This important occasion celebrated the achievements of current Tara students across a range of academic and co-curricular areas. It was made even more memorable by the return of Dr Bolitho, who shared reflections on her own experiences as a student at Tara and the unexpected paths her life has taken since.

Dr Bolitho attended Tara from Year 7 to Year 12 and completed her HSC in 1996. As a student, she embraced the opportunities offered to her, particularly in science, a passion that would later shape much of her career. In 2001, she graduated from the University of Western Sydney with a Bachelor of Science, First Class Honours, and the University Medal. A year later, she was awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship and began her PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on vascular and protein changes in wound healing. During this time, she was also supported by the Joan Waugh Scholarship from the Tara Old Girls’ Association.

After completing her PhD in 2006, Dr Bolitho went on to work as a Postdoctoral Scientist at the Kolling Institute for Medical Research, investigating ovarian cancer. She then joined the Gene Therapy Unit at the Children’s Medical Research Institute in Westmead, contributing to pioneering research on genetic metabolic diseases of the liver. Her scientific work has been widely recognised, with multiple research grants, national and international conference presentations, and numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals.

In her address to the assembly, Dr Bolitho spoke candidly about her transition from the laboratory to the classroom. In 2016, after stepping back to focus on family and reassessing her professional goals, she completed a Graduate Diploma of Education and has since been teaching Science at Rouse Hill Anglican College. Now nearly a decade into her teaching career, she continues to share her passion for science in a new and deeply meaningful way.

Dr Bolitho’s speech echoed the Tara value of opportunity. She encouraged students to:

Pursue the things they love.

Strive to always do their best.

Take opportunities as they arise.

Find balance between work and family.

Build a strong support network of friends, family, colleagues, and community.

Embrace change without fear.

Keep learning — always.

Her visit was a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of a Tara education and the diverse and fulfilling paths our alumnae follow. We are incredibly grateful to Dr Bolitho for returning to Tara, sharing her story, and inspiring the next generation of Tara girls with her honesty, humility, and strength.