Life after Vic Stories

On this page:

Catherine Dorothy Marks (Dorothy Marks) Bridget MacDonald Ron Pynenburg & Ken Collins Steve Messenger Gina Jones Rachel Shore Gill Alcorn

1. Catherine Dorothy Marks (Dorothy Marks) 1905-2010

Dorothy Marks (née Fox) was probably Victoria’s oldest alumni when she died in March this year. Dorothy graduated with a BA in 1926 and died 84 years later aged 104.

She was a student at Wellington Teachers’ Training College in 1924 and 1925 and was also on the Students’ Association Executive. 

She was born in Okato, Taranaki, where her father was the local storekeeper, and was educated there and at New Plymouth Girls’ High School, where she later taught from 1926 to 1929.

After her marriage in 1929 to R.O.C. (Roly) Marks, she moved to Wanganui, where Roly was a master at Wanganui Collegiate School. They were to have six children, three of whom studied at Victoria.

From the mid-1940s Diana Beaglehole was a friend who lived near the Marks family.

“My father Douglas Flower had been at training college and Victoria with Dorothy”, said Diana.

“In 1950 he encouraged her to take up a long-term relieving position at Durie Hill School where he was headmaster. From there she went on to teach English and French at Wanganui Girls’ College from 1951 until the mid-1960s.”

Dorothy had a long involvement with the Federation of University Women and with the Wanganui Branch of the New Zealand Founders Society and the Anglican Church. She was known for her keen mind and for her sense of humour. She played bridge until she was 103 and did the daily cryptic crossword until three months before her death.

She remained in her own home in Wanganui until shortly before her 103rd birthday and then lived with a daughter in Tauranga. From December 2009, she was in a rest-home in Te Puke.

Dorothy Marks is survived by four children, 21 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren. Her funeral service at Christ Church, Wanganui, was attended by numerous relatives, friends, former neighbours and ex-pupils.

2. Bridget MacDonald

Flying high

Pinned to the wall behind Bridget MacDonald’s desk is a quote from Jonathan Livingstone Seagull about taking chances and learning how to fly.

They’re words that the alumna says have guided her circuitous route from science graduate to selling Te Papa to the world. “I started off wanting to become a doctor, which morphed into a BSc in Physiology. ”Despite her love of science, Bridget says she always felt the pull towards a corporate environment.

“So I changed tack and eventually returned to Victoria to complete a Master of Management Studies.” That led her to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, where she started as a strategic policy and planning adviser. "It was a role that allowed me to use the skills from my management degree, because I got involved in developing corporate and operational policy, doing quality assurance reviews and basically getting a feel for how Te Papa operated."

Two years later, Bridget put her hand up for the Communications Manager role. “I’d always secretly envied the Marketing and Communications team and thought they did some great things.” Not having a background in marketing or communications wasn’t a barrier, she says.

“I’ve always believed that if your skills are transferable and you have enthusiasm and determination, then you can make things happen.”

In 2006, Bridget was shoulder-tapped for the role of Te Papa’s Tourism Marketing Manager, a job that sees her flying to Europe, America, Asia and Australia several times a year.

“My aim is to raise Te Papa’s profile and increase our international and domestic visitor numbers. This involves visiting trade shows and meeting with travel wholesalers, agents and inbound tour operators, to encourage them to send tourists to
Te Papa.” Bridget says she plans to stay in the tourism industry for the foreseeable future and credits her rapid rise through the ranks to her tertiary education.

“Attending Victoria helped to shape my future and taught me essential analytical and management skills that I will use for the rest of my life.”

3. Ron Pynenburg & Ken Collins

A family affair

Wellington architecture firm Pynenburg and Collins Architects Ltd believes in keeping it in the family.

The alumni family, that is.

Partners Ron Pynenburg and Ken Collins started the business shortly after graduating from Victoria’s School of Architecture in 1982. Another alumnus, Tim Burns, became the third director in 2000.

