunion on Saturday 15 February. We will be welcoming the newest Golden Girls from the Class of 1975 and hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend. As a new Golden Girl of 2024, I can personally endorse the occasion, which has since enabled the ongoing reconnection with my classmates by way of an active WhatsApp group. At the Reunion, we will also welcome others marking milestone years from the Classes of 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015 and 2020. Â
The Old Girls’ Committee is beginning work to organise a 2025 movie night, having been a very well-attended and enjoyable event in 2024. Please look out for further details in due course.
On that note, I wish all of you a healthy, productive and successful year. By that, I mean success in all forms, including improvement and effort. We cannot all be winners, but determination, application, improvement, the strength to try again in the face of failure, and the willingness to learn from mistakes are also the hallmarks of success.
Mary Bairstow, Acting President, Old Girls’ Association
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
Coming Home – Alumni Celebrate the Cultural Centre
Santa Maria College alumni gathered to celebrate the opening of the College’s new Cultural Centre, reconnecting with classmates and celebrating the role of the arts in the community. The evening featured performances by current students and a 42-member Alumni Choir, highlighting the lifelong connections and shared experiences that continue to bring Old Girls back to the College.
From the President – August 2026
The August 2026 Old Girls’ Association President’s Report provides an update on upcoming meetings and alumni activities at Santa Maria College. President Mary Heavens outlines plans for the Pleiades Gathering, the inaugural Santa Maria College and Aquinas social event, and the Golden Girls’ lunch welcoming the Class of 1976.
Sophia, Building Beauty, Confidence and a Business
Santa Maria past student Sophia Whimp (2022) has built a successful home beauty business by combining creativity, resilience and a commitment to authentic client relationships. In this Q&A, she reflects on the lessons she learned at school, the challenges of starting a business at a young age, and the advice she has for students hoping to turn their passion into a career.
