The Round Square community cares passionately about what happens in the future to our world and to the fascinating variety of cultures and communities it supports. We want those communities to thrive and prosper and care about each other in mutual cooperation. To achieve this, we need courageous and compassionate leaders throughout the world who are prepared to discover and embrace different cultures and nationalities in ways that promote meaningful and lasting understanding and respect.
Today’s students are the next generation of business, political and community leaders: It is our responsibility to shape the way in which they understand, prepare for, and respond to the world’s challenges both now and in the future… And this needs a change in the perception of the value of character education and values-based learning throughout our education systems.
Ultimately, we want our students to understand that whatever field of work or career they enter into, with a spirit of the Round Square IDEALS they can – and should – make a positive difference in the world: They don’t have to wear a backpack and hiking boots to experience adventure; they don’t have to be a doctor to save lives; they don’t have to go on a community service project to help a community in need; they don’t have to run a charity in order to be a compassionate leader. As Kurt Hahn said: There is more in us than we know.
Round Square school’s alumni stories
Alexa Wilson, an alumna of St Stithians Girls’ College in South Africa feels her Round Square experiences awakened in her the sense of Adventure and subsequently led her towards a life of creativity and she now works as Commercial Film Director for Arcade Content in Johannesburg, South Africa. As a student of 15 at St […]
Alex Dakin is a Box Hill alumna (2016) who completed her undergraduate and master’s studies in Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College, London. She is now working as a Digital Transformation Consultant at Arup and supports the company with digital change. Alex talks passionately about her “obsession for all things Round Square”. She talks about the […]
Alexandra Tidd is a 2017 graduate from the Inter-Community School in Zurich, Switzerland. She is studying for her Masters of Research in Biosystematics at Imperial College, London. She hopes that this will lead her to a PhD in the field of cancer research. Alexandra believes that her experiences with Round Square have had a strong impact on her personal development and how she views the world.
Ali Conn’s unrelenting sense of adventure and determination has catapulted him around the world on a journey rich with experience and discovery. His insatiable desire to make a difference and “disrupt” established patterns of behaviour has made him a founding member of SA Harvest; a non-profit organisation committed to rescuing and redistributing surplus food that […]
Alison Corner, former pupil of Lakefield College, a Round Square School in Canada, is now a Management Consultant at a top firm in New York where she is she is currently working on an international project examining the cultural differences affecting consumers’ financial behaviour.
Angela McCarthy, an alumna from Aiglon College in Switzerland, is passionate about creating opportunities for students to be innovators and change-makers. Much of her work as CEO of The Earth Foundation has been inspired by her experiences at Aiglon, and realisation that she has pulled on the Round Square IDEALS as a powerful source of inspiration throughout her life.
Anna Van Der Ploeg first encountered Round Square when embarking on her secondary education. “The Round Square opportunities offered at St Cyprian’s was one of the main reasons why I chose to go there,” she says. During her time at St Cyprian’s, these experiences inspired an interest in the “complexity and diversity of the human experience”, a theme Anna has continued to explore and celebrate in her work as a contemporary artist.
“Jump on every opportunity offered by Round Square. Don’t debate it, don’t give in to moments of doubt.”
Charles Masaki, a resident psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, grew up in Kitale village in Kenya, before gaining a scholarship to Round Square School, Starehe, in Nairobi.
Craig Bennett spent a formative gap year at Round Square school, Sedbergh, in Canada. Craig has been described as “one of the country’s top environmental campaigners” and as the “very model of a modern eco-general”. He describes his Round Square experiences as instrumental in shaping his views on environmental issues.
Claire DesBrisay is Communications Director for Smile Africa Foundation (SAF) a grassroots NGO that promotes STEM in Africa through volunteer-based initiatives. A former pupil of St. Clement’s School, Canada, she now lives and works in South Africa, a country that she first visited nine years ago on a 6-month exchange to St Cyprian’s School, through both schools’ membership of Round Square.
