2021 Leavers One Year On...

With the Valedictory celebrations now over, the 2022 Leavers are turning their attention to their exams. While they are busy with their heads in textbooks, we thought we’d catch up with the 2021 Leavers to see what they have been up to since leaving Pembroke and what advice they would give to the graduating class.

Georgie Orchard

What are you up to at the moment?
I am currently studying medical science at Flinders University with the hope of eventually doing the Doctor of Medicine. During school I wanted to take a gap year, but with COVID the things that I wanted to do were not as easy to organise. However, I still wanted to gain experiences such as living out of home and meeting new people. Therefore, I decided to move to St Mark's College, which is a residential college with 250 university students from all across the country and world. Moving to college has been one of the best decisions I could have made. It’s basically like boarding with your best friends and with no rules! I also work at Kookai and a local pub in my spare time. In the coming years I am planning on taking a year off to travel, hopefully in America or a snow season in Europe so fingers crossed!

What was one thing that has stuck with you since leaving Pembroke?
Since leaving Pembroke something that has stuck with me most has been the Pembroke community. Everywhere I go there is always someone who went to Pembroke and can share the same great experiences. Even at college there are students years above me who went to Pembroke and we often love to share our similar experiences of camps, Middle School square dances and formals.

What advice would you give to the 2022 Leavers?
Some advice I would give to the 2022 Leavers is to enjoy the journey and to do what you love and makes you happy. There are so many opportunities out there and it is completely fine if you don’t know what you want to do yet, take your time, explore and enjoy. Good luck!

Ned Carruthers

What are you up to at the moment?
Since graduating, I have been accepted into The University of Adelaide studying a double degree in International Relations and Media. I have also joined the Old Scholars community, playing football for the Kings. The Club had an extremely successful season seeing two of our teams finish with a premiership, with my B Grade falling just short in the grand final. My face has still been around the school a bit more than expected, as I took on the coaching role for Year 9 Football and Year 7 Cricket with fellow leaver William Hammond.

What was one thing that has stuck with you since leaving Pembroke?
The main thing that has stuck with me since leaving is Pembroke’s strong community. Getting involved at the football club has been a fantastic experience that has let me meet many new people while also keeping me in contact with my mates from school. It is also great when I see fellow Pembroke Leavers around the Adelaide Uni campus and elsewhere. Everyone I’ve bumped into has been happy to have a quick chat and catch-up, which is always nice.

What advice would you give to the 2022 Leavers?
Enjoy the break! You have now finished your official schooling, so do what you want to do and enjoy this new freedom. Travel, work, study – just remember that whatever you decide to go do, the connections and friendships you have made in the Pembroke community will continue to support you and be there when you need it.

Lucy Sharman

What are you up to at the moment?
After I was accepted into Health and Med Science at Adelaide Uni, I decided to take a gap year to have a break from studying and focused on hockey. I received a SASI scholarship at the start of 2022, to join their hockey program full time. At the Adelaide Hockey Club, we unfortunately finished the season in the prelim finals, however throughout the season, I was able to travel to Perth and Brisbane for various hockey commitments and have recently been selected in the Hockey One Adelaide Fire team. Outside of hockey, I worked at a bakery until September then I moved to Glenunga International High School where I tutored and mentored students with learning difficulties. After school I had no idea what I wanted to do, and the gap year gave me more time to consider what exactly it was, therefore I have recently changed my course to Health Sciences in Nutrition and Exercise at UniSA.

What was one thing that has stuck with you since leaving Pembroke?
Since leaving Pembroke something that has stuck with me would be the importance of making connections and putting yourself out there to give yourself opportunities. Even though some things may be difficult and out of your comfort zone, it is exciting and you have to learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

What advice would you give to the 2022 Leavers?
There is so much pressure from society and others around you to have your life sorted as soon as you leave school, however since leaving school I have realised that this is definitely not the case. Leaving school and not knowing what you want to do is completely fine and some advice I would give the Leavers is to take the time if you need to figure everything out. You don’t need to rush into anything and it is ok to not know what you want to do.

Dylan Worswick

What are you up to at the moment?
I am currently studying mechanical engineering/computer science at the University of Adelaide and was fortunate to be the 2022 recipient of the Andy Thomas Scholarship. I intend to major in aerospace engineering and hope to work within South Australia's emerging space industry.

What has stuck with you since leaving Pembroke?
I was fortunate to have outstanding Maths, Science and English teachers who taught me to think creatively and apply knowledge to solve scientific problems. This focus on critical thinking has stuck with me, and continues to help me with my tertiary studies.

What advice would you give to the 2022 Leavers?
My advice is to follow your passion when selecting a future career. For me, this consisted of a long-standing passion for aviation and space, which guided my choices for university education. I also encourage students to engage with the wide array of opportunities offered to students and old scholars. For example, engaging in the robotics cocurricular as a mentor has been an excellent way for me to remain in contact with friends, while gaining relevant career experience.

Sofia Suhinin

What are you up to at the moment?
I am currently living and studying in one of the most charming cities in the world, Boston, Massachusetts! I am studying at Boston University, where I am majoring in Environmental Sciences with a minor in Physics. In addition to this, I am on the Boston University women’s rowing team, where we are currently preparing to race in the Head of the Charles Regatta this upcoming weekend.

Since leaving Pembroke I have had many adventures (some expected and some unexpected), these include: visiting 7 out of the 8 Australian states/territories, living out of a caravan in rural Victoria for a week, working in a cellar door in the Adelaide Hills wine region, and running my first half-marathon.

What was one thing that has stuck with you since leaving Pembroke?
One thing that has truly stuck with me since leaving, is the connections and friendships I made in my years at Pembroke. I was lucky enough to be at Pembroke for six years, and as a result, was able to establish some pretty strong relationships with both my peers and teachers. When I look back at my time at Pembroke I don’t remember the stressful hours spent studying in the library, instead, I remember sitting outside the refectory eating lunch with my friends or the quick in-between class locker chats. Even now, 12 months down the track (and roughly 17,000 km away), I am still in frequent contact with many of my peers and teachers from Pembroke, and I know that the connections we made will stick with us for the rest of our lives.

What advice would you give to the 2022 Leavers?
This may be a tad cheesy, but my one word of advice to the 2022 Leavers would be to expect the unexpected. You may have your life planned out right now, or you may not, and both are perfectly okay. But be prepared that life does not always go the way we plan, ultimately, uncontrollable events happen every day, and sometimes the only thing you can do is to accept them and move forward. So, have an open mind and let the crazy roller coaster we call life take you on a ride.

India Wadlow

What are you up to at the moment?
At the moment I am juggling part-time work, full-time study at the University of South Australia doing Primary School Teaching Honours, and trying to fit in travel wherever I can. After recently graduating I am still very involved in the school community. As well as being a part of the Pembroke Old Scholars Committee, I play football for the Pembroke Queens Old Scholars team.

What has stuck with you since leaving Pembroke?
Since leaving Pembroke almost a year ago now there have been many experiences and lessons that I have held on to and put into practice in my personal and professional life. But the one element of Pembroke life that I have held onto the most is the relationships I built throughout my time in school. Not only have I maintained strong friendships and social connections but my relationship with past teachers and old scholars has been the basis for my network heading into the professional world of work and study. I was very fortunate to have amazing mentors who I can still call on thanks to my place in the Pembroke community.

What advice would you give to the 2022 Leavers?
My advice to the Pembroke Leavers of 2022 is to enjoy reaping the benefits of belonging to an institution like Pembroke in the years to come. Make sure to cherish the relationships you have been able to build over your school years, and I encourage you to stay close to the community that has been your home for several years and to give back whenever you can.