OLIVIA Sellars is quite certain her 14-year-old self, sitting in the school bleachers trying to get the courage to volunteer as a stagehand, would never have believed where she is now.
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Ms Sellars, who graduated Loreto College in 2015, is living her dream job in stage management at the Sydney Opera House.
The past seven years have been filled with unexpected twists and turns, taking Ms Sellars to the United States and Perth before the Opera House and so far from her comfort zone in Ballarat.
"I think she would have told me I'm a hustler and I encourage you to be the same," Ms Sellars told Loreto College leaders at the school's annual International Women's Day breakfast. "Find your passion, run with it and fight for it."
A chance to be a stagehand in Loreto's ArtsFest auditions as a 14-year-old lit a passion for Ms Sellars, who structured her subjects and her lunchtimes (mostly always in backstage work) to pursue her dream job.
Then came time for Ms Sellars to apply for Victorian College of the Arts and she was knocked back for lack of experience. A determined Ms Sellars shifted her focus to a Federation University TAFE course in live production and stepping up volunteer work with Ballarat Light Opera Company and Lyric Theatre productions.
She then pursued work as a drama technician at a summer camp in the United States and began applying for university once more. This time VCA approved but the lure of a course that more suited her needs took Ms Sellars to the prestigious Western Australian Academy for Performing Arts and living away from home for the first time.
Ms Sellars said to have Loreto recognise her efforts as a young achiever meant "everything". She joined Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne and social justice leader Sister Trish Franklin as Loreto Women In Time inductees.
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"The school has the ability to bring so much opportunity to their students and the support that they have they give over the trajectory, not just of your school life but afterwards, is incredible," Ms Sellars told The Courier.
She paid tribute to the teachers for "unequivocally believing" in her along the way.
Ms Sellars said theatre's technical departments have been typically male-dominated. It was not easy calling shots on shows, problem solving and being a general communicator between all departments - but she loved it.
"I've tried to push myself as much as I can and prove myself as well, particularly being such a small, young looking female," Ms Sellars said.
"Gaining respect from my elders and people who are younger than me within the industry, men and women, has been a challenge I have undertaken and I will continue to grow and undertake but I think it's something I've striven for."
Within a year of working for Opera Australia, Ms Sellars was promoted to deputy stage manager for Madama Butterfly. Ms Sellars never imaged she would become surrounded by so much classical music. She looked forward to what might come next on her "unconventional journey".
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