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Hilda’s News

2026

Alumni Newsletter

Hilda’s News

Mid year Student Club reports Hilda’s Play Paddock to Plate And more!

Keeping you up to date with your Hilda’s community

August 2026

Table of Contents Marjorie Smart Oration

Rowing Regatta

Presidents Mid-Year Report

Annual Appeal Wrap Up

Cultural Diversity & International Mid-Year Report

Fresher Reps Mid-Year Report

Sustainability Consultant Mid-Year Report

From one generation to the next

Semester 1 Whitby Dinner with Ben Hubbard

Paddock to Plate Wrap Up

Hilda’s Play

Ball Report

Welcome & Congratulations

Queer Rep Mid-Year Report

Wade Institute Offer

Sports Reps Mid-Year Report

Stay in the loop

Members of the Hilda’s team at the Buroinjin tournament

Hilda’s News

Marjorie Smart Oration Sam Kohler, Communications Intern

Dr Gillian Triggs delivering her fantastic oration at this year’s Marjorie Smart Oration

Late this May, St Hilda’s College hosted its annual Marjorie Smart Oration, welcoming current student leaders and alumni alike to all enjoy a meal together and hear an insightful speech from a professional at the top of their field. This event is a truly special one, fostering support, friendship, and guidance from unexpected places, encompassing this college's spirit of Communitas. The event started, as many College events do, with canapés in the front quad. This is always a great time to introduce yourself to new Hildarians, or reconnect with friends. But arguably the most important part of the day began when we all moved into the dining hall for lunch.

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These tables at the meal consisted of a mix between students and alumni, fostering something truly unique: the exchange of stories, advice, and laughs between strangers of different generations, who all still have something in common. I personally got to sit at a table with current board members, past students, and current staff, all of whom shared a love for the grounds and traditions which brought us together. We shared stories from our respective times at College, from College relationships that flourished into marriages and families after graduation, to the escapades of storied events like the rowing regatta and Hilda's Day. Not only did alumni and students bond over College life and how they got there, but students were able to learn from the many post College career paths that St Hilda’s alumni have undertaken. From unexpected twists and turns, to the plan A’s, B’s, and C’s that are often involved in one's occupation journey, this event allows students to learn that there’s rarely a simple straightforward career path, let alone a correct one. These events also expose TBC students to careers they probably never knew existed, opening their eyes to new worlds and possibilities.

Sam Kohler asking a question of Gillian during the Q&A

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But perhaps most inspiring for students and alumni alike was the oration delivered by Gillian Triggs, the main event of the afternoon. Gillian Triggs is among some of the most accomplished individuals many of us Hildarians have had the privilege of meeting, holding positions such as: Former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, past Dean and Challis Professor of International Law at the University of Sydney, and current Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, while also being an author and a former barrister. Perhaps most impressive, and most relevant to the speech which she gave on the day, however, Gillian also served as the United Nations Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Assistant Secretary- General of the United Nations. For the oration, Gillian discussed the current state of international politics and cooperation in our current political climate. Overall, she highlighted the need for a change in how international cooperation and policy is approached. Current systems, namely the United Nations and its many arms, are losing efficacy, influence, and countries, and officials are continuously losing faith in the UN’s ability to affect change. So, Gillian points to a new form of international changemaking that has been gaining steam across the board in recent decades of activism and advocacy: community based, bottom up solutions. Gillian made an inspirational call for investment and attention to the solutions to real world problems that are generated by local communities, Indigenous groups, and student activists. Upon further questioning, she outlined examples of how these strategies have achieved successes, and how they can secure investments, if not from the government then also from the private sector. She instilled us all with a hope that while the door of top down international cooperation might seem to be closing, as governments lose trust in one another and move away from cooperation, a window of opportunity seems to be opening in the actions of everyday people.

Simon Krupka with Dr Triggs & Jimmy Hardiman after delivering the vote of thanks

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If the actions of local organisations can be invested in and grow to larger scales, they will be able to affect greater change and bring forth a new kind of international cooperation and partnership, driven by people’s needs, rather than government goals. I spoke with Gillian after the event, along with other current students, as we sought her wisdom on how as young people do we find our place in these giant arenas of policy and advocacy and affect genuine change. Overall, she told us to stay patient but to take risks. Gillian pointed out that no one can reach the top of their field in an instant and that monumental change doesn’t come from nothing. It’s all about building the right foundation, and taking risks to do so. Gillian said that regardless of your lacking confidence you have to just “get on with it, brush it off” and volunteer for challenges that make you learn along the way. However, most importantly, she called us to always remain open to opportunities, changes, and where we might find allies and friends.

You never know where your support is going to come from, so stay calm and people will help you. – Gillian Triggs

Alex Wackrow & Angus Lisle at the Student Club merch stall that was available for alumni to purchase from

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This, I felt, was the message I took away most from this oration. Whether you are leading a small community in an advocacy mission, in a large debate with politicians, or in a tense board room, you can always find support. This oration itself is a perfect example of this message, as current students received guidance from St Hilda’s alumni, and alumni were given a chance to reconnect with old friends. At the end of the day Hildarians young and old were left feeling reassured and hopeful, not only due to Gillian’s inspiring words, but because we were reminded that we can always look to our second home for growth, mentorship, and companionship – a reality that would make Marjorie Smart proud. For all the photos from the event, check out the album on Flickr HERE.

