Alumnae News

March 2026

Welcome to the second Alumnae News for 2026. In this issue, see what’s on at Women’s for alumnae, get involved and support students, and read wrap-ups about the Academic Dinner & Alumnae Awards and Back to Women’s.

What’s on at Women’s

Save the dates

UQ Alumni Global Connections | London

Tuesday 14 April

Women’s College alumnae living in or travelling through the UK are invited to attend a special UQ Alumni and Friends Reception in London on Tuesday 14 April, hosted by Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AC at historic Australia House.

The evening will include a panel discussion on leadership and the evolving role of universities in a period of profound economic and environmental uncertainty.

Following the reception, Women’s College alumnae are encouraged to gather informally nearby to continue the evening and reconnect with fellow Woozas.

If there is a London-based Wooza who would like to organise a simple post-event catch-up for alumnae attending the reception, we would love to hear from you. These informal gatherings are a wonderful way to strengthen our global alumnae connections. Please email the Director Advancement at advancement@womens.uq.edu.au

If you’re in London, we’d love to see Women’s College represented!

Event details
Date: Tuesday 14 April 2026
Time: 5:30 pm for 6:00 pm start to 8:00 pm
Venue: Australia House, The Strand, London WC2B 4LA
RSVP by: Tuesday 7 April 2026

Registration is essential.

Women of the World Q&A Networking Dinner: Women in Media

Thursday 23 April 2026

Join The Women’s College for an enriching networking dinner showcasing Women in Media. This exclusive event offers a unique opportunity to connect with dynamic panellists, fostering insightful discussions and empowering exchanges.

Event details

Date: Thursday 23 April 2026
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Venue: The Women’s College
Dress: Business attire
Register by: 2:00 pm on Monday 13 April 2026

Seats are limited. If places fill quickly, we warmly encourage you to join the waitlist.

Alumnae Walk

Saturday 8 August

Gather your fellow alumnae, step out and walk in support of our Woozas. The inaugural Alumnae Walk will be held on Saturday 8 August 2026.

This fundraising event will include a two-hour guided Urban Discovery Walk hosted by GirlsTrek, followed by refreshments. During this relaxed afternoon, we will combine conversation, connection, and gentle exploration of Brisbane’s river city.

Funds raised will support the Alumnae Awards Fund, helping to increase the impact of the Mary Wooza Scholarship and Alumnae Awards Scholarship, which provide life-changing opportunities for Women’s College residents.

Further details will be announced soon.

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

The first meeting for 2026 will be held on Tuesday 24 March. Join alumna Joanna Jenkins (1982 – 1984) for a discussion about her debut novel, How to Kill A Client. This discussion will be facilitated by alumna Olivia Williamson (1999 – 2003).

It’s not too late to join the meeting. Complete the Expression of Interest by Friday 20 March.

Next meeting dates and books

Tuesday 16 June | The Bluff with alumna Joanna Jenkins (1982 – 1984)
Tuesday 15 September | Breaking Badly with 2025 Inspirational Alumna Award winner Georgie Dent (2000)
Tuesday 8 December | Book and alumna author to be confirmed

Last chance to join the Women’s Alumnae Mentoring Program

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 this Friday (20 March) and help shape the future of a Wooza.

Pictured: Mentors and mentees at the 2025 Career Mentoring Formal Dinner.

Share your story in FREDA

FREDA is our award-winning digital magazine for alumnae. Issues are published annually and feature stories about our worldwide community of alumnae.

We are delighted to invite you to contribute to the next issue of FREDA. Whether you have a career milestone, personal achievement, or fond college memory to share, we welcome your submissions for this year’s edition.

To share your story with fellow alumnae, please complete the FREDA story submission form. We look forward to celebrating your journey and experiences with the Women’s College community in our 2026 issue.

Around the Alumnae Community

Meet the newest Fellow of the College

Alumna Judith Anderson OAM (1964 – 1966) was inducted as the newest Fellow of The Women’s College at the Academic Dinner & Alumnae Awards on Thursday 12 March.

The Award of Fellow of the College is the highest recognition that the College can bestow. Fellowships honour persons of eminence and high achievement in the community.

College Council President Joanna Jenkins presented Judith with the Fellowship (pictured).

We look forward to sharing more about Judith’s Fellowship and her remarkable contribution in our next issue of FREDA.

Celebrating the achievements of the 2026 Alumnae Award Winners

We were delighted to recognise four exceptional alumnae at last week’s Academic Dinner & Alumnae Awards, celebrating their outstanding leadership and meaningful contributions to their professions and communities.

The following alumnae were recognised for their leadership and contributions in making meaningful impact in their professions and communities:

Kristie Young (1992 – 1994), Alumna of the Year Award Winner
Rachel Mackenzie (1991 – 1993), Community Alumna Award Winner
Libby Munro (2000 – 2002), Inspirational Alumna Award Winner
Bronte Langbroek (2011 – 2013), Young Alumna Award Winner

These remarkable alumnae represent the very best of the Women’s College community. Each has forged an impressive path in her field while contributing to positive change in industry, community, and society more broadly.

With many current students in the room, the evening was also a powerful reminder of the importance of visible leadership.

Learn more about the 2026 winners on our dedicated Alumnae Awards webpage.

Thanking our alumnae donors

It was wonderful to see so many alumnae donors at the Academic Dinner & Alumnae Awards, representing those who support our Academic, Leadership, Sports and Community Prizes, and Scholarships.

Barbara Page-Hanify Prize | Barbara Page-Hanify OAM (1951 – 1953)
Suellen Topfer Prize | Dr Nadine Garraway (1984 – 1986) and Joanna Jenkins (1982 – 1984)
WISER Prize | Joanne Bergamin (1992 – 1994)
Brisbane Women’s Club Young Achiever Prize | Jacqui Schultz (1993 – 1995)
Sallyanne Atkinson Leadership Prize | Sallyanne Atkinson AO (1960)
Alumnae Awards Scholarship | Amanda Johnston-Pell (1989 – 1991), Dr Margie Bale (1991 – 1994), Professor Susan Moloney (1981 – 1983), Jo Cope (1988 – 1990) and Jo Harris (1990 – 1992)

Celebrating 112 Years of The Women’s College

This year’s Back to Women’s Champagne High Tea was a special celebration of the College’s 112th Birthday, reflecting on its journey from 19 foundation residents in 1914 to the vibrant community it is today.

We were delighted to welcome alumnae from the ‘06 decades for an afternoon of reconnection, reminiscence, and shared memories, with the spirit of community evident throughout.

A highlight was the panel discussion featuring former student leaders Dr Cathy Whiteman (1986), Dr Louise Brown (1996), Dr Caroline Gee (2006), and Alex Barber (2016), facilitated by 2026 Community Alumna Award Winner Rachel Mackenzie. Their reflections underscored the lasting impact of the Women’s College experience.

Thank you to all who joined us to celebrate this milestone and the generations of women who continue to shape our community.

Pictured top right: (L – R) Alex Barber (2016 Senior Resident Assistant), Student Club President Aurelia Furey, Deputy Senior Resident Assistant Emily Brown, and Anne Thacker (1976 Student Club President) cut the birthday cake.

Pictured right: The Back to Women’s panellists and facilitator (L – R) Dr Caroline Gee, Dr Cathy Whiteman, Rachel Mackenzie, Dr Louise Brown and Alex Barber.