Female International Student Graduates make their presence felt

There was food, there were drinks and there were lots of laughter. There was the usual handing out of certificates and applause for those who had finished their course. But this was no ordinary graduation ceremony. 

Last night, over 70 people joined in the celebrations for the 30 female international students who graduated from their leadership course. Among those who participated in the celebrations were State member for Bentleigh, Ms Elizabeth Miller MLA, and State Director of Settlement in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Ms Jennifer Richards.

Young Victorian of the Year Wesa Chau and Indigenous Officer for the Australian Council of Trade Unions Sheena Watt inspired the audience. Anthea Sidiropoulos, Greek songwriter and singer, sang one of her own compositions and got the audience singing with her.

Three female international students shared their testimonies of how the leadership camp in February changed their lives.

Kesang Dechen from Monash University shared about how the Leadership Camp was an opportunity to meet a lot of new friends.  “A recent change I noticed in myself since the camp is that I’ve become more interested and involved in what’s happening around campus and in the community. I used to put all my focus on the academic side of my stay here in Australia but I now realize it’s more than that. In order for me to gain a richer experience I should become more involved and learn from all that is going on around me. Personally I think that the most important outcome from this camp was the realization that all of us face the same challenges and that together we have the power to try to do something to change the circumstances we find ourselves in and make life for ourselves and other international students better.”

Deakin University’s Helen Xing on the other hand, shared about how the camp empowered her. “I am not that lonely as what I thought before. There are the friends, the organization! I was so inspired how they stand on their feet to solve all the problems. Yes, I need to do the things like my friends, to be back to my normal life, to be happy and enthusiastic to the life. I think through the camp and meeting all the friends pull me out of my blue days and this activity empowered me indeed”.

Valery from Swinburne University shared about how the camp allowed her the chance to understand more about the culture and background of other international students. She recounted an incident that between her Vietnamese friends she met at the camp and her. “At first I didn’t know that Vietnam students don’t like Chinese much, but I did know from that that was some historical conflict between Vietnam and China. At the end of the camp, one Vietnam student told me that: ‘Oh Chinese are not so bad’ so I ask why and got to know a totally different history from what I have learnt. We got to swap stories and realized that despite history, we can still be friends.”  

Click below to see the link on ABC News http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3185685.htm