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Presidents Mid-Year Report Simon Krupka & Ashna Sharma - Student Club Presidents 2026

The year began for Hilda’s in February, with a fantastic Welcome Saturday and subsequent O Week run by some of our amazing leadership team. The team used the skills they had developed from the previous three weeks of training to deliver an unforgettable and positive week for our incoming First Years. Highlights included exciting activities held both at College and external locations such as laser tag in the front quad, a space cowboy themed disco at a nearby Fitzroy bar, line dancing lessons at Fitzroy Town Hall and a scavenger hunt which saw returning and new students alike team up to take on some of Melbourne’s most iconic locations. Simon and my personal favourite event was our Friday night event at Glamorama. The rest of the semester kicked off with numerous events from all different portfolios like Earth Hour, Pride Night, Beyond The Quad (BTQ) and Step Up, all of which ran smoothly!

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Earth hour had a great turn out, with propagation making and sustainability tips shared by the enviro convenors, alongside a solar powered screening of ‘Ocean’, an eyeopening documentary by David Attenborough. Pride Night too was a hit, with some great drag bingo and especially great student club involvement. Beyond the Quad (a turn setup in the back quad) particularly was an amazing event, all thanks to our awesome social director, Mia Lu and turn convenors. It was something new, fun and everyone had a great night. There have been so many wonderful events this semester and it has been amazing to see the college community grow and enjoy what semester 1 has brought so far. Ball for instance, the biggest night of the year, was absolutely amazing and it was so fun to see everyone dressed up, having a boogie and overall having a great time! The different wellbeing initiatives run by the amazing RAs and SRAs have been great to see and have made a positive impact in differing aspects of the college. Supporter turnout as well has been huge and is a testament to the community at college! We absolutely can’t wait to see what next semester brings, especially Hilda’s day (the best event of the year we’d argue), and we can’t wait to see people continuing to have fun!

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Annual Appeal Wrap Up James Hardiman, Principal of St Hilda’s College

In 2026 thus far, from donor contributions, we have raised a record breaking amount of over $1 million for our scholarship fund. Through donations big and small, every dollar makes a significant impact on our students not only providing them with the college experience they wouldn’t otherwise have had, but with the opportunity to attend university. As you may already know, a core reason behind St Hilda’s founding was to provide a community and a place of residence for students from rural and regional areas and allow them to attend university. We strive to stay true to our roots and continue to give financial support to students who need it and to do that for as many students as we can. For this to be possible, we rely on the philanthropic support of our community, and our Annual Appeal goes a long way in helping us sustain financial support for our students. For many of us, we were lucky enough to have the choice to go to university be entirely our own. But for many of our students, this is not the case.

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Without the prospect of a scholarship or financial assistance, access to tertiary education is near impossible, especially within the current cost of living crisis. Thinking of my own university experience, twenty odd years ago, government assistance programs such as Youth Allowance provided full time students with approximately thirteen to fourteen thousand dollars annually to support them while studying. In the early 2000s, this Youth Allowance amount, in addition to working part time alongside studies, plus a bit of financial support from Mum and Dad, and, perhaps, a small scholarship, combined to make ends meet. Nowadays, the Youth Allowance amount has increased by about three thousand dollars, or approximately 20 per cent, while the Leadership opportunities are just one part of cumulative inflation rate in Australia has the offering for students at Hilda’s increased by a whopping 67 per cent. On top of this, we have seen eligibility for these support programs only grow stricter over the last two decades. The reality now is even if students do qualify for these allowances, if they have to move away from home to access tertiary education, whether in or out of college, these allowances barely cover half of living costs. Not to mention the HECS debt being accrued during this time. At St Hilda’s, due to the kindness and generosity of our community, we have been able to alleviate the financial stress of attending university for many of our students. In fact, last year we were able to provide 47 per cent of St Hilda’s students with financial assistance through our scholarship fund. This means that not only do these students get the St Hilda’s College experience, but they are given access to a university education without needing to worry about financial or geographical barriers. I am so incredibly grateful to our community for their contributions toward our scholarship fund and am proud to say that every single donation, no matter its size, makes a significant impact in our students’ lives. As the world around us continues to change, we must adapt how we as an institution operate.

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Cost of living will continue to rise, and without matching governmental support programs, students will continue to struggle to afford to attend university, especially if they need to relocate to access that education. One of the initiatives we have taken is to collaborate with the University of Melbourne on the Narrm Scholarship program which supports domestic students experiencing disadvantaged circumstances to be able to attend university. In this partnership, scholars are awarded $10,000 by the university and our scholarship fund, at minimum, matches that contribution toward the awarded scholar. Currently, we have groups of donors who give individual donations which work together to build a scholarship. For groups of donors like these, collaborating with the Narrm Scholarship program allows their generosity to be doubled and provide truly transformative levels of support for the awarded students. The impact that donor support makes on our students is truly indescribable, and in an ever-changing world around us, it is important that we continue to look towards building partnerships that allow us to combine and collaborate for bigger impact.

