Walk the Mile

There is plenty of stuff out there telling us how we can find happiness. But what is it that we are looking for? Dr Caroline West is a SCEGGS parent and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sydney, where she teaches and researches on topics ranging from ethics to happiness. She is a popular public speaker and writer and is currently working on a book on the philosophy of happiness. In our discussion we talk about the value of philosophy, a historical view of happiness and what it might look like for the individual. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Everyone that’s ever been to school would have had to study Science at some stage. While it provides many answers to some of our questions, it is also a subject that offers a whole lot more. Dr Joseph Guss is part of our Science Department and in this episode we discuss the practice of science, how it connects with philosophy and belief, and what it means to teach scientifically. A very interesting conversation which might sound a bit lofty but is really quite reflective and personal.

Fashion has been fashionable since the dawn of time. The clothes we wear say a lot about us, the things that are important to us, how we see our place in the world. And fashion extends to all sorts of creative practices that we participate in. Madeleine Park has her own podcast which deals with this area of fashion and identity. We discuss her passion for fashion, her quest to gather a deeper understanding of societal trends and individual leanings, and the need for more thought and effort in the area of sustainable fashion. I found this to be an enlightening conversation and hope you do too.

SCEGGS has had a long tradition of producing accomplished female artists and encouraging all students to create and explore through their own artistic ability. Some would argue that it is not only important to education but to life itself. Heidi Jackson is the Head of Visual Arts at SCEGGS and has a deep passion for her subject that goes well beyond her role as a teacher. She even has an exhibition coming up in the next couple of weeks with some other members of her department. Our conversation considers the value of art, what it tells us about ourselves and why it is important to society. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

When you can make a career out of something you are passionate about it has the opportunity to provide countless rewards, many of them unexpected. Abby-Rose Schmidt, an Old Girl from the class of 2012, talks about why she loves nursing, her philosophy of the profession and what it was like to be an ICU nurse during a pandemic. It’s a great story of compassion and serving others in their time of struggle.

The practice of mindfulness has become more popular over the last few years as our society deals with the chaos and busyness of life. The application of this practice can sometimes be difficult and approached with cynicism or caution. Amy Marrero is the Mindfulness Co-ordinator at SCEGGS and in this podcast she breaks down some of the misconceptions that we might have. Amy explains how she became interested in mindfulness, its benefits to all people in all situations, some helpful techniques and its place in education. I hope you find it interesting.

Throughout sports history there have been a number of games that were once considered to be the domain of men only: soccer, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, AFL. It has been great to see how that has all changed and there have been  a number of competitions and significant women that have pioneered a path that has inspired countless girls to give it a go. One of our Old Girls, Emily Chancellor (Class of 2009), has been one of those women who is passionate about rugby. She has played for the New South Wales Waratahs, the Wallaroos in the World Cup and is now playing semi-professionally for the Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby competition, the top level of English rugby union. She speaks about how she got there, what its like, and where she is hoping to go. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

There are a wide range of causes and projects that, on any given day, we might be called upon to donate towards. In the end, it is up to the individual to consider what philanthropy might mean to them, how they might want to contribute, what they think is worthy of their contribution or even if it’s necessary. In this episode, two very active members of our parent body, Christy Boyce and Matt Jones, share their thoughts on giving and how it plays an important part in their thinking and practice.

The journey of a full-time athlete can be a unique and bumpy experience in the effort to succeed at their given sport. This episode is a conversation with Marina Carrier, an Old Girl from the Class of 2014, who has represented Australia in the Modern Pentathlon in the Olympics. She talks about her years devoted to the sport, the things she learnt, the highs and the lows. We also discuss what its like to face retirement in her twenties. A very insightful and interesting discussion that I hope you enjoy.  

If you had the same school experience as me, Social Science was basically map reading and rock formations. From this conversation with our Head of Social Sciences, Zoe Thompson, I have been pleasantly enlightened to see how it is so much more and how it helps us to understand the world we live in, even on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did.