Entrepreneur, Darren Smith, is an alumnus of Round Square school, Appleby College, in Canada. He set-up his craft beer business whilst studying Economics at university and launched it in the middle of the global financial crisis.
Dr Charlotte Newton is an Inter-Community School (ICS) graduate who is currently practicing as a General Practitioner (Family Doctor) in the United Kingdom.In her final year at ICS, Charlotte was awarded the ICS Service Award in recognition of the service she had given to others.
Edward McGarva-Brown graduated from the Inter-Community School, Zurich in 2022; he is now studying Business and Management at Leeds Beckett University in the UK. Edward was an active and engaged member of the student body who was not only involved in Round Square initiatives, but also a committed mentor to the younger students. He remembers that his involvement in Round Square Action Groups began when he arrived at ICS in Grade 4 and lasted throughout his schooling until he graduated from the IB Programme in Grade 12.
A former pupil of Windermere School, Elliot Berry is founder and director of Kenya-based charity, The Noah Initiative, which provides disadvantaged young boys in Kenya with positive mentors.Elliot’s inspiration came from his experiences on exchange at RS School, Tiger Kloof, in South Africa, which ignited his passion for Africa and his interest in working with young people.
Jack Harrison, is an Inter-Community School alumnus and recent Oxford University History Graduate and believes that his experiences at school shaped his character and gave him an insight into how invigorating and challenging supporting a cause could be. Jack was a regular speaker in secondary assemblies as he worked to raise awareness and sponsorship to support men’s mental and physical health.
For Karolina, the outcomes of attending a school passionate about character education and experiential learning are clear. The skills and understanding gained at Rothesay Netherwood School continue to resonate and motivate her to drive forward and seize new challenges with enthusiasm and tenacity.
Josceline Cluff is Program Director for international natural disaster response organisation, All Hands Volunteers (www.hands.org).A former student of Round Square school, Cobham Hall in Kent, England, at the age of 16 she travelled to the Indian School Al Ghubra in Oman on a RS student exchange, an experience that she says “had a massive impact on me in a multitude of different ways… and fuelled what has become an insatiable desire to see more and more of the world.”
Katharina Dolezal works at the European Regional Office of the World Health Organisation in Demark, supporting countries in their efforts to increase vaccination uptake and to reduce the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.Raised in Austria, Katharina spent a year at Round Square school, Cobham Hall, in England, an experience she cites as inspiring a love of learning and providing her with an international grounding.
Krishna Shekhawat is an alumna of Rajmata Krishna Kumari Girls’ Public School. Passionate about history, architecture, and water management and sustainability, Krishna read History at Miranda College, University of Dehli, before continuing to Ashoka University, Haryana. Krishna has since returned to her home city of Jodhpur and is now working as the Assistant Curator of Mehrangarh Museum Trust.
Laura is an alumna of two Round Square Schools. In Switzerland, she attended ICS Zurich and in Singapore, she graduated from UWCSEA Dover Campus in 2019. Laura is studying Modern Languages (German and Spanish) and Cultures at Durham University in the UK.
Laura believes that her education at Round Square international schools…
Leah Shannon, a manager at People’s Programs, graduated from Lower Canada College in 2006. LCC is a K12, coeducational school located in Montreal, Quebec. Reflecting on her career path and choices since leaving school, Leah believes that it was only when she was at university that she realised how different her education had been compared […]
Lesego Serolong Holzapfel is CEO and founder of Bokamoso Impact Investments, a social enterprise company that connects rural South Africa through agriculture and ethical food production. Lesego is also the co-founder of Raise the Children International, an organisation that connects vulnerable orphans from rural communities with education opportunities, mentors, and career opportunities.
Liane Nowell was a student at Sedbergh School in Canada, whose membership of Round Square supported its passion for outdoor pursuits which in turn inspired Liane’s career in outdoor education and sustainability-driven scientific research. She now manages the Kenauk Institute at the 65,000-acre Kenauk Nature Reserve.
Marcelo Rochabrún is an award-winning current affairs investigative journalist with an international readership, reporting for titles such as ProPublica and the New York Times.In 2007 he was a student at Markham College when Peru was struck by a devastating earthquake.