Looking to the future When we think about tertiary education in today’s world, the question of future relevance is not unfamiliar to me. In recent years, news articles have begun questioning the “relevance” or “worth” of gaining a university education, and with an AI world on the rise, questions of this nature seem to be increasing. Like every industry, with the introduction and implementation of Artificial Intelligence, we can expect the tertiary sector will face the need to change and adapt in response. That being said, I am confident that there is no future state in which tertiary education becomes unnecessary or irrelevant. There are always going to be professions that require the deep subject matter expertise learned through university education. But what will that education look like? We are already beginning to see changes. In response to the rise of AI, the University of Melbourne has implemented a new policy to be introduced over the next 18 months that requires all subjects to be 50 per cent assured. Assured assessment is fundamentally observed assessment. Practices such as in person exams, presentations and other oral moderation methods are examples of assessment that ensure assured learning. By doing this, the university can validate that students are truly learning what they are being taught in class. On top of this change, what I believe will grow to be more valued in future workplaces are the qualities that students learn alongside their classroom content. Human skills such as empathy, communication, judgement, creativity, and adaptive leadership are qualities that the workforce desires and AI can’t match.

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For some students, these skills will not be gained in and alongside the classroom. While not every degree can offer students the chance to foster these skills, every college experience can. AI may aid in leveling the technical skills playing field across various industries, but it can’t match the human skills of resilience, adaptability, decision making, and critical thinking. This is where we can see a college experience as an investment in the skills of future leaders irrespective of their individual studies. At St Hilda’s, our employability and leadership programs continue to evolve and we are deeply considering what will be needed in an The College experience provides students AI world and how students can utilise these with so many opportunities to challenge programs to complement their university themselves both within and outside of their chosen field of study studies. While these programs are constantly evolving in response to the specific current and future needs of our students, we know that the rest of the College experience continues to provide plenty of things that will stay the same. These include the communitas spirit, fun, and friendships that thrive at St Hilda’s. While I cannot be certain of what the future holds or what it may look like, I feel great assurance that the college experience we provide is something that will only continue to benefit and support our young people. And with contributions from our alumni, friends, and broader community, we are able to provide our students with a truly transformative college experience that will stay with them for life. If you missed this year’s Annual Scholarship Appeal but would like to contribute to the future of the next generation of Hildarians, it’s not too late. Donations are gratefully accepted at any time of the year and can be made directly via our website on the Support Us page. Our thanks to all those who have invested in our students and your young person.

Fresher Reps MidYear Report

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Teagan Moffatt & Dan Steer Hello! Our names are Teagan and Dan and we are the 2026 First Year Representatives at St Hilda’s. We had a wonderful Semester 1 and we are really looking forward to what our second semester has in store for us and our group of freshers. This semester we have enjoyed getting to know our fresher cohort as well as organising events such as Boat Cruise, and Angels and Mortals Week. It’s been a steep learning curve but an enjoyable one. It has been so exciting to collaborate with the other members of the GC to foster a community for all, no matter how long you’ve been at Hilda’s. Advocating for first year students has been an incredibly rewarding experience and we’re so grateful to have met so many new friends. As we head into Semester 2, we are excited to support our new freshers and continue planning for our next event, ‘Christmas in July in September’. Thank you to everyone who has helped us make St Hilda’s a positive and welcoming community so far!

Teagan Moffatt

Dan Steer

Hilda’s News

From one generation to the next By Sam Kohler, Communications Intern

Every year at the start of semester two St Hilda's College puts on a charity gala that we call Paddock to Plate. It’s an amazing event run by the College and the Student Club in tandem where students and family members can enjoy music, good food, and try their luck with a charity raffle and auction. The goal of the event is to give parents an insight into what goes on at college as well as to support a charity that we care about and that reflects our values as a college. – James Mulcahy (2026 Student Club Communitas Director and Student Lead in planning Paddock to Plate) This year the College is supporting Trust For Nature (TFN), an organisation focused on preserving and restoring biodiversity in Victoria on private land. It does this through what they call ‘conservation covenants’. These covenants allow private land owners to permanently protect their land against any actions that could harm native species of plants and wildlife. The best part is that these covenants are legally binding agreements that act in perpetuity, meaning regardless of whether land changes hands in the future, these landscapes will be protected. Trust For Nature is the only organisation in Victoria with the power to apply these agreements and have protected over 1,800 properties at this point. It’s important to us as a college that we both are constantly learning about and giving back to the land that we live on. Trust For Nature does such a good job of caring for the land here in Victoria and our community is very excited to get to support their mission. – James Mulcahy

Anna speaking during the Paddock to Plate dinner

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Not only is it an inspiring organisation but Trust For Nature also employs the admirable St Hilda’s alum, Anna Foley. Attending College from 2004-2006 Anna was a key member of the community, getting involved in the play and student leadership, being the Communitas Director herself. In fact, she organized Gala Night, the event that has now evolved into Paddock to Plate, and raised about 3,000 dollars for Beyond Blue. After her days at College, Anna went on to work as a field botanist for the Victorian Environmental Department and the National Trust – completing land surveys, working on significant tree protections, and taking developers to court over poor land development choices. After years of this work, Anna got a job working for Trust For Nature as the Statewide Operations Manager. Now in her tenth year at the organisation, Anna is still fulfilled everyday that she gets to support this conservation effort. She says that having worked for years in and around the development industry, she knows how these private lands could be cleared and degraded if they went unprotected. Trust For Nature is not only important for conserving land but also for supporting land owners in times of hardship. Anna talks about her role as the Statewide Operations lead following the 2020 bushfires – a shocking widespread disaster that affected many Trust for Nature conservation properties.

