Change Makers

At Brigidine College, our students bring energy and purpose not only to their studies but also to their passions beyond our grounds, challenging themselves and inspiring others to see new possibilities. Starting this term, we’ll highlight these remarkable individuals—our ‘Change Makers’—in each newsletter, showcasing the students and alumni whose dedication is shaping the world around them. If you know a student or former Brigidine student making a difference, please reach out and let us celebrate their achievements together.

I first heard about the Cadetship Program from my Careers Advisor at Brigidine College back in 2022 when I was exploring my options for life after Year 12. Excelling in and enjoying Mathematics made a career in Finance a natural fit, perfectly aligning with my strengths in working with numbers. After deciding to give it a go and multiple rounds of interviews later, my journey at Barrenjoey had begun.

While working in the Consumer sector within Equities Research, I have spent the last two years collaborating with experts in the industry who challenge me to engage in meaningful discussions about market insights and Economic trends. Having the opportunity to learn from talented and experienced individuals has proven invaluable in deepening my knowledge of the industry. A typical day as an Equities Cadet involves working on financial models and assisting in publishing research reports that offer buy/hold/sell recommendations to institutional investors. 

Alongside my cadetship, I am studying an Economics degree at UNSW, allowing me to effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice. Although challenging at first balancing university and work, I have developed  a clear schedule that allows me to juggle my different demands whilst also maintaining a social life and pursuing my hobbies such as pilates, playing the french horn and trying to find the best coffee in Sydney.

While I envision my future in the Financial Services industry, the dynamic nature of the Cadetship has been a significant catalyst for my growth. The skills I’ve developed will seamlessly transfer to any future role and I am so excited to see where this journey will take me!

Meira Jackson

Class of 2022

Ski racing has been in my blood from the start—my grandfather was an Olympic Ski Coach who moved to Australia from Austria in the 60s. I first hit the slopes at three years old on a family trip to Thredbo. By Year 2, I entered my first race and fell in love with the sport’s competitive nature. 

I progressed through Regionals, State, and Nationals each year and joined the Thredbo Ski Racing Club when I was 11. Training in Thredbo and internationally in the Aussie summertime really improved my performance and showed me the commitment needed for elite sport. The training can be pretty gruelling, sometimes in freezing conditions, blowing a gale, drizzling, blizzarding. Juggling 6 hours of ski training each day with online schooling and staying fit at the gym did present quite a few challenges, but has enhanced my resilience and discipline. It has taught me to push myself, take risks, and embrace every opportunity, even when it's scary. 

From my first race to representing my country internationally, skiing has given me unforgettable experiences, amazing teammates, and opportunities to grow both on and off the snow. I’m grateful for everything the sport has taught me and keen for where it will take me in the future! 

Zali Summerauer

Class of 2025

I still remember my first science experiment in primary school—it was messy, thrilling, and sparked a lifelong curiosity about how the world works. This grew into a passion for problem-solving and discovery—I’m now exploring potential careers in psychology, medicine, and research, where I can contribute to our community through the rapidly evolving field of STEM. 

In the recent STEMMAD national competition, I met many like-minded individuals across Australia and discussed our ideas for the future, reinforcing my love for science. My time at UNSW’s Holmes and Westbrook Lab taught me the process of research, showing me how scientists solve real-world problems through innovation, perseverance and curiosity. 

Most recently, receiving the ANSTO Award and the ADF Future Innovators Award has been an incredible honour, reaffirming my belief in the power of science to inspire change. 

These experiences have shaped who I am today and strengthened my commitment to inspiring others to see science as more than a subject—it’s a powerful tool to improve lives, drive change, and build a better future for everyone.

Evelyn Cheung

Class of 2026

Who are we?

The Team

Our team is made up of four people who truly enjoy STEM and are thrilled by the possibility of creating solutions to real-world problems. Together, we were excited by this opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and think outside the box. Each member contributed their strengths whether it was in research, problem-solving, speaking skills or presentation. This helped us refine our project and overcome various obstacles along the way. Throughout the competition, we worked closely to support one another, learning from each other’s ideas and perspectives. 

Our Project

Our project, Potato Paper, involved the creation of versatile, eco-friendly paper. It was made using potato peels, something found in nearly every household and often wasted. We were driven to create a solution that can be used in everyday life and thought of the high consumption of paper, which has led to the deforestation of many vital forests. Instead of following the usual path of producing paper with bark, we unearthed potato peels as the answer because they were a good alternative due to their starch and being readily available. 

