A BRIEF HISTORY
On the 1st of May 1850, the Clara sailed into Wellington harbour, bringing with it four heavily-veiled young women, whose commitment and labour would set the foundation for St Mary’s College Wellington. The young women ranged in age from 21 down to only 11. Their companions on the ship included Bishop Viard, other teachers, Marist Brothers, and Māori catechists.
Donations from Henry Petre and Wellington Catholics allowed for the land and building of a Cathedral and convent school, which was blessed and opened on 8 September 1850. For 170 years now, St Mary’s has been educating girls and fostering Wisdom and Mercy.
The Board of Proprietors and the STMC Alumni encourage and facilitate the generous gifts and donations which flow from past students, families, and businesses who have had a past or current connection with the college.
Our focus over the coming months is to ensure that the vision and passion of sisterhood through Catherine McAuley's eyes and endeavours continue to educate and empower our young women.
Areas to support
You can direct your donation to are,
- Scholarships, Growing Great Women!
- Student Experiences,
- Equipment and Technology,
- Teaching and Leadership,
- Building Infrastructure and Enhancement,
- Student Financial Hardship,
- General Board of Proprietors Fund (infrastructure of the college, building upgrades, etc)
Our alumni have made names for themselves in New Zealand and abroad as successful women with strong Mercy values and character.
We invite you to support the college to continue providing valuable education to grow women of distinction.
Giving is so rewarding
School fees and Ministry of Education funds alone do not provide all the funds needed to secure our goals for the future of St Mary’s College.
Your gift will enable us to grow funds to invest in our school’s facilities, support programmes that would otherwise not be available at our school, and educate students whose families are unable to cover attendance dues.
Every gift, no matter its size, when combined with all the gifts from our community, can make a significant impact on our school and our girls.
The purpose of the Board of Proprietors is two-fold:
- to uphold and foster the Special Character and Mercy values
- to hold and maintain the buildings used by St Mary's College, including planning and carrying out improvements and capital works on the property.
The desired outcome is to enrich life at the College through school community-funded initiatives and projects, such as the creation of a cultural space honouring our Pacifika and Māori heritage.
Tēnā rawa atu koutou. Fa’afetai tele lava. Thank you.
We are grateful to all who have supported us by giving in the past. Your generosity has helped provide support for our students, such as a Scholarship Programme, teacher development in special character, and retreats for students and staff.
St Mary’s College is a registered charity (CC46601), and gifts are tax-deductible.
Why do people donate to scholarships?
The beauty of helping students through a scholarship is that your gift will benefit students where they most need help.
A scholarship can immediately impact students, giving them a chance, or a second chance, to pursue their education. And the effects of that gift – investing in our future leaders – last a lifetime.
There are a number of ways that you can help St Mary's college scholarship fund. This can be a one-off donation, or on an annual basis.
Your donation towards a scholarship can help a student towards paying their fees, their uniform, or other items they need to support their educational journey with the college.
Giving options
- Donation,
- Scholarship with or without a criteria
- Will/Bequest
Or, in kind. Can you provide goods and services? There are many ways you can give, other than in monetary terms.
If you have particular criteria on how and what you wish to donate please talk to or email the Alumni office.
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