One of the greatest strengths of the Ivanhoe Girls' community is the way our alumni continue to live our values long after they leave the School. Through their leadership, service, innovation and commitment to creating positive change, they make a meaningful contribution to communities both locally and globally.

This year, the Ivanhoe Girls' Old Grammarians' Association (IGOGA) was delighted to launch the inaugural IGOGA Fellowship, established to support alumni in developing social enterprises and community impact initiatives that create positive social, environmental or community outcomes. The Fellowship recognises the strong sense of social justice and community service fostered at Ivanhoe Girls’ and offers a grant of up to $5,000 to help alumni launch or grow initiatives aligned with our School Values and GROW Wellbeing Framework.

The response to the inaugural Fellowship was exceptional. Applications opened in May, and following a rigorous process that included eligibility screening, shortlisting, reference checks, interviews and panel deliberation, the selection panel was faced with the difficult task of choosing from a field of highly accomplished applicants. The quality of submissions was a powerful reflection of the impact that Ivanhoe Girls' graduates continue to have in their professions, communities and areas of passion.

Given the outstanding calibre of applications received, the decision was made to award the inaugural Fellowship jointly to Mia Koufalas (Class of 2021) and Lilian Xu (Class of 2018). Their projects are very different in focus, yet both embody the values of courage and connectedness that are hallmarks of an Ivanhoe Girls' education.

At last week's Senior School Assembly, students had the privilege of hearing from Lilian, who shared her journey from Ivanhoe Girls' student to founder of Ludis, a circular economy start-up transforming used tennis balls into sustainable shoe sole materials. Inspired by her lifelong involvement in tennis, Lilian identified a significant environmental challenge and set about creating a practical solution. Through partnerships with tennis clubs, schools, councils and footwear brands, Ludis aims to divert used tennis balls from landfill and repurpose them into valuable new products.

Lilian's presentation was a powerful reminder that meaningful change often begins with curiosity and the confidence to act on an idea. She encouraged students to recognise the opportunities around them, reminding them that age should never be a barrier to making a difference. The Fellowship will support research into increasing the amount of recycled tennis ball crumb from 15% to 25% in each shoe sole to further minimise landfill and increase the positive environmental impact of each sole produced.

Fellow recipient Mia Koufalas is currently completing a Bachelor of Medicine and Doctor of Medicine at Monash University and volunteers with the Colorectal Surgery Australia and New Zealand Charity Group (CRSANZ). Mia's Fellowship project focuses on improving healthcare outcomes in Sri Lanka through the provision of medical resources and increased hand hygiene, support for cataract surgeries and the delivery of healthcare education and outreach initiatives. Drawing on her experiences in medicine and humanitarian work, Mia is committed to addressing health inequities and supporting vulnerable communities across the Asia-Pacific region.

Together, Mia and Lilian represent the excellence of our alumni community. Their projects tackle complex global challenges through innovation, compassion and a deep commitment to improving the lives of others. They demonstrate that success is not only measured by personal achievement, but also by the positive impact we have on the communities around us.

As we prepare to launch empowerED in 2027, Mia and Lilian's stories provide a wonderful example of the powerful learning partnerships that can exist between our students and alumni. Through mentoring relationships, authentic real-world projects, industry connections and shared experiences, our alumni community will play an important role in helping students explore opportunities, develop their aspirations and connect their learning with purpose. We look forward to creating even more opportunities for students to engage with graduates such as Mia and Lilian as empowerED comes to life next year.

I extend my congratulations to both recipients and thank IGOGA for its vision in establishing this important Fellowship. I also acknowledge the Selection Panel and thank all those who took the time to apply. We look forward to following Mia and Lilian’s journeys over the coming year and sharing their progress with our community.

Ms Narelle Umbers
Principal