Welcome to the fourth and final OGA Newsletter for 2024. As another year comes to an end, a year of great successes and striving for both St Margaret’s and our Old Girl community, I would like to reflect on the year that has been for the OGA, and acknowledge all of those who support our Old Girl community.

As I reported in the previous edition, this year, the Old Girls’ Association was once again a matching donor on Giving Day, helping to raise $431,037 dollars towards the restoration of Community House or to the Panama Fund. I sincerely thank each and every Old Girl who donated in whatever capacity they did, and I am proud to see the enduring connection and support that our community continues to express through events such as Giving Day.

We held our biggest Reunion Weekend on record, with over 450 Old Girls returning to St Margaret’s to reunite with their peers, past teachers, and to revisit the evolving campus. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers – Beverley Fox, Anne Muggleton (’56, nee Schmidhauser) and Suzette Purdy (’65) for all their hard work tracking down Old Girls from our reunion years. It is amazing to see how friendships survive the test of time, and this weekend is a testament to the unique bonds between St Margaret’s Old Girls.

The Old Girls’ Association also had the opportunity to sponsor the Aspiring Young Women’s Network breakfast series for 2024. This series is designed to empower current St Margaret’s students by hearing from Old Girls who share their career journeys, challenges, and stories since leaving St Margaret’s. This year, we were fortunate to hear from Jimena Kotsomitis (’01), Alice Mort (’13) and Denise Emmanuel (’91). It is fantastic to see Old Girls supporting current students through the AYWN series, and the OGA looks forward to continuing to support these events.

With such successes in mind, it is with a heavy heart, yet extreme gratitude for the entire OGA Committee and St Margaret’s, that I announce that I am standing down as President of the Old Girls’ Association. I have been beyond fortunate to have been at the helm of this committee since 2017 and have enjoyed every moment of it. It has been the greatest pleasure to serve the Old Girls’ Association and build connections with other Old Girls. I look forward to taking a step back as President, yet still serving on the committee for many years to come.

With this in mind, I would like to thank Ms Ros Curtis AM, Principal of St Margaret’s, for her unwavering support of the OGA Committee and her dedication to past student connection. To Georgia Mitchell – Acting Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement, and the entire Development and Community Team –  thank you for your support of all OGA events, particularly Reunion Weekend. These events could not possibly run without the support of such a dedicated and professional team. The OGA is very lucky to be supported by you.

Thank you to the 2024 Executive: Natasha Harris (’94) – Vice President/Secretary; Sally Thomson (’77, nee Harris) – Treasurer; as well as the 2024 Committee: Jacky Garnsworthy (’68), Norma Tucker (’66, nee Wight), Sacha Flynn (’91), Lucy Angelini (’94), Bronwyn Ninai (’16), Lilly Devlin (’18) and Lizzie Fowler (’19).

If you are interested in joining the OGA, I encourage you to attend the OGA Annual General Meeting and Volunteer Thank You Celebration on Tuesday 5 November. Further details about the event can be found in the newsletter, but I hope that many Old Girls – both in Brisbane and afar – will join us for the evening and will consider joining the 2025 Committee.

Thank you to the Old Girl community for allowing me to serve as President of the Old Girls’ Association for the past seven years. I am excited to see how the OGA will continue to grow and develop alongside St Margaret’s.

I hope you enjoy the final OGA Newsletter for 2024, and I hope each of you has a happy and Merry Christmas.

Per Volar Sunata

Nicole Devlin (’90)
President, St Margaret’s Old Girls’ Association