Cathedral College Wangaratta alumna Ellie (Elizabeth) McNamara has been recognised at the 2026 Premier’s VCE Awards, held on 22 July at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Premier’s VCE Awards recognise Victoria’s highest-achieving students for outstanding academic and creative achievement in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).
Ellie, the 2025 Dux of Cathedral College, received a Premier’s VCE Study Award for Art Creative Practice. Students who achieve a study score of 46 or above are eligible for consideration for a Study Award, placing Ellie among the state’s highest-performing students in the subject.
The ceremony recognised students completing the VCE, VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate, acknowledging excellence across a broad range of subject areas and pathways. A total of 322 students received awards in 2026.
Since graduating from Cathedral College, Ellie has commenced studying a double degree in Communication Design and Business. Her university studies have provided opportunities to collaborate with students from a range of creative and professional backgrounds, further developing her interest in design and artistic practice.
In addition to her studies, Ellie has recently been commissioned to produce an artwork for Monash University’s Safer Communities Unit and has begun developing a small creative business focused on the production and sale of original artworks. She is considering future career pathways in creative direction and professional artistic practice.