Mark Simonds (pictured second from the left, next to King Constantine) is a 2008 graduate of Rothesay Netherwood School in New Brunswick, Canada, who developed a strong spirit of environmentalism during his time at school. Mark credits his Round Square and wider RNS experiences with giving him the tools to adapt and prosper on his […]
Mary Pilkinton is a 2017 alumna from MLC School, Sydney. She is a passionate environmentalist who believes that everything is connected, “it is a false binary to talk about humans and nature”. Mary believes that “it is impossible to separate humans from nature” as we are all part of the same ecosystem. This conviction is […]
Mathomo Jackson graduated from Bridge House School in Franschhoek, South Africa in 2018. He credits his Round Square experiences with giving him the desire to step outside his comfort zone and with encouraging the traits of character that have allowed him to do so successfully. Mathomo was born in Johannesburg and started school there but […]
Former St Stithians Boys’ College pupil, Matthew Hanly is not only the Founder and CEO of EcoFoote, he is also a qualified Geography and Science teacher. Matthew’s childhood experiences of growing up on farms in both Zimbabwe and then South Africa have inspired a life devoted to environmental protection and service. Matthew credits St. Stithians and […]
Megan Siddle is a St Stithian’s graduate (2017). After graduating from school, Megan studied Accounting at the University of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape of South Africa. She is now based in London and is completing her internship training (articles) in preparation for her Chartered Accounting board exams.The impact of her Round Square exchange to India was
Molly Turpie is an alumna from AKS Lytham. She graduated in 2018 with A Levels in Maths, Geography and English. She is currently studying International Hospitality Business Management in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In her current position, Nadine is Chief of Staff to Deputy CEO of Vitality Group at Discovery Limited in Johannesburg. Their Vitality Shared-Value Insurance model has received international recognition and was even ranked in Fortune’s index of 51 companies “changing the world” in August 2015.
Neysa Sanghavi graduated from Singapore International School (SIS) in Mumbai in 2018. While at school she took advantage of the many opportunities to identify her passion and she found mentors who inspired her to action. Her story to date is characterised by a deep commitment to those who lack rights and resources, in particular refugees, and a determination to make a difference in the long term.
Nimet Rener is Director of the Aga Khan Education Services, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, which supports over 200 schools and education programmes, predominantly in rural areas, across 13 countries in East Africa, Central and South East Asia.
“Every experience I’ve had has shaped who I have become and will define my future too”.
Nishant Makhijiani is Assistant Director of Advancement at the University of Illinois, Urbana – Champaign. A former pupil of Daly College in India, he attributes his passion for environmental issues, and the communication skills he now employs in his fundraising career, to his education at a Round Square school and his experiences on a RS exchange to Lakefield College in Canada.
Ollie Thorn, Box Hill Alumni 2007, creates environments where diverse voices are encouraged, embraced, and valued. Through his personal experience of disability and in-depth knowledge of laws and regulations, Ollie works hard to reach out to individuals who have been historically excluded from the workplace. He is challenging traditional recruitment paradigms and using his position […]
Peter Royce, an Ivanhoe Grammar School alumnus (2006), was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. He completed his undergraduate degree in Project Management at RMIT and his postgraduate degree in Construction Law at the University of Melbourne. He is now working as a Senior Project Manager at Gallagher Jeffs. In his spare time, Peter volunteers as President of 300 Blankets, a not-for-profit charity that “provides caring warmth of friendship and material and food support to people experiencing homelessness in Victoria.”
Poppy is a Third Culture Kid (TCK) who has spent her life living and attending schools in countries that are not her own. Poppy has lived in Thailand, El Salvador, Jordan, and Mozambique and is now in her final year of a Sports Science Degree at Exeter University in the UK. It was during her time in Thailand, where she was attending Regents International School Pattaya, that she was awarded the Kurt Hahn Award for service to others at the young age of 12. Her actions were also recognised by her school, and she was awarded the Brittany Tang Bursary for Outstanding Global Citizenship.