The raffle was a highlight of the night

Those disaster recovery works are really close to my heart. Obviously they happen with an increasing frequency now – more than 50 covenanted properties burned last summer. Being able to support landholders after that initial emergency response and help adapt during the following years is really important. We’re not just they’re for the ecology. We're also there for the people who are rebuilding their lives. – Anna Foley

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St Hilda's College students went out to a Trust For Nature property near Ballarat earlier this year in April to help clear invasive pines from the land. We worked for a few hours in teams with little hand saws removing these evergreen weeds to allow sunlight and water to reach the native grasses and shrubs on the property. And we are so excited that we have now had the chance to help them once again with Paddock to Plate. This July we at St Hildas raised $8,500 for Trust For Nature, an achievement we are really proud of. Fundraiser events like these are vital to Trust For Nature's mission, a charity that relies on donors to support its work across rural Victoria. Paddock to Plate was not only a great opportunity for Trust For Nature to gain some of this funding, but also publicity, something that means a lot for a lesser-known organisation. All in all, the evening was an amazing night of talented performances, fun raffles, building community, and fostering goodwill towards a worthwhile cause. If you were unable to join us during this evening, we hope you would consider supporting a Hilda’s alum and this inspiring Victorian organisation that aligns so well with our values as a college by donating at this link. Our thanks to the following businesses and families (in alphabetical order) who contributed to the night and the Student Club’s fundraising efforts for Trust For Nature: Acacia Lane Anya Hoodbhoy Ames Family Best’s Great Western Brezel Mädle Bodriggy Brewing Bucks Hill Farm and Pantry Buller Road Brewery Cinema Nova City of Yarra Leisure Collins Booksellers Core Plus North Melbourne CV Plants & Gardens Di Sciascio Family Endota Gamila at Beechworth Global Ballooning Grampians Olive Co

Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie & IceCreamery Haymes Family High Country Provedore Lancaster Family Maindample Fudge Maison Renoux Mansfield Farmers’ Market Meredith Dairy Mulcahy Family Ovens River nuts Puffing Billy Railway Santa & D’Sas St Hilda’s College Student Club St Hilda’s College Theatre Group The Lost Plot Yo-Chi

Please consider supporting these businesses in kind

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Paddock to Plate Wrap Up This year’s Paddock to Plate event was a highlight of the calendar and saw almost 260 guests enjoying the Front Quad, JCR and Dining Hall spaces as we came together to share stories, have a great meal and support the endeavours of the Student Club in raising money and awareness for Trust For Nature. It was wonderful to see so many families reconnecting or meeting for the first time. Our thanks again as well to all current families who supported the fundraising component of the event in some way. Whether you donated items for the raffle and/or auction, purchased wine from the wine drive or bought raffle tickets, your support was greatly appreciated by the Student Club. A special shout out to Santa & D’SAS (Lulu’s family) for being part of the event for three years running as both wine providers and via the wine drive. A big thank you as well to The Lost Plot (Maya’s family) for getting behind the event via your pre-dinner wine tasting! A shout out as well to Best’s Great Western (thanks to Liv for the connection there) who came on board as wine providers for the night and who have offered a special 10% discount code for purchases on their website linked to the St Hilda’s College Paddock to Plate event - just use code STHILDAS Enjoy the photos included here and for the full album, check out the Flickr page.

Communitas Director, James Mulcahy speaking at Paddock to Plate 2026

Ball Report

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Mia Lu - Social Director On the 30th of April, 320 students and guests gathered outside Metropolis in South Yarra waiting to have the night of their life. Everyone looked beautiful in their gowns and suits as they walked up the stairs and into the foyer. There was a dramatic curtain hiding the ballroom from the guests as drinks roamed and a great deal of photos were taken on the balcony. At precisely 7:20pm the curtains opened to reveal rows and rows of tables with beautiful white roses and each seat adorned with a small Oscar trophy in honour of the theme. Red carpet royalty: A night at the Oscar’s. Looking out over the Yarra through the floor to ceiling windows, the city glistened in the background as entrees were served. The crispy pork belly bites went down a treat paired with a cheeky glass of wine, beer or soft drink as guests were eager to explore the venue. As the night continued, the line for the photobooth grew as did the demand for the truffle fries which people raced back to their tables for to avoid missing out. It was a beautiful night and as it got late, the dancefloor opened up and the DJ arrived to play some tunes. As the ball convenors and I looked over at the crowd, dancing and laughing, we finally breathed a sigh of relief. St Hilda’s College Ball 2026 was a night I will never forget. It was such a spectacular venue and the ball convenors should all be incredibly proud of their amazing work in making this year’s ball a night to remember.

