CDU student becomes first City of Sydney international student ambassador
For the first time, a Charles Darwin University (CDU) student has been accepted into the award-winning City of Sydney International Student Leadership and Ambassador (ISLA) program.
The program offers free training, integrated learning and volunteering opportunities to support international students to gain experience and achieve success in future careers.
CDU Sydney International Master of IT (Cyber Security) student Suraj Karki is the first student from CDU to be accepted into the program.
Mr Karki said he was encouraged to apply after participating in the CDU Careers Centre's Volunteer and Learn (VALue) program.
“After my positive experience with the CDU VALue program, I gained an understanding of how impactful volunteering can be, so when I received a newsletter regarding the ISLA program, I applied,” Mr Karki said.
Mr Karki said he didn’t expect to be accepted, so when he received his acceptance letter, he was very surprised.
“Being an international student can come with difficulties, but being provided with this additional opportunity to network, gain skills and connect with other students is really important to me and, I believe, to my success in Australia,” Mr Karki said.
“I am proud to be able to represent CDU and am looking forward to the opportunities I will be a part of,” he said.
Since its inception, the CDU Sydney campus has expanded to include more study options, including the Master of IT and Data Science with the campus’s physical presence now occupying more than 50 per cent of its George Street premises.
CDU Associate Vice-Chancellor Sydney Dr Sascha Jenkins said this was a huge milestone for the University.
“CDU Sydney has seen significant growth now with more course offerings, student support and engagement opportunities,” Dr Jenkins said.
“These types of appointments truly demonstrate that CDU is part of the university footprint in Sydney.
“It also reflects the importance of supporting our students to become involved in their communities and ensure they are connected to additional opportunities and services that support their futures.”
This was recently demonstrated at the Western Sydney Careers Expo where CDU students from IT, Project Management and Midwifery were asked to share their study experiences on a student panel.
Due to Mr Karki’s volunteering commitments and his participation in the ISLA program, he attended the thank-you reception for the City of Sydney Volunteers, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Sydney.