Ribhav Mittal graduated from KC Public School in Jammu in 2019. He won the King Constantine Medal in his graduating year for his leadership in promoting RS at the school. Ribhav is now in his final year at UCLA and will shortly graduate with a degree in Financial Actuarial Mathematics and Accounting.
Ruxandra Bratfalean or “Ruxi”, graduated from Transylvania College, Romania, in 2018. Since leaving school, her passion for film making has led her to London, to study at the University of the Arts.Her personal learning and character growth during her time at school has given her the courage, tenacity, and confidence to flourish in her new surroundings in London.
The principles were ingrained in the culture of the school. Former pupil of RS School, Cobham Hall, Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini is an influential peace campaigner, consultant and author, who has brought the issue of women in countries torn apart by conflict to the debating floor of the United Nations and to the attention of academia and the global media.
Sarah Brook, alumna of both AKS and Felsted, is a passionate and altruistic leader. At the age of 21 she founded Sparkle Malawi and works as the CEO for the charity. Sarah is led by her values and affects positive change in the lives of thousands of children and community members in Malawi. Driven to […]
Sébastien Brack, former pupil of Round Square School UWCSEA (1994) and Oxford University graduate, currently works as Senior Advisor to the Kofi Annan Foundation and the European Institute of Peace. Sébastien is also a contributing writer for the European Council on Foreign Relations. Sébastien has dedicated his career to humanitarian field work, conflict prevention and resolution, and […]
Shadman Sahil Chowdhury, a recent alumnus (2020) from Chittagong Grammar School (CGS) in Bangladesh, is passionate about leadership and service. Attending a school committed to character education has given him the confidence to affect positive change in the lives of others.
Sharia Bahar is a Chittagong Grammar School (CGS) alumna (2014) and a Law School Graduate who thrives on innovation and diversity of thought. Sharia experienced an education that went beyond the textbook. “We were taught that we were able to offer something, be part of a group or a community. You don’t realise what you are learning when you are part of such an international environment – you’re subconsciously learning, but you really are leaning a lot.” Sharia continues to seek connections, develop ideas and find ways to innovate.
The IDEALS came together for me in a way that informs all that I do.Shivam Jumani lived in Mumbai City during a period of significant change in which environmental issues were at the forefront of media debate. Inspired by this, his interest in the social and environmental impact of the built environment was developed further at Dhirubhai Ambani International School, India.
Sophie Dorothe is a Felsted alumna who graduated in 2015. Before moving to the UK for her final two years of high school education, Sophie Dorothe lived in Arusha, Tanzania. Experiencing diverse ecosystems first-hand as a child and “seeing how the natural environments mix; how we as a society can appreciate and value them, but […]
Stephanie Williams (née Caller) is a 2002 Box Hill alumna who thrives on adventure, opportunity, and creativity. Her love for competition and her drive for success have established her as an international wakeboarding champion and the successful company owner and director of White Triangle (a mountain-based, design agency located in the French Alps). Although Stephanie spent her […]
Tara Sandhu, a Vivek High School alumna (2006), is an economics graduate from Delhi University and Cambridge University, and a management post graduate from the Indian School of Business.
Vittoria Frua De Angeli is a Kurt Hahn Award Winner (1992) and an Aiglon alumna (1994). The Kurt Hahn Award is presented annually in recognition of an outstanding act of service to others. Vittoria was awarded the prize for her exceptional bravery and leadership in a challenging situation.
For Vittoria, putting her own life in danger and saving the kayaker was a natural thing to do.
Wyatt Danowski is a graduate of St John’s Ravenscourt School (SJR) in Winnipeg. He graduated as a “lifer” in 2008 having attended from to Kindergarten through Grade 12. Upon graduation, Wyatt decided that he needed to seek new adventures. “I left the school and I felt that I’d been there virtually my whole life. I’d done with the place.”
The irony is that Wyatt returned as a teacher in 2018. What brought him to that decision over the intervening ten years is a story of exploration and adventure.