A Snapshot of our Journey

At the Nationals, our team travelled to Brisbane to showcase our project and prototypes alongside 110 other teams from across the country. This enriching experience gave us the opportunity to connect with innovative individuals from all over Australia, exchanging ideas and learning from fellow change-makers.

We were deeply honoured to receive the “Best STEM MAD Ambassador” award at the end of the showcase—a recognition of our collective effort, passion for innovation, and commitment to inspiring others to engage with STEM. This experience has strengthened vital skills such as collaboration, creativity, and leadership, and we are excited to continue pushing boundaries to make a positive impact in the world.

We also want to give a heartfelt thank you to our teachers, Ms Cosgrove, Ms Commane, and our College Principal, Mrs Quirk, whose guidance and support made it possible for us to participate in this incredible event.

Individually, why did I enter STEM MAD?

Evelyn

This year, I joined STEM MAD to explore my passion for science and innovation while tackling real-world challenges. From brainstorming to problem-solving, the journey was filled with excitement and learning. Presenting at Nationals was a huge highlight this year—an opportunity to share our ideas with like-minded individuals, and I’ve made a lot of great friends with other young, inspirational people across Australia. While the experience itself was my highlight, our group winning the Best STEM MAD Ambassador award was an incredible honour. Along the way, I learned how creativity and science work together to solve problems and how important advocacy is in shaping the future. Overall, this experience has fuelled my ambition to pursue leadership roles and future careers in STEM. Whether exploring material sciences or other fields, I’m committed to driving innovation, collaborating with others, and inspiring change. STEM MAD has shown me the power of teamwork, resilience, and vision—qualities I will carry forward as I continue to strive for excellence and make a positive impact.

Eva

This year, I entered the STEM MAD competition because there was an opportunity for me to contribute to creating an innovative product that can truly make a difference, something I am deeply passionate about. The competition allowed me to apply my creativity and problem-solving skills, which were filled with learning and resilience along the journey. Eventually, we made it to the national competition,  the highlight of our STEM MAD journey. It provided an opportunity to pitch our idea to judges and the public, expressing my passion for advocacy and showing me the importance of creativity, teamwork, and listening in building a successful partnership and project. This led us to receive the honour of the STEM MAD Ambassador’s Award, a remarkable achievement. As a result of the journey, STEM MAD has shown me the significance of teamwork and perseverance in making something last and count, something that I will take with me in my future endeavours. This experience has planted the seeds of myself wanting to create positive change and strive to help others which has further inspired me to pursue a career in law. This is because it allowed me to realise the importance of efficient communication in truly assisting individuals in understanding our purpose and the positive future that can come with it.

Ava

I participated in STEM MAD last year in my old school and found it to be a wonderful experience. Designing solutions to real-world problems and testing their efficiency and effectiveness is incredibly rewarding. The groups used their skills across various fields to formulate diverse solutions, many of which can be (and should be) implemented in society. Many projects were truly MAD (Making A Difference 😅). It was a great learning opportunity, not only regarding the field of research but also learning about the many problems that exist today. The experience allowed us to augment our thinking skills, teaching us to apply methods such as the design process when approaching problems. Attending the Nationals showcase allowed us to elevate our communication and pitching skills. We also learnt about the importance of teamwork in creating and implementing such solutions. Going forward, I believe the skills heightened by STEM MAD will assist me greatly, mainly as I am looking at mostly a career in engineering or medicine; both of which require such abilities.

Valerie

Personally, I joined STEM MAD because I’m interested in following a path of STEM in the future. Not only this, I thought it would be a useful and engaging experience that could help me achieve my future goals and I was correct! During STEM MAD, I was able to acquire many new skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and entrepreneurship. Discovering and learning about how my teammates and I could create a change in the world was a valuable experience that aided us in developing our STEM skills. By the end of it, I was surprised at the large inclusion of entrepreneurship as this greatly benefited my public speaking abilities. Everything I’ve learnt through competing in STEM MAD is incredibly useful and valuable in my future career as I am looking to a science or maths related career path, therefore it will require all the skills that STEM MAD has given me the opportunity to grow!

Quick Note (note need to get this approved)

Are you passionate about science, technology, engineering, or maths? Want to collaborate on exciting projects and tackle real-world challenges? If this sounds like you, we’ve got the thing for you. We’re looking to start a STEM Club here at Brigidine College Randwick and would love to have you on board!

If you have any ideas, questions or want to get involved, feel free to reach out to evelyn.cheung@sydstu.catholic.edu.au.

#STEMClub #ScienceForChange #MakeADifference