The practice now employs 13 people, six of whom are Victoria alumni. They have also previously employed other Victoria graduates, many of whom are now overseas.

“Our experience is that Victoria graduates are up there with the very best,” says Tim.

“Their ability to slot into an existing team and be productive very quickly is a real credit to the School.” 

But the firm’s ties with Victoria run deeper than just having a preference for alumni: their expertise in scientific facilities has led to the creation of a specialist offshoot, Lab-works Architecture, which has seen them design Victoria’s recently completed Coastal Ecology Laboratory in Island Bay, as well as labs for the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, which are currently being built within the Alan MacDiarmid Building.

“The Coastal Ecology Laboratory provides a world-class research and teaching facility that responds to, and is respectful of, its environment. As well as being functional, it is intended to be aesthetically pleasing and merge well with the coast,” says Tim.

Meanwhile the Alan MacDiarmid laboratories were designed to be open to each other and visible from other spaces within the building, which encourages the sharing of information and learning, says Ken.

“Our passion is to create environments that enhance people’s lives, so it’s hugely gratifying to be able to provide world-class environments for Victoria students. We feel that we are contributing something that will last a lifetime.”

Tim Burns, Nathan Horne, Richard White, Ron Pynenburg, Ken Collins and Joanne Kelly in front of the Jasmax-designed Alan MacDiarmid Building. The team at Pynenburg and Collins and Lab-works Architecture designed the specialist laboratories currently being built inside.

4. Steve Messenger

MBA success story

It’s a classic rags to riches tale: leave school at 15 without School Certificate, take on an assortment of odd jobs, have a career epiphany in a kitchen and wind up 30 years later as CEO of one of New Zealand’s leading print firms with a turnover of around $25m.

According to Steve Messenger, the wheels of his journey from high school dropout to management were oiled by a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Victoria University.

“For years, I suffered from what I call the ‘impostor’s syndrome’—I was running a successful company and mixing with bankers and lawyers, but I always felt I didn’t belong because I didn’t even have School C.”Steve’s entrée to the business world came after years of working as a top chef in New Zealand and the UK. “I then got a job as a sales rep in the bedding industry and ended up owning the Superior Sleep brand and four stores.”

But following a downturn in the bedding market, he found himself entering the print business and following his dream of studying. “It took me three years to finish the MBA because I was working full-time, but it was worth it because it gave me confidence and a framework with which to articulate my opinions, a business language and a set of universal tools, and credibility within the business community.”

So much did Steve appreciate his time at Victoria that he often returns to lecture on problem solving and decision-making skills.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Victoria University’s MBA programme and MBA Director Dr Arun Elias says a series of seminars, commemorative events, initiatives and functions are planned to mark the occasion.

“Victoria’s MBA programme has grown from strength to strength and last year we were awarded international accreditation by the British-based Association of MBAs (AMBA),” says Arun.

“This accolade assures the quality teaching, theory and practice offered in our programme, and sets the benchmark for our future growth.”     

5. Gina Jones

Bringing new life to old buildings

A career of restoring heritage buildings has seen Gina Jones rewarded for her contribution to the building industry.

Victoria alumna Gina Jones was awarded the prestigious New Zealand Institute of Building Medal for her contribution to the building industry since 1986, a medal which is only awarded once every two years.

Gina is the second woman to win the medal since its inception in 1984. The first was the late Professor Helen Tippett, former Dean of Architecture at Victoria University, and Gina’s mentor.

“Helen Tippett was a great role model and I was privileged to have her guide me.  The reason I joined the New Zealand Institute of Building was because of her.  She was involved in establishing the Institute and was one of the foundation members.”

Gina studied at Victoria University in the early ’80s and has been passionately involved in Wellington’s heritage for more than 25 years.

One special memory for her is working as part of the team that refurbished the University’s Hunter Building.

“It was wonderful to help restore the Hunter Building, especially as it was derelict at the time.  It’s a beautiful, beautiful building.”

