Emily Hensley Award – Nominate an OG today!
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Emily Hensley Award – Nominate an OG today!

The Emily Hensley Award is designed to recognise the wonderfully diverse achievements of our young alumnae. Focused on celebrating individuals under the age of 40, the Award gives Old Grammarians the opportunity to share what they’ve been doing since leaving school and inspire students and other members of the community, to pursue their passions.

At Melbourne Girls Grammar, so many of our past students go on to achieve amazing things. They continue to embrace the School values and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to a chosen field of endeavour. They are energetic, confident and determined to make a contribution to the wider community through their voice and action.

Emily Hensley was one of two founding principals of our school, in 1893. Her life embodies the values of our school and this award, aptly named the Emily Hensley Award, continues her legacy and recognises young women today whose lives resonate with the same spirit.

The Emily Hensley Award is open to any Old Grammarian who is aged 40 years or younger at the time of application and who can demonstrate the three criteria outlined below. Any member of the Melbourne Girls Grammar community may nominate a young Old Grammarian for an award including staff, Old Grammarians, current families, past families, community partners and friends of MGGS. Old Grammarians can also self-nominate.

 

Emily Hensley Award Criteria

  • SCHOOL VALUES: The Emily Hensley Award recipient must demonstrate the School values – courage, self-discipline, integrity and compassion – through their actions and conduct.
  • COMMITMENT: The Emily Hensley Award recipient must demonstrate their commitment to a chosen field of endeavour. This may include, but is not limited to, a particular project, continued learning, career progression and/or personal growth.
  • CONTRIBUTIONS: The Emily Hensley Award recipient must show that they have made a contribution to the wider community through engagement. This may include but is not limited to philanthropic action, involvement in community programs, relief support and/or service/volunteer work.

 

Read more about the previous winners of the Emily Hensley Award and their achievements below, and click below to self-nominate or nominate an Old Grammarian today. 

NOMINATE AN OLD GRAMMARIAN

 

Ginger Ridgeway (2006)

2023 Recipient: Law & Human Rights

Ginger Ridgeway (2006) was awarded the 2023 Emily Hensley Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution and commitment towards advancing social justice, law reform and self-determination for First Nations Peoples in Australia, and in her demonstration of the MGGS values. 

For the past twelve years Ginger has worked in policy, strategy, research and advocacy. She honed her knowledge of international treaty instruments at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in Geneva, Switzerland. There, Ginger undertook legal research, analysis and stakeholder engagement for the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) during respective sessions to determine member countries’ adherence to and violation of international human rights.

Read more about ginger

Dr Francesca Valmorbida McSteen (2005)

2022 Co-recipient: Medicine

Dr Francesca Valmorbida McSteen (2005) has demonstrated tremendous leadership during her many years of education and training. She has been a co-ordinator, educator, convenor, mentor, adviser, representative and is continuously seeking ways to contribute and make change for the better. Through this award, we want to recognise the significant contributions that Francesca has made to the community, to her profession and those around her.

According to her friend Athena Kellis (Scotis, 1965), Francesca was an outstanding student at MGGS, serving as Debating Captain, the Amnesty International Convenor and receiving prizes for excellence in French, English, Literature, Ethical Studies and the ‘Swannie Award’ for Debating at the Debaters Association Victoria in Year 12.

Read more about francesca

Sarah Giles (2001)

2022 Co-recipient: Performing Arts

Since her first experience directing theatre during her time at MGGS, Sarah has committed herself entirely and passionately to the pursuit of being a director.

She studied at The University of Melbourne, completing a Bachelor of Arts whilst continuing to pursue her dream of making theatre. She performed in plays at Union House Theatre, directed shows at Ormond College and La Mama Theatre in Carlton, assisted on professional productions at Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In 2007, she successfully auditioned for NIDA, where she was one of six directing students accepted to study in 2008. Her graduating production of The Bald Soprano by Ionesco was such a huge success that it landed her a placement at the Griffin Theatre in Sydney where she was their Affiliate Director in Residence.

Read more about sarah

Melissa Yang (2000)

2021 Recipient: Medicine

Dr Melissa Yang (Class of 2000) has dedicated her study, career and life to putting others before herself. Through this award, we want to recognise significant contributions Melissa has made to the community, to her profession and those around her.  

According to her friend Heidi Holmes (Peat, 2000), Melissa is the ultimate silent warrior, doing the quiet work behind the scenes, the work that goes unrewarded, unrecognised but is ultimately the most important being done. Heidi says her friend has never sought attention, gratitude or extra reward for the voluntary work and caring she’s done over the years. She believes Melissa’s work and life really reflect the MGGS School values.

During her studies in Medicine, Melissa met her future husband, Dr Ian Davis. Not long after they got engaged, Ian was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). In the years to come, Melissa and Ian worked together to establish what would eventually become a household name in Fight MND 

Read more about melissa

Anika Molesworth (2005)

2020 Recipient: Agriculture & Science

As an Australian agroecology scientist and farmer, Dr Anika Molesworth is a thought-leader of food systems resilience and a researcher in international agriculture development.

Growing up on her family’s sheep farm in NSW, Anika’s passion for agricultural resilience was prompted by a decade-long drought and witnessing the challenges this brought to the Australian farming community. From this point, Anika began a career in seeking how to build resilience in fragile farming systems and has worked hard at promoting and advocating for sustainable agriculture and vibrant rural communities.

In 2014, Anika established Climate Wise Agriculture, which is a platform that shares knowledge on the topic of climate change as it relates to agriculture. She is a Founding Director of Farmers for Climate Action, a farmer-led organisation that advocates for climate solutions which support rural communities and was appointed Deputy Chair of the organisation this year.

Read more about anika

Submit your nomination by Sunday 20 October 2024 at 11.59 pm.

For enquiries, please contact the Marketing and Community Engagement Office:
P: 03 9862 9200
E: awards@mggs.vic.edu.au