Torch - Fall 2014

“

As an Old Girl, you are always going to be a part of this community—a community that will support you beyond the ivy.

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—Louise Yearwood

“Everyone benefits from having a mentor in their life and it’s gratifying to be able to help a younger professional. If you are a leader or an executive, there’s a responsibility for you to ‘light the way’ for others to follow in your footsteps and to give back what you’ve been fortunate to have experienced,”Marilyn says. “With Havergal, it’s the common connection—the shared experience as Old Girls—that makes the mentoring relationship that much easier.” Staying Connected To run a successful alumnae program, the school offers a variety of activities that appeal to a wide audience who are at different stages of their lives (for a list of programs, see page 20). In addition, HOGA works tirelessly to engage Old Girls, both locally and internationally, in their learning through participation in social events and professional networking opportunities. HOGA keeps its programming fresh and responsive to the needs of its members. Last year, HOGA offered a new series of breakfast workshops and lunch- and-learns in the Bay Street Corridor focused on entrepreneurship and networking, organized a tour of a law firm’s private art collection (social networking) and hosted an Old Girls golf clinic and reception. An annual tradition, Reunion Weekend (held on the same weekend as Celebration Saturday) is central to the school’s alumnae program. Old Girls are invited back to the school every five years to celebrate with their classmates. This year, on September 27, more than 320 Old Girls from 1944 to 2009, from those classes ending in ’4 and ’9 were honoured at Reunion Weekend 2014. “Reunion Weekend is at the core of our work with our Old Girls. The event provides an occasion for Old Girls to come back to the

According to Jill, the mentor-mentee relationship is based on both giving and receiving. “I enjoy the satisfaction of giving back and helping someone else. I always learn from those whom I mentor, as they bring different perspectives to the conversation.” Taylor fully appreciates the power of the Old Girls network. “I look forward to coming back to Havergal and forming connections. One day, I’d like to do the same thing Ms. Fraser did for me. I would have never had this connection outside of this school,” Taylor adds.

Mentoring Journeys: Old Girl to Old Girl

The Havergal Mentoring Program offers a framework through which mentees can explore their potential, share life experiences and set strategies to realize their professional and personal goals. Mentoring Journeys, the long-term mentoring program, connects experienced Old Girls with fellow Old Girls who are just starting out and seeking guidance about their career goals. In its nine years, the program has matched and supported more than 60 pairs of mentors/mentees. In 2009, Julia Moore 2006 participated in Mentoring Journeys and was matched with Marilyn Prowse De Mara 1971. The two Old Girls, both accountants in the charitable sector, shared many similarities that made them a natural mentoring pair. When they first met, Julia had two years under her belt at Ernst & Young, while Marilyn, a seasoned chartered accountant, was the first woman to become a partner at KPMG LLP in 1985. Their mentoring relationship lasted two years, enriching both their lives and proving equally rewarding for the mentor and mentee.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS | FALL 2014 • TORCH 19