Lotte George (Class of 2021)

A conversation nine years ago with current All Saints’ College Principal, Belinda Provis, about shark eggs was a pivotal moment in Lotte George’s (Class of 2021) educational journey which she attributes to shaping her pathway.

During her interview for the Old Saints’ Scholarship, Lotte shared her interest in fossicking at the beach, and recounted discovering a washed-up Port Jackson shark egg. “Fortunately, Ms Provis was as enthusiastic as I was about shark eggs; it was a great conversation!” said Lotte.

“I believe I would not have had the incredible opportunity to undertake my secondary schooling at All Saints’ if it was not for this discussion,” she added. Lotte was the successful recipient of the Old Saints’ Scholarship (awarded to a child of a former ASC student) and commenced at the College in Year 7, 2016.

Her childhood fascination with marine biology sparked an interest in a biomedical context, and inspired Lotte to pursue a medical career after graduating from ASC in 2021. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, majoring in Pharmacology, with an Assured Pathway to a Master of Pharmacy at The University of Western Australia (UWA). Lotte’s dedication and passion were recently acknowledged with her being awarded one of only six Order of Australia Foundation Scholarships in 2023.  

Granted to young people in their second year of university who are exceptional in their field, this prestigious scholarship includes $40,000 in financial support, as well as a personal mentoring relationship with an Order of Australia recipient. In March this year, Lotte met with her mentor, Professor Peter Thompson AM, for the first time, where she was also able to go on a tour of the clinical trial laboratories at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.

“It was incredible to hear about Professor Thompson’s experiences in cardiology and research, and all he has achieved alongside his amazing career so far. I was immensely inspired by his rich scientific journey, and I can certainly say my passion for biomedical science has been ignited even further since this meeting!” said Lotte.

Apart from the invaluable mentorship, the scholarship has opened other doors for Lotte. It has allowed her to connect with other scholarship recipients who are passionate about making a positive change in their communities, and the financial support has meant she was able to pay off her HECS debt for the first two years of her degree.

Additionally, she has engaged in extracurricular opportunities, including volunteering with Teach Learn Grow and a volunteer internship placement at the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) through one of her university units. “I gained many valuable workplace skills at RFDS. It is an incredible and multifaceted healthcare organisation, and I am looking forward to working there again soon,” said Lotte.

Looking towards the future, Lotte envisions a career dedicated to medical specialisation, research and education. “Currently, my aim is to be a medical specialist in the field of cardiology, neurology, or anaesthesiology. Being able to work in the Primary Healthcare sector of the RFDS down the track, would be a dream come true. I also want to pursue my curiosity through medical research, and inspire others to follow their passions,” she said.

Wherever Lotte ends up, she looks forward to her continued association with All Saints’. “I am still coaching at Cross Country on Friday mornings and Athletics on Thursday afternoons; something I’ve been doing since Year 9. I believe cocurricular sports really helped balance my studies and allowed me to learn and develop many life skills, so I love being able to still coach the younger students and give back to the ASC community.”