Principal's Event Series: International Women's Day Breakfast
Caulfield Grammar School marked International Women’s Day with two powerful events that brought students together to reflect on courage, leadership, and the importance of pursuing big questions and bold goals. As part of our Principal’s Event Series – designed to foster community engagement and spark conversations about issues that matter to our students and our time – our campuses welcomed extraordinary women whose stories challenged, encouraged, and inspired.
At Caulfield Campus, award-winning astrophysicist Dr Sara Webb shared her passion for exploring the universe and using artificial intelligence to hunt cosmic explosions. Named in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30, Sara leads space-based experiments through the Microgravity Platform and works with telescopes around the world to uncover the mysteries of deep space.
Speaking candidly about her journey in science, Sara reminded students that science is not just something to read about – it is something you can do. She answered questions with honesty and warmth, encouraging students to stay curious, embrace uncertainty, and continue asking big questions about space, technology, and the future they will help shape.
Meanwhile, at Wheelers Hill Campus, students heard from mountaineer Jennifer Willis, who is preparing to become the first Australian with multiple sclerosis to reach the summit of Everest. Diagnosed with MS in 2018, Jennifer chose not to step back, but to step forward – committing to live with clarity, courage, and purpose.
She spoke about her upcoming 2026 Everest attempt not as a quest for glory, but as an expression of leadership without ego, courage without bravado, and the quiet strength required to try again after setbacks. Her message to students was clear: failure is not the opposite of success, but an essential part of a wholehearted life.
Across both campuses, students were invited to consider what it means to lead, to persevere, and to pursue knowledge with curiosity and conviction. The stories shared by Dr Webb and Jennifer Willis offered two distinct yet equally powerful examples of women shaping their fields and redefining what is possible.
Caulfield Grammar School is proud to provide opportunities that broaden perspectives, challenge assumptions, and inspire students to approach their futures with confidence and purpose.
