Michelle Obama tells us, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”  – reminding us to be strong women who chase our dreams and never give up.

International Women’s Day was observed around the world on Saturday, 8 March to recognise the fight that women have and continue to face for equality alongside the women’s rights movement.  In recognition of this, Waikato University hosted an International Women’s Day Dinner on Monday, 10 March at the Northern Club for a number of girls’ high schools, with approximately 8-10 Year 13 students per school attending.  The evening was hosted by Ainsley Ludlam, one of our very own Carmel alumni and Student Engagement Manager in Auckland, who ensured that the event not only ran smoothly but also provided us with a delicious dinner and dessert.

Year 13 Carmel student, Amelia Wright, reflects on her experience saying, “I thought the international women’s day dinner was such a great evening where I loved hearing about different women’s experiences in school and work.” 

It was an evening filled with meaningful conversations among our peers, as well as inspiring talks by Professor Jennifer Milam (Deputy Vice Chancellor—Academic) and Dr Anna Kirk (University of Waikato Alumni and Barrister/Arbitrator), as well as Manvi Naicker, a current University of Waikato student with a degree in biomedical science who is pursuing a postgraduate diploma in teaching.  These women offered valuable insights and guidance as we begin to discover our paths and venture out into the world by sharing their experiences and challenges of being women in male-dominated settings.  One important quote from Dr Anna Kirk’s talk was, “If you only had 5% more courage, what would you do?” 

Kriya D’Sa, Head of Special Character