Our Alumni 

Where Are They Now?

As we continue the series investigating where our students have gone to post Nossal, in this edition we would like to introduce you to a current teacher at MacRobertson Girls High School and a member of the foundation year of our school. 

Stephanie Rowlston

When we contacted Steph and asked her about her journey, she wrote... "I graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Arts/Secondary Education (Hons) in 2017, after spending four years studying fairy tales, criminology and how to be a teacher. After finishing university, I got a job as an English and Humanities teacher at the MacRobertson Girls' High School." 

Stephanie has developed a reputation for being a passionate and nerdy teacher, who values self-care and creates spaces where students can ask critical questions about the world around them. This reputation has continued to grow and her classes are environments where students are excited to learn and empowered to connect their learning to the real world. Steph tells us her students describe her as a caring and energetic teacher who inspires students to be themselves through her unapologetic authenticity. 

Steph went on to say... "Being a teacher has also given me lots of opportunities to grow outside of the classroom too. I have presented twice at the state conference for the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, where I ran workshops for other teachers on strategies for teaching English Language and bringing creativity into the classroom. I've also spoken to newly enrolled education students, at Monash University functions, about the importance of self-care for teachers and the challenges of teaching."

Reflecting on her time at Nossal, Stephanie lists her favourite subject as English Literature. We asked her what her fondest memories of Nossal were and she replied with... "My favorite memories of Nossal come from the first year. I was part of the first Year 9 cohort at Nossal, and so I can still remember having classes at, what was then, the Monash campus. I remember going on City Experience and arriving at Chapter House every morning to the sounds of music made by other students. I also remember finally finding a space where I was able to be myself - my true self - and be accepted by the people around me. It is not an understatement to say that my experiences at Nossal completely changed the course of my life and helped me to become the confident, quirky, and passionate individual I am today."

Stephanie adds about her time at Nossal... "I wish that I had been more involved with the Arts. I'm a very creative person, but when I was in high school I spent so much time focusing on other studies that I didn't take advantage of opportunities to explore Arts and Drama classes or activities." 

Away from teaching, Stephanie is the host of the podcast "The Not So Simple Guide to Adulting". This podcast has new episodes every week that answer questions sent in by young people across Australia. You can access this podcast using the link: https://anchor.fm/msrowlston

In addition, Steph is also a passionate seamstress and spends most weekends making a new garment to add to her collection. When she was at uni, she found that lots of the clothes she wanted to buy were either poorly made, too expensive, or were manufactured using unsafe and harmful practices during. So, Steph made a decision to start making my own clothes as a way of reducing her impact on the planet and any brand that had links to modern slavery. Stephanie prefers to make vintage-inspired dresses, often with a subtle print that reflects her favorite fandoms. She tries to base each outfit around a particular character or theme, so that she can 'bound' (which is a subtle form of cosplay) every day. Stephanie is also well known at work for the elaborate costumes that she makes, which are all different iterations of Maleficent.