L-R: Mia (Social Director) and the Ball Convenors Holly Kalns, Georgie Collett, Abbey Everett & Harrison Abbott

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Queer Rep MidYear Report Felix Burns

2026 has been a fun and exciting year so far for our LGBTQIA+ focused events at Hilda’s! The semester began with a community picnic in the Back Quad, an excellent and relaxing way for our queer students to meet and reconnect with one another after a hectic O-Week or Summer break! Our queer community picnic was followed by our biggest Pride event in Semester 1: Pride Night! The night was a huge success, with over half of the college attending. Everyone dressed up in their most colourful outfits, with some feeling festive enough to dress to the theme “queer icons” and blow us all away with their creativity. Our winners of the costume contest took the crown by dressing as two of our very own Hilda’s queer icons, two of our second years. Many rounds of Boogie Bingo were played, hosted by the incredible drag queen Xena Ghost, each round being followed by her fantastic performances. A drinks table was open in the back of the dining hall, so drinks were flowing, with slushies being consumed rapidly. My personal highlight was our rented fairy floss machine, manned by some generous student volunteers who were without a doubt the most popular people of the night! Our other queer events this semester have been smaller in scope but by no means less enjoyable! We’ve strengthened some intercollegiate connections through an intercollegiate queer picnic at Princes Park and a film screening of “Red, White and Royal Blue” (2023) at International House. We also held a Hilda’s film screening of “Bit” (2019) in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility. I’m so excited to continue this success into Semester 2, with even more exciting LGBTQIA+ events both at Hilda’s and in the intercollegiate space to come!

Queer Rep, Felix Burns with Xena Ghost

Hilda’s News

Sports Reps MidYear Report Hannah Piper & Rory Vial

The first semester of sport for St Hilda’s College was largely successful! Through rain or shine, assessments due or fierce competitors, the Hilda’s athletes and supporting crowds displayed our iconic community. Starting strong in the Summer with tennis, large Hilda’s crowds at 7:10am match starts were a testament to our communitas spirit. Moving dominantly through the rounds, we finished the tennis season with a phenomenal fourth position overall. Next, the scorching heat of the cricket field proved especially arduous for Hildarians. Despite this, the female-identifying team were still able to hit sixes, making it to the grand finale, and a second-place finish. Similar to the results of cricket, the cold and tedious early mornings of soccer proved just as difficult, yet once again, the female-identifying team still fought for a bronze placing. Moreover, with uncanny conditions to the arctic mornings in Parkville, Hilda’s made the trek to MSAC for Intercollegiate swimming. Despite the outdoor pool proving particularly arduous, nothing could stop the female-identifying team from yet another bronze placing.

Hannah

Rory

Hilda’s News

The next challenging competition came in table tennis, cutting Hilda’s from the rounds early due to their fierce competitors. Redeeming us from prior sporting results, hockey proved to hold some of our strongest teams, with both female and male-identifying teams placing third. Continuing this high, athletics proved even more successful, with the female and male-identifying teams placing second and third respectively. The repetitively harsh weather and early mornings never discouraged Hildarians in either sport. Using this momentum, on the coldest morning of the year, the cross-country runners lapping Princes Park found a fourth-place finish in both female and male-identifying teams. Finally, striding to the banks of the Yarra river, our rowing teams following weeks of dry-land training and limited on-water experience, soared to second place rankings in division II by the conclusion of the regatta. Overall, semester 1 of 2026 displayed the spirit and resilience of Hildarians, as the green and blue always filled the stands in overwhelming majority against the other colleges, continuing the formidable legacy of the St Hilda’s community.

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Rowing Regatta By Sam Kohler, Communications Intern

The intercollegiate rowing regatta is always an event to remember around the Crescent and this year was no different. The morning began with a 6:30am wake up to music blasting in the halls. We then converged in the Front Quad, wearing as much Hilda’s merch as possible. Donning our trademark dinosaur heads that debuted at last year’s regatta, we swarmed the Swanston Street tram lines and made our way to the Yarra, causing a great deal of confusion to any early morning onlookers. Once we’d reached the river, we scarfed down a much-needed barbecue breakfast grilled by a few students and our lovely maintenance engineer, Tyso – the man who has almost never missed a regatta in all his decades of working for the College. With snags in hand, we took our seats on the grass and chatted with mates until the races began. The morning's event started off with a contest between University College (UC), International House (IH), and Queen’s. While there was a close contest between UC and IH up at the front, possibly the most interesting sight in the race was the classic bad haircuts on the Queen’s boat. Of note this year was a pattern of buzzed squares – suitable for a game of checkers – and one rower sporting shoulder length locks on half his head while completely bald on the other side.

Our supporters were in full voice on the side of the river

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In the first race for the Hilda’s men's side, our boat was lagging behind quite a bit, and nearly veered into the bank twice. It turns out our lovely cox, Jeffery, was fighting with a broken rudder, causing the strange movement of the boat. To cap off our team's dramatic race, when they approached our spectators on the shore, one of our rowers put on a bit of a show by nearly falling out of the boat. Luckily, our man was able to hold on and remain in the boat to help us cross the finish line. The boys did improve from these events, managing to fix the rudder before their second race, but were definitely hurt by the struggles of the first race and ended up finishing 5th overall.

Tyso was running the BBQ as always

Diego the dinosaur was a visible presence on the river bank

Our rudder was broken in the first race and it caused us to zig zag all over the place because I couldn't control the boat properly. We had to stop and start a bunch of times because we were crashing into the river bank. Thank God, we got it fixed by the second round because we came dead last in the first race. Sadly, the first race was also the race when everyone had the most energy and it ended up being wasted. – Jeffery Wang, men’s team coxswain

The Hilda's women's team perhaps saw a little less excitement, trading the unfortunate chain of events of the men’s team for good performance and smooth execution. In their first race, they beat out St. Mary’s and came in second, only to face them again in the B final. This time, tired from their first two races, the crew barely lost to Mary’s, putting them second in the heat and 5th place overall.

