Sisters at heart and at university

University is traditionally a place where young people begin to map out a life that’s independent of their parents and siblings.

But it’s a slightly different story for Agnes and Millie Jee, Domi and Olivia Mitchell, and Catherine and Brigid Murphy, three pairs of sisters who are all studying ACU’s Western civilisation program.

Designed to help students explore the intellectual tradition and culture of the West through a range of degrees (including combinations with law and education), ACU’s Western civilisation program launched in 2021 with the Bachelor of Arts (Western Civilisation). A range of double degrees followed, with a new Master of Liberal Arts (Western Civilisation) now providing an offering in the postgraduate space.

Domi and Catherine will be among the first students to graduate from the program at the end of this year, while the rest of the sisters began their studies only recently.

“I can see Olivia getting better at thinking and better at structuring her arguments, and that threatens me because I’m no longer the big dog,” Domi said. 

Liberal arts came out of the blue

Interestingly, a liberal arts degree was not the first choice for any of the sisters.

The Jee sisters both had their sights on medicine, with Agnes pursuing dentistry straight out of school, and Millie considering a career in gynaecology and obstetrics. 

Agnes, 19, learnt about the Western civilisation university offerings at a summer program organised by the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation in 2020. In 2022, she began working at a dental clinic and studying at another university, but her heart wasn’t in it.

“I just found that I wanted something a little bit more academically challenging, something that would make me think on my feet, and increase my skills to think critically,” Agnes said.

“I remember one of my lecturers for accounting or something, was talking about Plato and it reminded me of the Ramsay Summer School and their Western civilisation programs.

“I thought, you know what, I’ll give it a go because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Brigid, Agnes, Olivia, Domi, Millie and Catherine.

For Millie, 17, the thought of spending nine years of her life “working like a dog and not getting paid very well … didn’t seem very appealing”.

Growing up with an understanding of the liberal arts helped Millie narrow down her options.

“I looked at a couple of liberal arts universities and the only one which really appealed to all of my interests and ticked all those boxes for me was ACU because it doesn’t religiously bind you to anything, it doesn’t push you away if you’re secular, or have different views to the university,” she said.

“They’re not interested in just teaching you what to learn, but how to learn; they want you to know how to think for yourself without any prior force telling you what to think. I think that’s really valuable and we lose a lot of it these days.”

A late fascination for the arts

Similarly, Brigid, 18, wanted to study medicine for most of her school years. She watched her sister Catherine take the program and initially wrote it off as “boring”.

“I obviously was doing a lot of science and maths subjects in Year 11 and 12 with the aim of getting into medicine but I was finding that I actually enjoyed English the most and I was really not enjoying the maths and science like I thought I would,” she said.

“So, I was looking into different options with a few different arts courses at different unis, and then I just decided to apply for the Western civilisation program as it was looking a lot more attractive the more I realized that I liked literature so much.”

Agnes and Millie Jee.

For older sister Catherine, who initially looked into studying physiotherapy at ACU, the Western civilisation degree has uncovered a surprising love of philosophy and helped her see the link between science and the humanities.

“One surprise is, even historically, the unity between science and the humanities, especially with philosophy, or the natural sciences as they were once called. Something surprising is coming to the realization of how unified this quest for truth is among all disciplines,” Catherine said.

Last-minute decisions prove the best

Domi and Olivia practically grew up in a household that looked and sounded like a Western civilisation classroom.

“Our parents, our dad especially, are always trying to get us to have the sorts of conversations that occur in our classes at the dinner table, and it can get quite heated and intense,” Olivia said.

But studying the liberal arts wasn’t a natural progression for Domi, who was initially enrolled in arts at another university.

“I was a bit lost after high school, I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to go in, and then my dad told me about this course at ACU that he heard about from a friend, and it looked good,” Domi said.

“I think I came to the first lesson, but I was still technically enrolled at the other university, but then I really liked it.”

Her sister Olivia had a similar last-minute decision after attending ACU’s School Leavers program at the end of 2022.

“I went to Rome and to London with a group of 24 other students and that was the most incredible experience of my life, and I think that probably tipped me over the edge because when I got home I applied for the Western civilisation program,” Olivia said. “I got home December 2022 and I had applied by January 2023.”

The sisters are now enjoying the robust discussion both at home and in their respective classrooms.

Catherine and Brigid Murphy.

“I don’t think there’s any course that can compare to it,” Domi said. 

“Everyone’s here to learn and to hear another opinion and to maybe change their opinion or solidify their opinion. No one’s there to attack or to offend another person just for the sake of being provocative. It’s honestly one of the best environments to be able to speak and be able to articulate your thoughts and arguments.”

“It’s just a great way to facilitate discussion in contemporary life.”

Receiving a gift and giving back

As well as studying ACU’s Western civilisation program, each of the siblings has been the deserving recipient of a generous scholarship offered in partnership with The Ramsay Centre, valued at up to $160,000.

ACU Ramsay Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, including academic performance and potential, and personal attributes. Scholarship recipients, better known as Ramsay Scholars, can use their funding to cover the cost of accommodation as well as purchasing their reading material, like literature classics.

However, for Agnes, being a Ramsay Scholar is not about the money, but the great message that comes with it.

“As a Ramsay Scholar, you’re always reminded of Paul Ramsay and how he was a man for others,” Agnes said.

“I think there’s a general consensus amongst all the students that we are so blessed to get the scholarship, but we also want to give something back. So a lot of us will volunteer at soup kitchens and we will try and give back to our communities. 

“We are taught that this isn’t just for us; this is meant to have a positive impact on the world around us.”

Discover the intellectual tradition and culture of the West through ACU’s Western civilisation program.