Former Student Interview Tom Cronin
Tom Cronin was Head Boy at Foundation Christian College in 2019 and is currently the College's highest achieving ATAR Student having achieved an ATAR of 97.7. We hope you enjoy reading this interview of Tom reflecting upon his time at FCC.
How long were you a student at FCC?
I was at FCC for 14 years from Kindergarten to Year 12.
While you were at school, what were your goals and plans for your life/career?
Being in a Christian School, academic success is a byproduct of the gifts that I have been blessed with by God. The primary focus is always to put God first both in my personal and professional life.
The goal throughout my high school years was to work hard to gain entry into medical school and I've been incredibly blessed that God has opened this door for me.
What are you doing, career-wise with your life now?
I am now in my second year of studying Medicine at UWA.
What gave you inspiration to choose your career path?
Being able to help people as a doctor is an absolute privilege and a rewarding experience.
I've always been fascinated by the human body, so studying all about it now is something I find interesting.
I've had several family members battle chronic medical problems that have impacted their lives. From a young age, I decided I would like to be able to contribute to society in a positive way and improve the well-being of people in need.
What aspects of your schooling at FCC supported your plans to getting you on the path to Medicine?
The school environment, teachers and community-feel of the college were all instrumental.
I was provided with subjects, especially in Senior School, that I was fascinated in and this gave me a great foundation for my university studies.
FCC emphasised Christian education within the curriculum and we learned how as students we can glorify Jesus through our actions. I've been very blessed along my journey to have had the support of teachers, friends and an awesome school environment to encourage me to work hard.
Do you have any advice for current FCC students?
Put God first and seek Him in all things - He will direct your path from there!
Make the most of your time you have at FCC, draw on the wisdom and knowledge of your teachers and your peers as your time at school really does set you up for the years ahead.
Ensure that you use this time as a means of exploring things you enjoy or are challenged with. Put your best effort into everything you do so that you grow in character and resilience.
Tell me about the experiences/highlights at FCC that stand out for you.
The comraderie and sportsmanship shown at sports carnival days has always been a highlight.
The school camps that we went on during high school – getting to know each other outside of the classroom and engaging with other people that we otherwise may not have talked with.
Performing Arts Nights and seeing the efforts of all students contribute to well-rounded school productions.
Now that you have been away from FCC for a couple of years, what aspects of your time here have stayed with you?
The encouragement and support shown by staff, teachers and friends during my time at FCC has encouraged me to continue to dedicate myself to doing things that I love and to continue to invest in growing my relationship with Jesus.
In your opinion, have those aspects provided you with sufficient grounding for life after school? In what way/how?
Yes. The grounding I had at FCC has helped me to think critically about concepts we are taught at university. Also, FCC is blessed to have many amazing teachers that care deeply about each student as reflected in the way they teach. This helps build up the school community and this is reflected in the positive culture at the College.
What do you think you got out of attending FCC that you couldn’t have gotten somewhere else?
Certainly, in the Mandurah region, a rigorous and thorough Christian education, as well as an excellent grounding for my further education that goes far beyond the textbooks.
Thank you, Tom!
I’m thankful to teachers for the support they have given me and encouraging me to go above and beyond what I thought I was capable of doing.
— Tom Cronin