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Despite the cold, the Hilda’s supporters were as enthusiastic as ever

Although the weather was cold the vibes were high in the female crew with everyone really getting around it and committing to painting themselves green and blue! It was such a great day to see all our hard work and early mornings pay off especially for the girls who had never rowed before! Overall we came 2nd in the B final, 5th overall, and remained the only crew in our division that didn’t get into a crash. – Eva Raco, women’s team co-captain The energy was high and we had some strong verbal altercations at the starting line from our number one supporter Dan, the Fresher Rep. We were so happy we beat Mary’s in our first race but they just pipped us in the last race after making us wait at the starting line for 30+ minutes. – Mia Lu, women’s team coxswain Perhaps one of the most notable aspects of the day for us spectators was noticing all the new adornments worn on the heads of the other colleges. Last year there were only really two of these head decorations: the trademark watermelon hats carved by Queens and our now iconic dino heads at Hilda’s. But, it seems as though our amazing fashion choices have rubbed off because seemingly every college now has their own version of these headpieces. With Ormond wearing bee antenna head bands and UC sporting paper boar ears, it's quite clear that we at Hilda’s have become trendsetters for the other colleges. Our day at the regatta ended with our presidents hyping up the College with riverside karaoke and a dance party. Breaking out our big JBL speaker and microphone, Hildarians were getting into the singing and partying mood before heading back to College for Hottest 100 – an all day event filled with smoothies, games, and a music playlist of the 100 most liked songs by our students. It is always a great way to celebrate the rowing regatta, regardless of how we do on the river. All in all it was another great regatta with good brekkie by the river, karaoke, dancing, both teams coming in 5th, broken rudders, and a man nearly going overboard into the Yarra – what more could you want?

Hilda’s News

Cultural Diversity & International MidYear Report

Emily Lee & Nishka Parekh We kicked off the semester with our International Students Welcome, where we covered the essentials, shared international snacks, and picked up student IDs, with a side of free bubble tea! This semester also marked the successful pilot of the International Buddy Program, pairing passionate returning international students with our newest arrivals to help them settle into college life. It was great to see buddies catching up over coffee to share stories and make new students feel at home. As everyone settled into college life, we had our first cultural event of the year celebrating Lunar New Year where we gifted red packets filled with Happy New Year wishes to our friends. A POC picnic soon followed, where new and returning students of colour came together to make new connections and develop our community. On Harmony Day, we heard from our favourite American, Sam Kohler, at High Table, who spoke about his experience as an international student at Hilda’s. Flight Night was our biggest event of the year, where Hildarians gathered for an incredibly energetic night of activities, performances, and food from around the world to celebrate the amazing cultural diversity of our college! Top hits include the Bhangra and Salsa dance workshops, a performance by our resident Kiwis (shoutout to Libby Nicholls for leading, and Seb Heyworth and Oscar Preuss’ enthusiastic "Auē!" during Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi!), and the henna, mahjong and origami stations that filled the dining hall. Mid-semester, the international crew headed to the Pan-Asian Festival at Queen Victoria Market, where our senses were treated to incredible food, vibrant music, and spectacular cultural performances. We continued to celebrate our diversity with a Cultural Dress-themed Academic Dinner, where students donned their hanboks, qipaos, lehengas and more. To round out the semester, a group of students explored Melbourne’s CBD on a Cultural Food Tour, where we tried Malaysian, Iraqi, and Japanese cuisines, and found some new favourite dishes!

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We're ready to hit the ground running in Semester 2, with intercollegiate events creating even more opportunities for international and culturally diverse students to connect across colleges. Here's to another semester of celebrating cultures, building friendships, and making unforgettable memories!

Cultural Diversity Convenor, Emily Lee (L) & International Rep, Nishka Parekh

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Sustainability Consultant Mid-Year Report

Danielle Foster This semester has been full of amazing environmental initiatives and systematic changes for our Hilda's community. At the beginning of the year, thanks to the work of last year's environmental convenors, we successfully switched our existing food waste system to a new Bardee System with the hopes to later switch more of our waste streams to this program. The Bardee system uses black soldier fly larvae to break down food scraps thereby reducing methane production and producing organic fertilizer. We have also carried out multiple education campaigns on waste management with new signage and announcements. This has also included the establishment of two new bins for e-waste recycling and cosmetic waste recycling. The environment team has run our annual Earth Hour which included painting recycled bottles to make plant propagations and watching a motivational documentary. This event saw high engagement rates and was a great opportunity to get the community involved. Following on from this success, the team ran the first ever Sustainability Week in collaboration with Mates Week where events such as beach clean ups were run. This year we have also placed a large emphasis on trying to make all of our events here at Hilda's sustainable, with the establishment of a new Sustainability Consultant role on the General Committee. The role meets with each event organizer to discuss purchases and changes that could be made to the event to decrease waste and promote sustainable decisions. In Semester Two, the team is excited to continue looking at sustainable food sourcing and more community based events to embed sustainable practices into everyday life.

