Celebrating International 

Women's Day

We were proud to celebrate International Women’s Day this year by featuring two of our inspirational Alumni,Dr Debbie Loakes and Dr Madeleine Ulbrick; and one of our current teaching staff in Kylie Maltarollo (please see previous page - Staff Profile). Due to the day coinciding with the Labour Day public holiday, we celebrated the day with our students and staff on Thursday 11 March. Many thanks to the staff and students who helped celebrate this day with the creation of the ribbon pins and bake sale at the 7-9 Campus. 

Dr Debbie Loakes

“Sandringham College for me was not just about learning (although obviously that was a large part of it!) – it shaped my whole experience of being a young person. My time at Sandringham College prepared me to be an independent learner, and this was a really important foundation for my career journey.”

Dr Debbie Loakes is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne. Last year, her co-authored book on Language Contact and Australian Languages was successfully published.

What does Sandringham College mean to you?

Sandringham College for me was not just about learning (although obviously that was a large part of it!) – it shaped my whole experience of being a young person. When I attended Sandringham College I met wonderful teachers (some who I am still in contact with today) and I made lifelong friends. I can still remember meeting some of my friends on the grounds of what is now the year 7-9 Campus. I also remember we dressed up in purple, green and white in recognition of International Women's Day, probably almost 30 years ago! 

How did Sandringham College prepare you for your career journey?  

I now have a career in Linguistics at The University of Melbourne. I have studied speech and accents for a long time now, and I really love my job. I have just started a new role in the Research Hub for Language in Forensic Evidence

 https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/language-forensics. When I was in high school we did not have the VCE English Language subject, although I wish we did - this subject is exactly my research area. It allows students to investigate some really interesting parts of language and speech that they might not have noticed, and ultimately helps students better understand aspects of the world around them. My time at Sandringham College prepared me to be an independent learner, and this was a really important foundation for my career journey. I remember coming to university for the first time and feeling completely at ease with managing my own study as I had been encouraged to do this at high school. This has carried me through my career, especially now that I work in a university. 

Dr Madeleine Ulbrick

“As an adult, student-led learning environment, Sandringham College equipped me with the skills necessary for a successful career in legal research, policy and advocacy. The skills I gained at Sandringham College - such as tenacity, resilience, independence and curiosity - provided the foundation for me to pursue my professional goals, and instilled in me a sense of confidence in my capacity to achieve them.”

Dr Madeleine Ulbrick is a Senior Researcher and Policy Advisor at the Victorian Law Reform Commission. She completed a doctorate in Philosophy, Criminology at Monash University. 

What does Sandringham College mean to you?

When I reflect on my time at Sandringham College and what it means to me, the two things that immediately come to mind are perseverance and creativity. Much of the work I do is about perseverance and creativity. Persevering and being committed to a goal goes a long way to achieving successful outcomes. Creativity gives you an edge in finding solutions to complex problems. The key is to just do it, and do it well. 

How did Sandringham College prepare you for your career journey? 

As an adult, student-led learning environment, Sandringham College equipped me with the skills necessary for a successful career in legal research, policy and advocacy. The skills I gained at Sandringham College - such as tenacity, resilience, independence and curiosity - provided the foundation for me to pursue my professional goals, and instilled in me a sense of confidence in my capacity to achieve them. Sandringham College also taught me that there is no substitute for hard work, and I’ve embodied that ethos ever since. Importantly, Sandringham College taught me that success is not linear. It is messy and often demands dogged determination, persistence and sacrifice. Of equal importance, Sandringham College also taught me that success is temporary and fleeting, a moment in time: your time will come, and your time will come again. There is no doubt in my mind that if I had completed VCE at any other institution I would not be where I am today.