Old Flinderian Phoebe Hines (Class of 2015) is an elite swimmer who has been studying and swim training in Hawaii since she graduated from Flinders. As with many of our alumni, Phoebe has returned home to the Sunshine Coast while the Coronavirus pandemic plays out across the globe. It was lovely to have Phoebe visit us on the College campus recently! You can watch this video with Phoebe chatting to our Old Flinderian Liaison, Rachel Sotiropoulos.
During her secondary schooling years at Flinders, Phoebe swam at a top level, continually placing in the Queensland Swim Team. Other early achievements include being named the 13-19-year-old Women’s 1500m Freestyle Champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and the 800m Champion in 2014.
Phoebe continues to race competitively in Hawaii with great success; for example, last year she won Female Swimmer of the Year at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) after placing first across many freestyle races.
Phoebe is an inspiration to students past and present. In this Q&A, Phoebe reminds us why resilience and determination are key to achieving our goals.
Please click here to watch our Beyond Flinders interview with Phoebe by our Old Flinderians’ Liaison.
Phoebe, please share your journey since graduating from Flinders.
After graduating from Flinders, I moved to Hawaii at the age of 17. I studied at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and competed for their collegiate swim team. I graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science with a specialisation in Health and Physical Education. I am now swimming professionally with the USC Spartans based out of the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and studying with FIT College. What was your favourite Flinders moment? I will always remember when we all sang the college song as a Year 12 cohort on our last day of school. It was a special moment.
How easy was it to decide what path to take beyond graduation?
It was definitely NOT easy and my plan changed many times. My approach was to take each day as it came and not to worry too much about the future.
Did your further study or career go exactly as you planned?
I was originally accepted into Occupational Therapy at the USC. This degree is not offered in Hawaii so I ended up choosing something in a similar field, which did not go completely as planned; there were many bumps along the way.
What advice do you have for current students?
You won’t always be in school so don't just let the time fly past. When I was in school I was too focused on finishing, but now I look back I realise that it was an experience I’ll never have again.
The conversation with Phoebe continues over at the Beyond Flinders video series here.
Staying connected is important to us. If you are an Old Flinderian, please know that our College community is here to support all Flinders students, past and present. We also invite Old Flinderians to share their knowledge and experience with current students in different ways, for example, through mentoring, workshops and guest speaking at retreats and career evenings, and also by connecting professionally with fellow alumni.
If this is of interest to you, please register on Flinders Connect to learn how to connect with Flinders and your classmates.
