Alumnae News
February 2026
Welcome to the first Alumnae News for 2026. A fresh year, a fresh look – and plenty happening across our Women’s College alumnae community. From March events to ways you can get involved, support students, and reconnect with Women’s, here’s what’s coming up.
What’s on at Women’s
Save the dates | March at a glance
International Women’s Day Breakfast
Friday 6 March
Join alumnae, senior students and guests for the 2026 International Women’s Day Breakfast as we celebrate the achievements of women and reflect on progress still to be made. This year’s theme, Balance the Scales, aligns with the United Nations focus on fairness, inclusion, and justice for women. The morning will feature a lively Q&A panel discussion and meaningful conversation.
Limited seats are available. If prompted, use 26IWDBF as the access code.
International Women’s Day Breakfast Q&A Panel
- Professor Sarah Kelly OAM, Executive Director in the Office of the Provost, QUT and Chair of the Australian Sports Foundation, Deputy Chair of the Brisbane Lions
- Miriam Kent, CEO of Gallipoli Medical Research – a leading, independent research institute in Brisbane
- Alumna Dr Leonora Risse (1997 – 2000), Economist specialising in gender equality, and Associate Professor in Economics at QUT
- Alumna Jacqui Schultz (1993 – 1995), Director of Events at the Brisbane Women’s Club, passionate community creator, and advocate for women in business and leadership
International Women’s Day Raffle
Tickets on sale now!
Enter the 2026 International Women’s Day raffle for your chance to win a $500 voucher sponsored by Girls Trek. The $500 voucher can be used for a Girls Trek 2.5 hour walk including refreshments for 10 women.
Funds raised from this raffle will go towards the Alumnae Awards Fund, supporting the Alumnae Awards Scholarship and the Mary Wooza Scholarship, both of which are awarded annually.
Online ticket sales will close at 2:00pm on Thursday 5 March 2026.
Back to Women’s
Saturday 14 March
Join us at Back to Women’s for a Champagne High Tea that celebrates connection, community, and giving back. This much-loved fundraising event brings alumnae together from the ’06 decades to reconnect, reflect, and support the Standing Committee Bursary and Academic Prizes Funds.
The afternoon will feature a special Back to Women’s guest panel, where former student leaders from across the decades will share insights on leadership, College life, and life beyond Women’s.
Back to Women’s Q&A Panel
- 1986 Student Club President Dr Cathy Whiteman (1984 – 1987)
- 1996 Senior Resident Assistant Dr Louise Brown (1991 – 1996)
- 2006 Student Club President Dr Caroline Gee (2004 – 2006)
- 2016 Senior Resident Assistant Alex Barber (2014 – 2016)
- The panel discussion will be facilitated by alumna Alison Kubler (1991 – 1992)
Support Our Alumnae Events
Donate a raffle or auction prize
Our alumnae events are more than opportunities to reconnect – they are vital fundraising moments that directly support scholarships, bursaries, and prizes at The Women’s College.
We invite alumnae-owned and alumnae-connected businesses to contribute raffle prizes or auction items for our 2026 events. Donations may include experiences, products, services, or gift vouchers – big or small, every contribution makes a meaningful difference.
Donated prizes are promoted across event communications, social media, and on the day, offering valuable visibility while supporting women.
If your business can help, we would love to hear from you.
Contact: Director of Advancement at advancement@womens.uq.edu.au
Together, we can continue to open doors for the next generation of Women’s College students.
Get Involved in 2026
Alumnae Book Club 2026
Four dates. Great books. Even better conversation with alumnae authors.
Join alumna Joanna Jenkins (1982 – 1984):
Tuesday 24 March | How to Kill A Client
Tuesday 16 June | The Bluff
Join 2025 Inspirational Alumna Award winner Georgie Dent (2000):
Tuesday 15 September | Breaking Badly
Tuesday 8 December | Book and alumna author to be confirmed
Complete the Expression of Interest to participate in the 2026 Online Alumnae Book Club by Friday 27 February 2026.
Would you like to mentor a Wooza?
