St Mary’s Women: Elizabeth Watson (Kennedy ’00)
POSTED March 29 2022 , Old Girls
IN 30 SECONDS
Class of: 2000
Tertiary education: Bachelor of Arts (Hons) majoring in European Studies, Cert IV in Musical Theatre, Cert III & IV in Fitness
Current role: Associate, Research and Analysis – Institutional Property Group at ANZ
Dream dinner guest: David Attenborough
Music you are currently listening to: The soundtrack to “Encanto” and “Sing 2” courtesy of my five-year-old son
Favourite subject at school: Music and Drama
Your experience at St Mary’s in 3 words: Creative, Competitive, Camaraderie
Where has life after St Mary’s taken you? Was it a different pathway to what others expected?
Life after St Mary’s has gone in a completely different direction from what others (myself included) would have expected. At school, I was heavily involved in music and drama, with my next favoured subjects being History and English Lit. I wanted to go into musical theatre or get a job with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, working as a diplomat. Instead, I landed a part-time job as a bank teller while in my final year of university and my whole career has been in banking! I worked for 10 years in the branch network, finishing up as branch manager, then moved across into a restructuring division that dealt with commercial customers experiencing hardship. In early 2019 I landed a role as an analyst in the institutional property finance team, which is where I am now and I love what I do. Not having a commerce/economics background has meant that I’ve needed to upskill my financial analysis skills on the job, but I am happiest when I’m learning so I find the challenging and fast-paced nature of my work to be very fulfilling.
What was the most valuable lesson that you learned at St Mary’s and how have you applied it to your life after school?
I think the (somewhat competitive) nature of St Mary’s means that we aren’t afraid to put ourselves out there and have our voices heard.
Was there a particular teacher or staff member who left a lasting impression on you? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
I will forever be thankful to my Year 12 maths teacher, Mrs Scott, who told me to drop Applicable Maths and do Discreet Maths instead (the slightly easier level). She said that I could struggle all year and get an average mark that would get scaled down, or I could coast through the easier class (which would likely get scaled up) and put my energy into the subjects I was good at and enjoyed, like music and drama. It made for a much less stressful year and produced a better outcome academically too.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Taking out the top prize for Drama in my year – it was a real validation that I had made the right choice by changing the level of maths I was doing so I could focus on what I was good at. How ironic that I now work in finance and spend my days working with numbers!
What is your fondest memory of your time at St Mary’s?
My fondest memories would have to be the music and drama performances, in particular singing in the joint choir with Hale. There’s something so magical about an 8-part harmony when it all comes together.
What is the most important message you want to give to current students thinking about their tertiary pathways and careers?
Don’t stress if you don’t know what you want to do or if you don’t get into the course you want at uni. School does not define you. University does not define you. Try instead to cultivate behaviours – be a good person, have a strong work ethic, grow others selflessly, take accountability for your actions and don’t be afraid to think creatively and challenge the status quo.