2023 College Dux

On Monday 5 February, Caitlin Wadley - one of our 2023 College Captains and Year 12 graduate - was presented with the 2023 College Dux award. Caitlin received this award in recognition of her outstanding academic performance which resulted in her receiving the highest overall ATAR result for the College in 2023, an outstanding 99.75.

At the special ceremony, Caitlin was congratulated by the St Stephen's Catholic College Leadership Team, Caitlin's family and Mr David Anthony, who generously provided a $500 bursary in recognition of Caitlin's achievement.  

We thank Mr Anthony for his ongoing support of the College and our students. Mr Anthony was involved in the steering committee for the College before its inception, as well as serving for several years as the inaugural chair of the College Board.

During the ceremony, Mr Conwell said to Caitlin, 

Dux is the premiere academic award for a college. It's a result of many, many years of dedication ... it is a very significant achievement that is done in conjunction with your teachers so the teamwork that you have to apply yourself to, and the long hours studying, and also the pressure that you have to endure for your assessment is commendable. We want to congratulate you for a really outstanding award.

Mr Vaughan went on to list Caitlin's achievements which included subject awards for Biology, Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, Physics and Specialist Mathematics along with an Academic Excellence Award. 

Some of Caitlin's results include; Chemistry – 99/100, English – 99/100, Physics – 99/100, as well as external exam results of 49/50 for Chemistry, 49/50 for Physics and 25/25 for English.   

In response to receiving the 2023 College Dux, Caitlin said:

 I would love to thank all my teachers who have made this journey for me, especially Grades 11 and 12, so enjoyable.

It is very stressful but they have definitely inspired in me a love of Science and Maths, so a big 'thank you' to all of my teachers, and of course my parents who made sure that I always had a quiet study space and was able to achieve what I have achieved, so thank you very much.

Caitlin receives her 2023 College Dux Award.

We were lucky to catch up with Caitlin before she travelled to the University of Queensland to study a Bachelor of Advanced Science with Honours. Caitlin’s interest in physics and biology, along with a keen interest in research, has led her to set her sights on an exciting research career.  We thank Caitlin for taking the time to answer a few questions!

Did you always have a clear focus on your pathway after graduation, or did this develop over time? 

It has taken me a while to choose this path, and many different experiences to realise I was interested in research. I’m sure my pathway will continue to change, but I will always be passionate about science.

Did someone or something inspire you during your education? 

Mr Fenner’s tangents in physics on things like Boltzmann brains or the wave function collapse always excited me. In particular, he shared with our class a sentiment that really resonated with me saying ‘never stop learning’. Ms Ledlin helped remind me that I should not take it all too seriously - she was humbling and a lot of fun.

What advice would you give to younger students at St Stephen's?

Classes don’t have to be boring, find what excites you about what you’re learning, ask more than just content questions and you’ll be surprised that your teachers know a lot more than just the curriculum.

How did you manage the responsibilities of your leadership position, studies and any other outside school commitments during your senior years?

My leadership role along with its responsibilities as well as my commitment to dance outside of school were a source of fun, spending time with my friends and time off from study. I think they were important to my whole experience of Year 12.

What do you put your success down to?

My love of learning and hard work, prioritising study and time management.

What was the most helpful piece of advice you were given during your schooling?

Probably the reminder at the start of grade 12 that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, it helped me to pace myself. As well as, it’s ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.

Did you take part in any opportunities that had an impact on your success and/or direction?

The Brain Bee competition in which I placed first state wide and third nationally was a neuroscience competition focusing on physiology and diagnostics. As a result of my success in the competition, I participated in a few internships at research labs in UQ. The people I met shared a deep excitement for science and passion for their research that really inspired me.

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Hopefully completing postgraduate studies in my desired area of physics somewhere overseas.

Congratulations Caitlin! We wish you all the best for the years ahead, and can’t wait to see how you go with your studies and research.