Dear students, I have just returned from our UOW Malaysia campuses in Kuala Lumpar and Penang, where I have been celebrating graduation with our UOW Malaysia students, only days after our graduation ceremonies on our Wollongong campus in Australia.
As a truly global institution, our growing community of graduates is so impressive and wonderful to witness. It has been fabulous to celebrate this achievement alongside students and staff. Congratulations to all of those who graduated!
The stories of our graduates are always quite amazing and to think of each of them and their unique journey as they cross that stage is quite remarkable. I am forever grateful to those who share their stories, as Teklemariam Mengistu has done here. Teklemariam’s story is incredibly poignant and rich in its own right, but it also has the ability to inspire and transform the lives of others. “I would like to dedicate my achievements to all the amazing teachers at UOW College and University of Wollongong, to my late parents who are taking care of me from above, to my Eritrean community both in Eritrea and globally in the diaspora, to my EALD teachers at Keira High School who believed in me when I had doubts in my abilities, and to all former, current and emerging refugees who have the potential to make the world a better place through education.” What an inspiring story!
I recently spoke about my own study journey for UOW’s The Stand and how I first became a nurse, then an educator and now the Vice-Chancellor here at UOW. This small trip down memory lane reminded me about the fun, optimism and challenges of my uni days.
This week is an exam week for a lot of you. I remember these weeks all too well. I would like to send my best wishes to all students embarking on exams. Please know that what you’re going through now – whether it’s study for exams still to come or relief having now completed them – it’s all leading somewhere. That no matter the outcome, there’ll be things you’ve learnt, lessons you’ll take with you and a new journey ahead.
Congratulations on all you’ve achieved so far. Be safe and well.
My best,
Trish
P.S. Any eligible research students and post-doctoral scholars (early-career researchers) looking for a fellowship? Submissions for the Australia India Research Students Fellowship are now open. Find out more here.