Make a meaningful difference by becoming a mentor in the Women’s Alumnae Mentoring (WAM) Program. This voluntary program connects alumnae with senior students as they prepare to transition from College to career.
We welcome alumnae from all industries and career stages, and you don’t need to be Brisbane-based to participate. Your experience, insight, and encouragement can have a lasting impact.
The 2026 program will launch at the Career Mentoring Formal Dinner on Thursday 16 April, with mentors invited to attend.
Register your interest via the online form by Friday 27 February 2026 and help shape the future of a Wooza.
Pictured: Mentors and mentees at the 2025 Career Mentoring Formal Dinner.
Voices of Influence podcast:
we’re looking for alumnae voices
Real stories. Honest conversations.
We’re inviting alumnae to be part of an upcoming season of the Voices of Influence podcast – a series of honest, relatable conversations designed to support and inspire current residents and young alumnae.
For 2026, we have a special interest in:
- Women’s health and wellbeing, including alumnae working in psychology or related fields who support young women and can explore how romantic and platonic relationships evolve in your 20s.
- Non-linear career journeys – alumnae who have changed direction, followed an unexpected path, returned to study, or are doing something completely different to what they originally trained for.
Interested in sharing your story? Complete this expression of interest by Friday 27 February 2026.
Around the Alumnae Community
Celebrating our alumnae: 2026 awards update
Nominations for the 2026 Women’s College Alumnae Awards have now closed, with an exceptional field of alumnae put forward for recognition.
Interviews with the Selection Committee are now underway, and winners will be announced at the Academic Dinner & Alumnae Awards on Thursday 12 March.
We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our alumnae very soon.
Art, conversation and connection in Sydney
We were delighted to launch our first interstate alumnae event for 2026 with a special cultural evening at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, bringing Women’s College alumnae together in Sydney.
Guests enjoyed an engaging guided tour of the Dangerously Modern exhibition, where the stories of Australian women artists were brought to life, followed by dinner and conversation in the Art Gallery Society’s Members Lounge.
Our sincere thanks to alumna Sue Jackson (1988-1990), President of the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales, for making this memorable experience possible through her generous support of our alumnae engagement program.
A wonderful evening of art, connection, and community — and a perfect way to begin our 2026 interstate alumnae program.
Melbourne & Canberra alumnae visits – ideas welcome
We’re planning future alumnae experiences in Melbourne and Canberra this year, and we’d love your ideas.
Do you know a great behind-the-scenes experience, or unique local connection that would bring Women’s College alumnae together in your city? From cultural outings to intimate conversations or something completely unexpected — we’re open to suggestions.
If you’d like to help shape an upcoming alumnae experience, contact: Director of Advancement at advancement@womens.uq.edu.au
Looking for Eeyore: missing editions wanted
We’re on the hunt for a few missing editions of Eeyore – and we need your help.
If you were at Women’s College from 1984 to 1989, 1991 to 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2016 or 2017, you may be holding a piece of College history we’re missing from our collection.
If you’re able to provide a copy of Eeyore from any of these years, we would love to hear from you. In return, you’ll receive a silver College-branded bookmark as a small thank-you for helping us preserve the stories, spirit, and memories of Women’s across the decades.
Get in touch with our Communications & Design Officer at d.sattha@womens.uq.edu.au
Help us complete the collection and keep the Eeyore legacy alive.
College Tours for Alumnae
Visiting Brisbane and feeling a little nostalgic? Come home to Women’s.
We love welcoming alumnae back to the College – whether it’s your first visit in years or a long-overdue return. College tours offer a chance to reconnect with familiar spaces, see what’s changed (and what hasn’t), and share stories from your time at Women’s.
Recently, we were delighted to welcome alumna Jacqui Schultz (1993 – 1995), who visited the College and brought two fellow alumnae back with her – Barbara Chng and Katherine Taylor, who returned to Women’s for the very first time since leaving. Moments like these remind us just how special the Women’s community is, across generations.
If you’re planning a visit to Brisbane and would like to step back inside the College gates, we’d be delighted to show you around.
Contact: (07) 3377 4500.
Women’s will always be home
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