In 1995, she founded Accent Architects and has developed the practice undertaking many heritage projects in Wellington and nationwide, including heritage buildings in the Wairarapa and deco projects in the Hawke’s Bay

“Heritage projects is one of our specialties.  I enjoy putting new life into old buildings and it’s a very rewarding area in which to work.

“You have to do research to find out what the original architect was trying to do, because at the end of the day it’s their legacy.  You then balance what’s best for the building with the needs of current users.”

Gina was also joint winner of the National Association of Women in Construction’s Helen Tippet Memorial Award for a woman who made a significant contribution to the Building Industry between 1996 and 2006.
gina@accentarch.co.nz
+64-4-939 8222

6. Rachel Shore

Living a childhood dream

‘Get better work stories’ runs the tagline for the New Zealand Police’s latest recruitment campaign.

Spend time with 24-year-old Constable Rachel Shore and you’ll certainly hear evidence of this. From dealing with drunk drivers or cases of family violence to chasing burglars, Rachel has done it all.

She’s only been a policewoman for three years, but the Victoria alumna— also the University’s first Community Constable—says there is ‘nothing else in the world she would rather do’.

“The real attraction with this job is that you have no idea what the day is going to bring. I love that variety.”

Born and bred in the Capital, Rachel admits her career ‘light-bulb moment’ happened when she was eight years old and a policeman visited her Girl Guide meeting to talk about his job.            

“I realised that was what I wanted to do with my life.”

Her first taste of Police life came when she was 15 and started working during school holidays at Police National HQ. She completed a BA in Criminology at Victoria, and with the ink barely dry on her degree, headed to the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua.

Postings so far have included Wellington’s Traffic Alcohol Group and general duty stints at Lower Hutt and Wainuiomata Police Stations. She now works at Wellington Central Police Station as Community Constable in the Wellington Community Engagement Group, where her two main clients are Massey and Victoria Universities.

“It’s largely a liaison and education role, so I am the Police’s first point of contact for students who need help or advice.”

This includes regular visits to the campus and halls of residence to encourage students to stay safe in the city, as well as providing prevention tips to help reduce the incidence of sexual assaults, robberies and brushes with the law.

Rachel is currently doing a paper in management to make her more eligible for senior positions.

“One day, my plan is to move into the Criminal Investigation Bureau where I can get involved in serious crime investigations like homicides and organised crime.”

rachel.shore@police.govt.nz

7. Gill Alcorn

Transforming youth health

From a young age, Gill Alcorn wanted to work in a helping career, where she could make a difference to people’s lives.

Now clinical leader of Lower Hutt youth health service VIBE, she is in the ideal position to help young people.

“I love the energy of young people, their vision and capacity—it’s exciting to help them make the right links to realise their potential,” says Gill.

In 2002, she graduated with a Master of Arts (Applied) in Nursing from Victoria, and went on to be a nurse practitioner in youth health, one of only four such specialists in New Zealand, leading on to her current position at VIBE.

VIBE is funded by Hutt Valley District Health Board and the Ministry of Social Development and has 8,000 young people aged between 10 and 24 on its books, as well as peer support workers who also fit this demographic.

“We deal with young people’s issues, from asthma to mental health,” says Gill. “We also have social support and youth transition services within VIBE which support youth development and assist young people into the workforce.”

Another hat Gill wears is as secretary of the Society of Youth Health Professionals Aotearoa New Zealand, set up two years ago to support effective practice in the sector.

Her expertise in youth health was recently acknowledged with a Fulbright Travelling Award, which has provided her with funding to present her work at a nurse-managed health conference in the United States.

“The model of health is becoming more collaborative between nursing and medicine,” says Gill, who looks forward to visiting some of the nurse-led centres in Philadelphia.

So what is the next step in Gill’s busy career?

gill@vibe.org.nz

Other Life after Vic Stories
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