We love to hear from our alumni and welcome you back to visit our school. If you have a story you’d like to share about your time at Moerlina, or about what you’ve achieved since leaving Moerlina, please email us.
Here is what some of our recent and past alumni are up to.
Marcus Canning,
2017 Western Australian of the Year Arts & Culture Award
Marcus Canning is best known as the founder and CEO of the WA Fringe Festival which is now the third biggest event of its kind in the world.
Marcus attended Moerlina School when it was located at the Homecrafts Pavilion in the Claremont Showgrounds.
Ryan Lister (1984 – 1990),
Professor at UWA and The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research
Recent prizes include
- 2014 Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year (PM’s Science awards)
- 2014 Ruth Stephens Gani Medal (Australian Academy of Science)
- 2014 Viertel Foundation fellowship
- 2015 Metcalf Prize
After Moerlina, I completed high school at John XXIII and went on to study science at UWA, where I received a BSc and a Phd. I was then awarded a Human Frontier Science Program fellowship which enabled me to work at the Salk Institute in California. Upon completion of my post doctoral work, I returned to a professorial position at UWA to start my own epigenetics lab.
Moerlina gave me the confidence to follow my natural curiosity and passion for discovery. I was encouraged to explore the natural world – to go out and get amongst it.
Jadzia Bamford (2007 – 2012), Perth Modern
My time at Moerlina was awesome. I loved the learning environment and the teachers, along with the opportunity to make life-long friends. The school’s programs and learning opportunities were amazing and I was always particularly inspired by the art program. Art isn’t so much a subject at Moerlina, but a way of looking and interpreting the world. The strong foundations in technique and observation learned at Moerlina helped me become a finalist in the ’25 Under 25′ Art Awards. Moerlina taught me not just to think outside-of-the box, but to question – who made the box and why does it only have four sides? In 2014, I was offered a place at an academic select school, Perth Modern. Being part of the Moerlina community was a very special privilege. My whole family misses it so much. Mum still talks about maths club and my little sister misses playing in the bases and the monkey bars. It’s the smallest school with the biggest heart.
Nick Sokolich (2003-2008) studying Engineering at UWA
Moerlina recognises that each individual’s learning style is unique and guides them so they get the most from their learning experience while at the school. While at Moerlina, I established the foundations for certain key learning and study habits that later developed to suit the rigour of Year 11 and 12. Not only did Moerlina nurture my academic strengths, they would recognise my academic weaknesses and help me work out a way to overcome them. Without this support the transition into high school, I believe, would have been much harder. In my Year 12 WACE I achieved an ATAR of 99.95, and am currently studying a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science at UWA. After I complete the three year undergraduate degree at UWA I hope to transfer to the University of Sydney and finish my degree in a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering.
