From the President: June 2024
Welcome to the June edition of the OGA Blog.
It used to be one woman a week. But this year, an Australian woman is being violently killed every four days. I realise that’s a pretty confronting way for me to start this newsletter, but if the events of the last week have shown us anything, it’s that no one is safe. You might be thinking, “What can I do to help?” Having a conversation is the easiest first step. We all need to be talking about this. Without awareness, there can be no change. We owe it to the two women whose lives were taken last Friday. And we owe it to our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. Enough is enough.
Thank you to all of our members who made it to the OGA Movie Night earlier this week. It was a wonderful turnout, providing a great opportunity for friends to catch up. The Way, My Way was a brilliant film that was both entertaining and insightful. Thank you also for your generous contributions to Homelessness We Care. I know how much they’ll appreciate the extra snacks, especially as this cold weather sets in.
Until next time.
Gemma Varone (2009), President
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.
From the President – May 2026
Santa Maria College alumni can look forward to several upcoming events in 2026. These include a joint alumni event with Aquinas College later in the year, a movie night at Windsor Theatre Nedlands in late July, and the Pleiades Meeting hosted at Santa Maria College in August. The update also encourages support for the College’s Winter Appeal.
Expression of Interest – Explore8 Guest Speakers 2026
Santa Maria College is inviting alumni to submit an expression of interest to speak in the 2026 Explore8 program. Explore8 is a real-world learning experience for Year 8 students focused on research, problem solving and innovation in response to community and global challenges. Guest speakers help students connect ideas to lived experience by sharing their career journeys, challenges and impact.
Tara Del Borrello’s Music Therapy Journey
Music therapy is the intentional use of music by a registered music therapist to support health, functioning and wellbeing. In this alumni story, Tara Del Borrello explains how music therapy can help infants, children and young people with regulation, communication, rehabilitation and recovery. Her journey shows how a creative background can lead to meaningful work in healthcare.
