Your Stories
The journey to Graduation day…
Rosy Nawl: “This is my story.”
It is truly an honour to have the opportunity to share my journey and to represent minor ethnic groups like mine.
Through offering this opportunity, You and GFP event organisation have proven once again that Australia is a welcoming and accepting community.
Throughout my Bachelor and Master studies at Monash University, I look forward for the day that I will stand on the stage of Robert Blackwood Hall, wearing my Hakha Chin cultural clothes and receive my degree as I proudly say that ‘I finally did it for myself, for my family and for my Chin people.
I hope that people will see my journey that brought me to my graduation day as an inspiring success story of a 1.5 generation refugee student from Hakha Chin State in Myanmar ( Burma), who is able to graduate through resilience, determination, and love of learning.
I owe my achievement to everyone who has loved me and supported me throughout my university year. And most importantly to God, Australia, and Monash University for giving me an opportunity for a second chance in life and the opportunity to study freely to“…equip [myself] for life, not solely for [my] own benefit but for the benefit of the whole community.” As Sir John Monash quote. I am so happy and grateful for my life.
- Rosy Sui Men Zing Nawl
Venesha Winter: “Just a Country Girl Living in the City.”
I was born in a very small town of around 3,000 people and grew up in a place where there’s approximately 13,000 people. However, I never felt like I fit in. The feeling persisted throughout all my high school years.
When I was in year 11, at the tender age of 16, I realised that I wanted to study psychology at a university. However, I was very scared and didn’t know how to achieve my seemingly unattainable goal. Yet, in year 12, I worked extremely hard to get good grades, so I could move to the city of churches and pursue my goal. The highlight of my year was receiving an A overall for child studies and an A+ for one of the topic’s assessments, which was when I made a toy for a visually impaired child. In fact, I was rewarded in the Northern Festival Centre for receiving the highest grade in the class for the topic.
Overall, I got a good Australian Tertiary Admission Rank and was accepted by Flinders University to study psychology. However, I had greater ambitions than 16-year-old me anticipated. Specifically, I was determined to study another degree, criminology, with honours. After receiving a competitive grade point average, I transitioned from a single degree to a double degree in criminology and psychology.
In 2023, I finished my honours degree with a distinction average. On 17/04/2024, I happily graduated and made my loved ones extremely proud. On 20/04/2024, I was gifted a delicious cake and lovely card from my amazing volunteer colleagues. In it, one of them said, “You’re a star!”. However, I’m nothing special. I’m still just a country girl living in the city.
- Venesha Winter
Mengxin HAN: “My Story.”
I am Mengxin, a Chinese international graduate student from Flinders University, and a proud member of the Mongolian ethnic minority. It is an honour for me to share my story, and I am excited to showcase the rich Mongolian culture through the traditional clothes and accessories that I wore at my graduation ceremony.
Throughout my journey in Australia, the warm support from Flinders University and the broader community has not only helped me academically but has warmly embraced my cultural identity. The sense of belonging has been a constant companion during my time in Australia. Today, I find myself achieving milestones that seemed beyond reach when I embarked on this journey. I am grateful for everyone who supported me during my master’s degree and for the growth mindset I developed through the challenges. Choosing to study in another country is no small decision, and I consider myself fortunate for the kind support from the community.
I like the analogy of life being akin to a mosaic; each little piece representing our unique journeys,,
eventually forming a part of who we are. As a student in early childhood teaching, the commitmentt
from Chinese culture and the resilience instilled by Mongolian culture have propelled my progress..
Now, my journey at Flinders University stands as one of the most shining pieces in this mosaic.
Graduation marks not an end but the beginning of a new chapter. I am dedicated to integrating the
concept of harmony, a value deeply cherished in both Chinese and Mongolian culture, into my
teaching philosophy. I aim to impart my enthusiasm to children with a heart full of gratitude,,
fostering a positive impact in the lives of future generations.
- Mengxin Han
We would love to hear your story
Many graduates have beautiful, interesting and captivating stories to tell about their graduation journey and we would love to hear them! Fill in the form below to let us know about your journey. We may publish your story and photos online and share them across social media.