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Earth Hour activities

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The Semester 1 Whitby Dinner with Ben Hubbard By Sam Kohler, Communications Intern

One of the best parts about life at St Hilda’s is the focus on professional and personal development of students throughout their time here. The biannual Whitby Dinner, taking place each semester, is a perfect representation of this pursuit. It is named after Whitby Abbey founded by St Hilda, a place which welcomed both men and women and sought to educate any who frequented the abbey. This spirit of inclusivity in education is a central theme of the Whitby Dinner as outlined by our Principal, James (Jimmy) Hardiman:

The idea of the Whitby Dinner is to bring people together from diverse disciplines to spend a really concentrated period focusing on complex and wicked problems. We do this to expose people to the idea of wicked problems that necessarily require you to understand different worldviews and weigh the pros and cons of every decision. – Jimmy Hardiman This May I saw these goals come to fruition as former Chief of Staff to Julia Gillard and Hilda’s alumni, Ben Hubbard, led a policy simulation for us students. The night began with some mingling between high achieving Hildarians and staff members before Jimmy welcomed us and introduced Ben Hubbard. We then sat around tables with groups of students from all different disciplines, who would later form our teams for the simulation, and enjoyed a delicious dinner. Once the meal concluded, Ben introduced us to the policy activity we would be tackling and the night's main event began. The night's activity asked us to act as an advisory board to the Prime Minister at each of our tables. Each student was given a separate topic on which to carry out prior research and then lead discussions with their team at dinner to create policy suggestions for a fictional Prime Minister. The three topics of focus for the night were: Foreign affairs, AI and the future of work, and Gen Z’s current challenges.

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Teams attempted to answer questions such as, should Australia continue to uphold foreign policy dependent on the US and UK, how can the government equitably approach the astronomical rise in AI, and in what ways can burdens of student debt and inaccessible housing be eased for Gen Z. These wicked problems were a fascinating challenge for each of the teams, who felt an extra pressure of urgency from a 20 minute countdown for each topic. The simulation then ended with a presentation of each team's conclusions, compiled and put together in a slide show by AI, representing the future of work in our society. The oversight from Ben Hubbard during this exercise was invaluable, as he brought experience from working with governments around the world. As each team worked to find the most logical and equitable solutions to these wicked problems, Ben walked between teams, listening in on discussions and posing insightful questions to further guide and critically analyse different teams’ approaches. This kind of guidance from alumni is what makes St Hilda’s development programs, and the Whitby Dinner specifically, so incredibly beneficial. It also speaks to the spirit of ‘Communitas’ and the support that permeates through the College, as one's role as a Hildarian does not end when they stop residing on the Crescent.

Just as former St Hilda’s students have had opportunities that helped form them as people and professionals, it’s an important task for me and for my cohort to provide the same assistance for students of the 2026 cohort. – Ben Hubbard These kinds of events come from a recognition that a degree only gets you so far in today’s professional landscape. As such, St Hilda’s organises these professional development opportunities to supplement students’ academic development. And our network of alumni is one of the best resources for pursuing this growth. The connections created between current students and alumni work to show students that success is not always straightforward, taking many different forms and being achieved through a diverse range of pathways.

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I think one of the more rewarding outcomes of the development program is how we get to expose students to the voice of our alumni who have had weird and wonderful career paths, opening up views and pathways for students that they didn’t even know existed. There are many students who will reflect towards the end of the year and realise that one of the things they got most out of College was meeting that alumni who was doing something interesting that they’d never heard of and are now fascinated by it. – Jimmy Hardiman Along with this incredibly rewarding alumni connection, professional development programs like the Whitby Dinner also allow students to develop a greater capacity to navigate disagreements and complex issues. And even further, they are enabled to do so in a way that is considerate and empathetic towards a multitude of different perspectives and realities. It is skills like these that St Hilda's seeks to develop above all else and it is undoubtedly one of the aspects of College life that students like myself routinely find the most rewarding. Ultimately, events like the Whitby Dinner open up a world of possibilities to St Hilda’s students and help them attain the skills to make the most of them. These kinds of opportunities are open to each and every College student, it’s just up to them to take advantage.

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Hilda’s Play By Sam Kohler, Communications Intern

This month, St Hilda’s College Theatre Group will be putting on a production of the awardwinning musical, A Chorus Line. Having worked hard for months, the cast and production team of this musical are eager to get their show on stage and I for one can’t wait to see it! It’s truly going to be a performance you don’t want to miss! Opening originally on Broadway in July of 1975, A Chorus Line was an immediate hit winning 9 Tony awards, a Pulitzer prize, and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical from its production on West End. This unprecedented success stems from the show's truly unique storyline and message. The show is set on a relatively bare stage during an audition for a new Broadway show. The main characters of the production are all hoping to impress the show's director, Zach, and land a place in the chorus line. But Zach has an interesting audition style, wanting to know what makes the dancers tick and ascertain what has motivated them to be on that stage.

The show itself being an audition is such a cool concept. It’s based on the lives of real broadway dancers and gives them the opportunities to share details about everyday life and the realities of trying to have a career in performance. – Ella Kelley, Producer It’s like if The Next Step was a musical and set in the 70s and it is only the audition episode. If there were epilogues I would be super excited to see where these characters go! – Lizzy Day, Production Manager This focus on each of the dancer's lives is truly unique, and helps convey the reality of many musicals and productions; the lives of the cast, especially those in the ensemble and chorus, can so easily be overlooked. The show works to highlight the importance of these overlooked performers that are the backbone of any show, and place them in the spotlight, instead of in the background. They tell their stories, give them equal attention, and show their personalities to bring them to life.

