Stories by topic
Burning down the house
How Ormond has stayed warm and light over its history, from burning gas to burning fireplaces.
All the crackpots do philosophy
I commenced residence in Ormond in 1966, just as the waves of baby boomers began to hit the tertiary education system, to alter it irrevocably. These are extracts from diaries and letters from my early weeks
The power of ambition, empathy and hope
Lawyer and writer Nyadol Nyuon (2012) has achieved impressive career success, all while advocating for the unheard and the vulnerable. And she’s kept her sense of humour throughout.
Bookish haunts
Learning has long been a central part of College life, and with that has come the need for a library.
Turning curiosity into a career
Curious about her own experiences as a lawyer, radio host, author and more, Lisa Leong (1990) has turned asking questions about work into a career in itself.
Training the next generation of entrepreneurs
The Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship was established in 2015 with a generous gift from alumni Peter Wade (1971), to deliver immersive education programs for entrepreneurs, investors and educators.
Accounting for cows
A deep dive into Ormond's accounting archives a century ago turns up everything from cows to a lot of marmalade.
Shifting the narrative in Hollywood
The company Sarah Hardern (1990) founded with Reese Witherspoon tells the women-centred stories that Hollywood has long neglected.
The Triggle
Between 1937 and 1973, the 'triggle' was an after-dinner walk taken by students of Ormond and University Women's College.
Blooming marvellous
Ormond’s beautiful gardens are one of the delights of life on campus. But this wasn’t always the case, and they have changed over time.
More ice-cream, less liver
From the first meal of bread and cheese in 1881 through many roasts, puddings and soups, the history of dining at Ormond tells us much about food in Australia in the last 140 years.