To all my fellow graduates of 2004...

First and foremost, I would like to say that I am honoured to graduate with such an incredible group. We began four years ago as a complete strangers to each other, but then depart as one big happy family.

Flashback to our first few days here: Just as we were about to have some grasp with the new environment, the fun of orientation was over and it was time to get down to business. Initially there were lectures after lectures and handouts after handouts. At times we were overwhelmed by the material we had to cover and by the fact that we thought we fit the criteria of becoming an engineer. But as a class we helped each other through it by sharing notes and conducting our own study groups.

The knowledge that we have gained during the last four years would become the foundation that would guide us through the rest of our training. As we struggled with countless assignments and projects, and long hours of lab time, we definitely had to sacrifice our beauty sleep, but I guess, it was worth our effort. Fast forward to today: I’m proud to say this to all of you… We definitely did it.

I had the most exciting experience studying here in Melbourne University. Being away for the first time was an awful experience at first for all of us. For me, I had little knowledge of overseas experience, as it was my first time in a foreign country.

It was quite a culture shock, especially in terms of food. We Malaysian, are accustomed with food that are rich in spices, MSG, and absolutely hot and spicy, which is a rare thing here. When I first came here, one roti canai would cost me AUD6.50 and three sticks of satay would cost AUD7, and it was almost too much to bear. Then I had to learn how to cook, with the experience of almost setting the whole apartment on fire – that was quite a disaster.

Aside from that, I had to learn how to adapt to other culture, and did pick up a few slang along the way. I familiarised myself with footy frenzy, as well as cricket, and develop an interest towards Kylie Minogue and Ian Thorpe. After that, I instantly felt right at home. I would say that I was a bit shy when I first came here, but then again, my friends today would think of me otherwise.

I knew that there were a lot of aspects in my life that I needed to improve before I step into the real world, so I started to stand up and take action. I realised that my leadership skills needed improvement, so when a flyer came one day to apply for a Student Ambassador Leadership Program (SALP) under Melbourne University, I quickly grabbed the opportunity. I had to undergo a tough selection, as only about 100 students from around the university are selected each year, and 20 of them are from the Faculty of Engineering. After being chosen, SALPERs, a term we call ourselves, had to undergo weekly seminars, a workshop, and completing University service and Community service before graduating from the program.

In order to complete my University service, I volunteered for a series of events held in the Uni, like the Orientation Day, Careers Expo, and Endeavour, an exhibition to showcase the talent of Electrical Engineers, like myself. But then, the most exciting experience was when I volunteered for the Faculty of Engineering ‘Discovery Day’, where I was invited to become one of the guest speakers to talk about my experience studying engineering. It was my first public speaking experience, which wasn’t very ghastly, as enrolling into SALP has been a stepping stone in preparing me for the event. In order to complete my community service, I volunteered for People Outdoor, an organization that help people with disabilities by organizing weekend getaway camp. Volunteering with People Outdoor gave me the sort of experience that I would never get back at home, and it made me realized how lucky I am to be here today.

There are also ample opportunities available within the University, for students to make new friends, and expand networking such as the Mentoring Program, offered by the Faculty of Engineering. For final year students, it gave us the chance to be matched with professional Engineer with the aim to assists us with the transition into the workplace. Having an industry mentor myself has proven to be an invaluable asset.

Besides that, there are also clubs and societies, events going on every month, and free barbeque almost weekly in order to get students to be more involved with University life. I would say that studying in Australia was such an enriching experience. I’ve gained not only in terms of academic knowledge but also valuable social exposure, and learnt to become more independent. It was an incredible studying experience. I would not trade these experiences for anything else in the world, and I thank Melbourne Uni for that.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents and the parents of all those who graduated today. I know that my parents have given me more than I could have ever asked for in support and encouragement. And I am sure that goes for all other parents as well. And if you don’t hear ‘Thanks’ or ‘I love you’ often enough, it’s probably because sometimes we don’t know how to say it enough. And personally, I would like to extend my gratitude to all my classmates. I have loved sharing the last four years of my life with you guys. I can already recall some of those experiences that we had, some were good and some were not, which I shall cherish each and one of it.

Our journey has ended and we are about to embark on a new one. We are back at our country, experiencing the work force, meeting new friends and loved ones as well. But always remember your days here. Remember your sacrifices and hard work. Remember how amazing it felt to learn, to discover and to grow. Remember how you feel right now and be proud of what you have accomplished.

To my fellow Engineers, congratulations.

Suhana Sidik,
Electrical Engineering student,
Petronas Graduate of 2004.

**Speech taken during an afternoon tea with the Dean, for all final year Engineering students.