Students & alumni

Kris Bondin showed early leadership skills as a student mentor and during his work placements. Since then, he has ‘put himself out there’ and his career has soared.

International business student Michelle Lee Pei Hua has built a global network of connections and friends through VU studies.

Engineering graduate Emma Buis was lead site engineer on VU's student accommodation UniLodge and has since moved to Sydney to further develop her career.

Tahani Shamroukh took VU's Adult Migrant English Program and discovered a love for welding which led to employment.

VU plumbing graduate, Bryce Williamson, is Winner of the 2017 Energy Safe Victoria Award.

After seven years in the beauty industry, Rio Delaney chose a VU pathway that kick-started her business career with Australia’s largest professional services organisation.

For Gabriela Kian, the decision to study at Victoria University (VU) Sydney was an easy one to make.

Studying at a campus with students from more than 40 countries around the world, Sheryl Infante says VU Sydney's diverse nationality mix has made adjusting to Australia all the more easier.

For seven years Marjie Saunders was a dedicated chef, but she felt drawn towards a career change and chose VU’s Business pathway from diploma to degree.

A mere six months after landing her dream job as an executive with Marketing Eye, Samantha Dargan was promoted to marketing manager.

Jonjie Beltran says he got his job at Multivac because of the industry experience and contacts he gained at VU

Austin Crawley always knew he wanted a career helping people, beginning with a part-time job at a pharmacy in Year 10. But the alignment of some key events helped him find his dream job.

Samson Akinyemi says his decision to study a SAP-centric course at VU in Australia has paid off and given him IT skills that are in high demand.

Nicole Gil from the Philippines praises VU teaching and opportunities. She completed the Master of Business (Industrial Relations/HR Management) in 2019 and won the Rumpf award.

Doctor of Business Administration student Renato Ulpiano began making a difference in people's lives as soon as he began his studies.

Victorian Business Icon award winner Luba Grigorovitch credits VU for her successful career in politics and business.

Being offered a role at Walt Disney World after graduation was nothing short of a ‘dream come true! for Tim!’

Just weeks after finishing her postgraduate degree at Victoria University (VU), Shreysha Shrestha found herself swapping roles from student to teacher.

With a strong background in health and business, Debbie Ruiz’s MBA gives her the edge in her role as revenue manager at Western Health.

International student Janice Ashwin will return to the Solomon Islands with so much more than just a degree.

Former VU international student Crispino Santamaria says VU’s Centre for Student Success played a pivotal role in his entry to the Melbourne workforce.

Neha Jhunjhunwala, physical education teacher and head of the sports department at Cambridge International School in Punjab, India, chose VU to take her career to the next level.

Winning the Australian Government's prestigious Endeavour Scholarship has been a dream come true for Cambodia's Prasat Sum.

Jen Seymen had always been employed as a supervisor in hospitality before she undertook hospitality studies at VU. There she found the tools she needed to gain employment at a higher level.

Ready to embark on his own career transformation, Charles Campos decided to focus on managing organisational change.

This postgraduate course focuses on enterprise resource management planning (ERP) systems in SAP and analytical predictive tools such as SAP HANA, Bigdata and R.

After first studying education, Jessica Pond returned to university at VU and landed her “dream job”.

Sarah Oleksiuk’s determination to become a successful project manager is winning her awards and admiration.

After studying marketing, River Kanjanakrit followed his true calling to gain world-class make-up skills at VU.

Catherine Meeson returned to study as a mature-age student and has now released three solo albums.

Screen and Media student Adam Chapman has found success with filmmaking through his placement experiences.

Piath Mathiang (stage name P-UniQue) is a passionate student, planning to use her degree and influence to help the community.

Gaining professional skills and confidence through her work placements enabled Raquel Stevens to make great inroads into her career in the arts.

Benjamin Laut has used skills and connections gained at VU to co-found an award-winning film production company.

Deruka Dekuek is using skills gained in her VU degree to help new refugees settle in Australia.

At VU, Toolsika found a course that accommodates her two passions – justice and psychology – and a uni that feels like a home away from home.

Achol Arow’s VU journey has helped her find her voice as a political leader and women’s advocate.

Janice Jao discovered the practical, supportive approach of VU enabled her to enter the profession before she graduated.

Aboriginal cultural educator and actor Nathalie McLean designed a creative way to teach the newest people about the oldest culture.

Dr Anne Riggs researches how art helps people recover from grief.

VU Arts graduate Olivia Slater (Yamatji/Noongar) is making history as the first Indigenous Australian woman to undertake a PhD at Cambridge University.

