Diana Paolone, 24, is empowering girls in developing countries and credits her experience at Holy Name of Mary College School and an all-girls learning environment with the confidence she wants to impart to others. “It is this experience that has motivated me to make teaching and female empowerment part of my career and inspired my career in International Education and Development,” says Paolone, who graduated with an Honours BSc. in Health and Disease from the University of Toronto in 2017 and completed a certificate in Business Management from Ryerson University in 2018.

Today she is conducting research in Mwanza Tanzania with EQWIP HUBS, a Government of Canada initiative centered on innovative youth development and global exchange solutions to address high unemployment rates. “The STEM subjects were a great foundation in discovering and learning about all aspects of life, which is key in my profession. I plan to continue on to graduate school and I hope to conduct more research in the future,” says Paolone.

That desire to pursue STEM started at HNMCS. “[An all-girls education] allowed me to raise my hand more freely in a classroom. It also gave me a lasting, strong group of friends and a safe space to share,” she says. “I want to give these same experiences and opportunities in education to girls all over the world. An HNMCS education inspires girls who turn into motivated, strong and independent women changing the world for the better.”