Branksome Hall NOTABLE ALUMNI

For me, going to Branksome wasn’t just about ‘I’m going to see my friends tomorrow.’ It was seriously about ‘I’m going to see the building tomorrow, I’m going to see the teachers tomorrow’. They just shaped my entire time there. Every single teacher made every day so much brighter. The teachers are so passionate, and the buildings are so bright. The teachers are so passionate, the buildings are so bright. Even when I go back today, I’m like, ‘Ah, Branksome!’

There’s no doubt that Branksome shaped who I am as a person. I wouldn’t have become the obsessive leader that I am without Branksome. I love being in a leadership role. I wouldn’t have been in Drama without Branksome. And I think I wouldn’t have been as happy as a person as I am without Branksome. You can ask my mom: she always says ‘Branksome was the best thing that ever happened to you’. I just became so much happier. My outlook on everything improved.  I was more positive about everything. I think Branksome just made me the positive, bubbly person that I am—excited for life, excited for opportunity, and excited for everything to come.

I don’t think I would want to change anything about Branksome Hall. Everything was perfect for me. I feel silly saying this, but it was perfect. I wouldn’t be the person I am without Branksome Hall.

While I was at Branksome Hall my perspective changed from ‘going to school’ to calling it a ‘home’.  Along with many others in my grade, I started crying about leaving Branksome Hall at the start of January of our graduating year, and kept crying till the end of May. And that continued into First Year university, because we still wanted to be at Branksome Hall.  Honestly, to capture my obsession with the school, I graduated on a Thursday, and on Friday I was back at Branksome doing ‘Fit Friday’, even though I didn’t need to be there anymore, because we had graduated.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are such a big part of the conversation today, but I can honestly say, even though I was a student there 20 years ago, inclusivity was such a big part of my experience at Branksome Hall, well before it became part of a larger conversation in society. I didn’t come into the private school system until Grade 9, the expectations I had were those extreme ones you see in movies — like, really snobby, rude, rich kids, lobster for lunch. I didn’t know what I was walking into, and that absolutely wasn’t my experience at all. There were people there from various walks of life. Nobody was made to feel any different, no matter where you came from. It was a very welcoming experience, regardless of income, gender, or background. It was a very inclusive experience, and that’s the standard that Branksome has held up consistently for years.

My experience at Branksome Hall overall was wonderful. ... The skills and knowledge I learned, as well as the evolution of who I am now, is a true testament to what Branksome offers. ... I to this day carry the same sense of pride being a 'Branksome Girl' as I did when I attended. It is this pride that made me come back to work in the Junior School when completing my Masters of Education at the University of Toronto and why I continue to maintain my connection through my time on the Branksome Hall Alumnae Association.

As someone who has been an active member of the Branksome community for 28 years in the capacity of student, alum, employee, and volunteer, I can say with certainty this community is a fabulous one. Each group (student, employee, parent/family members, alums, etc.) has a part in our community and an eagerness to engage with one another. ... As an alum, I have really enjoyed staying connected to the school and hearing about the growth and success of Branksome from the school through publications, emails, etc. I look forward to this year's reunion (my 15th!) to see all from not only my year but the years before and after mine. Once a Branksome student, always a Branksome student!

One thing I found surprising was the connections between alumni from Branksome. I didn’t really expect ‘Alum Life’ to be as big as it is. I kind of thought that once you graduate, that chapter is closed. I’ve had different Branksome Hall alumni reach out to me and say, ‘Oh, here’s someone in Halifax that I think you could meet up and grab coffee with. They were my friend in high school, and I think they’d be a great mentor.’ Or having different alumni reach out with initiatives and events and things like that: that has been something that really surprised me about Branksome

I formed many friendships from those two areas, both curricular and co-curricular. I’m still in touch with so many of the girls from my graduating class, and I live with friends from high school here at university. Being able to still have that connection is so, so valuable because you get to see people grow and change, and that is nice and rewarding to see. You also have friends for life.

As a Grade 11 student, I walked into my guidance counselor's office and proudly announced all the universities I wanted to apply to. ... She nodded, and she put me in touch with some Branksome alums who attended or were attending some of the schools for me to chat with. ... This is just another example of Branksome providing the best resources for the students, even after they graduate.

The alumni community is definitely very well-connected. Branksome does have various channels through which students can stay connected with each other. I have kept in touch with almost my entire grade since graduating. It is definitely a very close community. Branksome sends out alum emails weekly as well and they have a magazine highlighting alum that is available to the alumni community. ... I tend to hear from a lot of students applying to the same university I am currently attending and every time I love to give advice and share my learnings and experiences with those students.