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I think that A Chorus Line is a really unique musical compared to most out there. With most shows you really only get to know and empathise with a very limited number of characters. However, in A Chorus Line each of the many characters gets their own moment to shine and connect with the audience which is really lovely to both see and act out! – Libby Nichols, cast member, character name: Val

Lizzy Day - Production Manager

Libby was already showing her musical prowess during O Week

I love the different personalities of all the characters and how they interact with each other as they all have their little quirks. It kind of reflects how the cast interacts with each other during rehearsals and downtime and it’s so fun to see some of that backstage fun reflected onstage. – Lizzy Day, Production Manager

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My favourite thing about A Chorus Line is that so many different character storylines are emphasised, showing that all the dancers have a backstory that is unique and important! I also love how much dancing we get to do. – Ruby Ure, cast member, character name: Cassie And to Ruby’s point, there is A LOT of dancing. Only fitting for a show called A Chorus Line. Nonetheless, in a show that works to give credit to the work, dedication, and passion of the people who bring stage performances to life from the background, it seems fitting to mention the dedication that our Hildarians have been putting in behind the scenes to make this show come together.

Ruby strikes a pose during O Week

The days are quite long, but people are super dedicated and committed and it’s amazing to see it all come together. – Ella Kelley, Producer The poor cast are just working non-stop, bless their hearts. – Lizzy Day, Production Manager And soon it will be our turn to take action! These amazing artists and their giant team deserve so much love and respect for the hard work they’ve put into this show and soon it will be the job of every Hildarian, young and old, to go see this fabulous production! As producer Ella Kelley says, it’s going to be “A fantastical showcase of dance and glitter” and I know I sure won't want to miss it! The show will be running at the Union House Theatre August 13th, 14th, and 15th and tickets are on sale now. It’s going to be a great show and we can’t wait to see all of you there! In the wise words of Joe Mione:

POINT YOUR TOES, GIMME AN ARM, 5,6,7,8! – Joe Mione, cast member, character name: Zach

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Welcome, & Congratulations Welcome to new staff member, James Afford who joins the Senior Residential Advisor team. James grew up in Sydney and then Geelong before moving to the United States to pursue a degree in Neuroscience at Brown University. Alongside his degree, he developed a passion for clinical and experimental research, focusing on developmental neurobiology. James has also debated competitively for 10 years, taking on competitions as far as Bulgaria and Panama. He still competes, coaches, and adjudicates regularly.

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Congratulations and thank you to current Hildarian, Nathaniel Elijah who has recently wrapped the College’s new promotional video. Nathaniel is currently in his final year of study and is already working as a freelance photographer, videographer and drone pilot. We are honoured to be on his client list!

If you are interested in seeing more of Nathaniel’s work, you can find him on Instagram HERE With thanks also to our Community Engagement Coordinator, Georgie Macho who channeled her own recent experience as a Hilda’s student in the scripting. And of course, our thanks to all the students who volunteered to be part of the video.

Nathaniel Elijah

Georgie Macho

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Congratulations to current second year student, Hannah Piper who will be competing at the 2026 World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Abu Dhabi! This event will take place from 13–22 November 2026 on Hudayriyat Island - bringing together thousands of athletes from around the world for 9 days of world-class competition, celebration and community. The championships will feature a packed programme of races including Long Distance Triathlon, Cross Triathlon, Duathlon, Cross Duathlon, Aquathlon and Aquabike, with elite, age-group and para athletes all competing for world titles. Hannah is a member of Triathlon New Zealand and has been selected to represent the New Zealand Age Group team at these championships through competing at one of the qualifying events earlier this year. She will be competing in the Sprint Duathlon (5km run, 20km bike, 2.5kkm run) and the Aquathon (2.5km run, 1km swim, 2.5km run).

Hannah competing in the 2025 Intercollegiate Cross Country

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Hildarians: 25% off Wade’s entrepreneurship & innovation programs Your St Hilda’s alumni & parent discount on Australia’s leading innovation programs. 25% off Australia’s leading entrepreneurship & innovation programs The Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship based at Ormond College has opened an exclusive 25% discount to St Hilda’s College alumni and parents. Whether you’re leading a team, scaling a business, investing, or working out what AI actually means for your organisation, there’s a Wade program for you immersive, practical, and run alongside a high-calibre cohort of peers.

What’s on before the end of 2026

• Think Like an Entrepreneur — lead change from inside any organisation. 24–26 August 2026. • Impact Catalyst: invest for measurable impact alongside return. 5 August–4 September 2026. • VC Fundamentals (start anytime) and VC Catalyst (returning later in 2026) for investors.

How to claim your 25%

Quote HILDAS25 — or simply mention you’re a St Hilda’s alum or parent — when you enquire or register. Questions? Email enquiries@wadeinstitute.org.au. Explore Wade programs

→ wadeinstitute.org.au/start

Ready never comes. Start with Wade.

Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship · Ormond College, University of Melbourne

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