Celebrating the journeys of our 2025 IB graduates

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is more than an academic pathway – it's a journey that challenges students to think critically, embrace global perspectives, and balance rigorous study with creativity and service.

At MLC, we’re proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our 2025 IB graduates, whose curiosity and commitment have shaped futures beyond the classroom.  

The IB requires students to study six subjects across diverse disciplines, complete an extended research essay, engage in Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) projects, and explore the nature of knowledge through Theory of Knowledge. 

This year, we highlight two graduates whose stories reflect the spirit of the IB: resilience, passion, and a willingness to explore every opportunity. 

Madeleine McGregor 

During Year 12, Madeleine received an early offer to study a Bachelor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Philosophy at the Australian National University (ANU) - one of the few programs of its kind in Australia. It’s a testament to her academic success in the IB Diploma Programme, where she embraced every opportunity across science, leadership and co-curricular activities.  

Drawn to IB’s collaborative and self-directed structure, Madeleine selected Biology and Chemistry as her higher-level subjects, confirming her passion for science. “I’ve always been an all-rounder, but doing the IB has solidified that science is for me,” she said.  

This year, Madeleine took on the role of Deputy Senior Prefect, a position that allowed her to lead initiatives like Gratitude Day, which raised funds for R U OK? Day, a national initiative that promotes conversations about mental health.  

“Being a part of the student leadership team was absolutely amazing! I hadn’t expected how much fun it would be and how collaborative,” she said. “The school has encouraged and given us the responsibility, so that if we have an idea, we can make it happen.”  

Her extensive co-curricular involvement spanned music, debating, STEM competitions, and sports. She played in the Senior Clarinet Ensemble and Symphonic Band, competed in the Ethics Olympiad and Da Vinci Decathlon, captained both Athletics and Drama, served as an editor of the school yearbook and plenty more.  

“I signed up to everything because I get excited and then realise I haven’t had a free lunch time in months,” she laughed.  

“But what you put in is what you get out of it. There are so many like-minded people to connect with; making friends is the best part.”  

Looking back, Madeleine said the best part of her MLC journey was the people. Originally joining MLC from a government school in Year 9, she wasn’t sure what to expect from joining Victoria’s largest girls’ school. “I worried if I would find myself an outsider, but instead I found a welcoming community,” she shared.  

"MLC is a really diverse community where there are lots of different perspectives and opinions, and the teachers are just amazing. It’s the immeasurable things that are my highlights.”     

Anna Wang 

From the moment Anna arrived in Australia in Year 4, words became her compass. Born in China and raised between cultures, she found solace and strength in storytelling. During her final years of schooling, Anna turned her passion for literature and creative writing into a portfolio of achievements that span continents.  

Her dedication to writing earned her second place in the University College London Classics Essay Competition, a top ten finish in the International HG Wells short story competition, and publication of an 8,000-word research essay in the International Journal of High Research.  

“I wrote stories about different perspectives around immigration, like fading family culture, peer pressure, and travel limitations, and how that can have different impacts on people,” Anna explained.  

Anna’s love for literature began early. By Year 7, inspired by her school drama class, she was writing screenplays in her free time – one stretching to 87 pages.  “I feel very at home in literature class,” she said, after first taking the subject as a Year 10 elective. In Year 12, she selected Literature as a High Level subject as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB). For her IB extended essay, she compared Homer’s Iliad with David Malouf’s Ransom, which she found “very fun”.   

The IB’s emphasis on independent inquiry and research aligned perfectly with Anna’s intellectual curiosity, and fostered her aspirations to study overseas. “If I get into a good university in the UK or US, I will be pursuing literature!” she shared, although hasn’t ruled out an area such as law in Melbourne.   

Anna’s passion extends beyond the page. She’s been a part of MLC’s many student-led clubs, such as the Literature Club and Screen & Media Club, where she served as a committee leader, and was the MLC's Media and Storytelling Prefect, a new portfolio in 2025 where she was able to develop additional skills in video editing and photography.   

Anna also co-founded the Open Book Club to support Year 7 and 8 students with their schoolwork and provide general mentoring guidance, an initiative she hopes continues after her school journey has finished.  

After a year filled with co-curricular involvement, personal writing projects and leadership roles, Anna developed solid foundations to ensure she stayed on top of the demanding IB workload. However, finding balance wasn’t just about study - it was also about embracing opportunities “Get involved in activities – it is your last years of high school! By getting involved, I think I ended up making more friends in my final years than I made when I was in junior and middle schools.”