Pamela Reisner (née Pennycuik, Class of 1944) attended St Aidan's during the Great Depression and the Second World War, when the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent faced significant financial hardship. Resources were scarce, there were no science laboratories, and at one stage teachers accepted pay cuts to ensure the School could remain open. Despite these limitations, Pam never focused on what was missing. Instead, she remembered her teachers with deep affection and gratitude, crediting them with making learning both engaging and inspiring.

That gratitude shaped a remarkable life. A student who studied science without a laboratory went on to earn a Bachelor of Science, a Masters in Zoology and a PhD from the University of Queensland. In 1961, she joined CSIRO's Division of Animal Genetics in Sydney, where she investigated the environmental factors influencing mouse plagues across Australia's wheat-growing regions. Over a distinguished scientific career, she published 51 research papers at a time when relatively few women pursued careers in science.

Pam never forgot where her journey began. Through a generous bequest to St Aidan's, she chose to give future generations of girls the opportunities she and her classmates had gone without. Her transformational gift has enabled the School to commence the Senior Centre, the first project of the RISE Comprehensive Campaign and the beginning of a ten-year vision for campus renewal. Designed as a university-style environment for Year 12 students, the Centre will foster independence, collaboration and leadership.

In recognition of her extraordinary generosity, the building will be known as the Pamela Reisner Senior Centre. Through this enduring legacy, Pam continues to inspire St Aidan's girls to be the best they can be, to "experience and experiment", and to embrace opportunities beyond the School gates. Her gift stands as a powerful testament to gratitude for the past and belief in the future.