The St Catherine’s School Foundation is a society of donors providing financial support to change the course of student lives.

Each year, since 1996, we welcome new members to join us in the pursuit of the best possible facilities, opportunities, equipment and programs for St Catherine’s girls in whose hands lies our future.

The Foundation is proud and delighted to welcome two new members this year – Brianna Zhou and Tony Shu.

We invite you to read their responses to our Q & A below.

We also encourage you to view the Foundation Prospectus, which outlines what the Foundation expects to deliver in 2021, supported by the generosity of our members.

 

New Members, Brianna Zhou and Tony Shu

Firstly, why St Catherine’s School?

Before attending St Catherine’s, our daughters were in a small girls’ school, starting from ELC and had a lovely experience there. 

 After visiting a couple of other schools, Lissette decided she wished to attend St Catherine’s and made this decision very independently. She was immediately fond of our Principal, Michelle Carroll, and the warm school culture that reverberated. She also fell in love with the many opportunities associated with the STEM program and range of co-curricular activities. She is currently very content and looks forward to being nurtured into a well-rounded individual alongside her peers.

How much of an impact do you think your giving makes?  

We are really pleased to support the St Catherine’s Building Fund, in particular the development of the Blackbox Theatre. The Blackbox Theatre will play a vital role in our girls’ School life. The skills and experiences they gain from the collaborative performances and events will hopefully provide them with confidence for other aspects of their academic, Co-curricular and social life. We intend to shape them to become women of the future. 

What personal meaning does this funding area have for you/your family?

Brianna: My grandfather graduated from West China Union University (WCUU), which was formed in 1904 by the Union of Four Missions. He graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of the State of New York in 1935. He had a deep appreciation of the people who founded WCUU and who subsequently helped him complete his education.  This is how we come to know the importance of raising funds to support educational institutions. Our family is always looking for the right opportunity to give back. We believe my grandfather would be proud of our contribution. 

How do you think we should encourage the next generation to give?

I think by understanding how people used to live; by understanding the challenges of the past, we can all better appreciate what we have today. From the experience of our ancestors, we learn the impact of giving back now.  Lissette, in fact both our daughters, learn from the act of participation and generosity, which I’m sure are not foreign to any of us. We truly believe in leading by example, which will spur our future generations to achieve more using their compassion and innovation.