Victorian Student Band of the Year, VU’s Party On My Darling are honing their skills at Kindred Studios.

Quinn Daly discovered her passion for printmaking and gained career direction while studying visual arts at VU.

Burundi-born VU student Pierre Rutomera came to Australia with limited English language skills. Thanks to VU English, he is now able to speak and write fluent English.

Ruyi Jin says VU's Block Model provides a clear learning schedule and fosters a deep understanding of the content.

International Victoria University Polytechnic student Jenifer Halim is following the path to her dream.

Troy Flores fulfilled his dream to become a teacher despite the odds.

Education student Rose is finding inspiration at VU in overseas study experiences, the Block Model and her passion for inspiring future generations.

A professional athlete-turned-teacher has been named one of the world’s top 50 educators in a $1 million competition.

Through the unique VU Block Model and one-of-a-kind learning experiences, Emily Gannaway is excelling.

After arriving in Australia as a refugee, Hamed Allah-Yari studied English at VU Polytechnic, developing the written and verbal English skills he needed to run his own business.

After briefly pursuing an acting career, Justen Petch realised that he needed a role that would pay the bills but also allow him to express his creativity.

Melissa Sambrooks is blazing a trail in women's football as one of the first female professional umpires in the game. Now she's combining both of her passions – sport and education – to fulfil her dream of becoming a PE teacher.

VU student turned VU teacher, Sam Dang followed a flexible pathway from diploma to postgraduate study.

Gene Vocale is turning his passion into his profession with the support of VU’s Indigenous Academic Unit, educating future generations about health.

International student Yanri says studying in Australia is the best way to strengthen his knowledge.

Mariam Khattab went from Youth Work to teaching through VU.

From a small village in northern Bali, Dodi is studying his Master of Education to one day return to his hometown and teach English.

VU Alumnus Benjamin Sacco, finds VU students to be passionate and professional employees.

Adam Furey has enjoyed regular work placements over the past two years thanks to VU’s strong industry connections.

VU’s extensive practical placements and industry connections took Joshua Le from the classroom into his dream career as an educator.

Benjamin Foster credits VU’s industry links and practical learning opportunities for taking him to his dream job.

Karam Ali says students should focus on long-term goals and rewards.

After experiencing the study tour of a lifetime to NASA and great results with the VU Block Model, Andrea shares advice for first-year students.

Ishani Haputhanthrige's time at VU helped her find success as an electrical engineer.

Former international student Ravina Kamble says Victoria University’s job skills training helped her to secure her first professional position in Australia before she had even graduated.

Architectural engineer Sian Willmott used her VU degree and career focus to become a leader in sustainable building design.

The practical focus of VU’s Engineering degrees gave Annelyse Carter a head start in the construction industry.

Sultan Bin Rubayan received a prestigious scholarship from the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission to pursue studies in engineering at VU.

Dishana Liang found the balance between work and postgraduate studies through VU’s flexible block learning.

Julien Lepine’s research into transport vehicle vibration at VU caught the eye of University of Cambridge.

Professor Adrian Stoica’s VU research helped propel him towards becoming one of NASA’s most esteemed engineers.

Cheuk Yin Wai, who is studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Architectural Engineering), says that studying at VU has turned challenges into opportunities.

Kav Dassanayake landed a job at one of Victoria's most innovative Government departments after he graduated.

Kim Taylor’s passion for electronics led him to VU. He completed a Masters of Engineering to expand his career options.

Marine biologist Jacinta Early’s career took her all the way to New York City – now she is spreading the message of sustainability back in her heartland.

Josh Hose turned a life-changing car accident into an opportunity to excel as a wheelchair rugby player.

Double scholarship recipient Jessica Bonello was driven to nursing by childhood experiences.

After escaping the Democratic Republic of Congo's civil war at 16 and spending three years in a refugee camp in Tanzania, Mlisho Karega came to Australia with the dream of joining the medical profession.

Paramedicine student Sarah Maclure’s hands-on training helped prepare her to save lives when she least expected it.

A love of dermal therapies has seen Sarah McManus move from VU student to VU lecturer.

Olive Rutto says practical work placements and dedicated teachers are why she recommends VU to prospective students.

A pivotal moment in Joshua Contaoi's youth inspired him to commit his life – and career – to helping others.

Doing her final nursing placements during a global pandemic wasn't expected for Aarianna Read. But as someone who moved countries to help the vulnerable and desperate, she's taking this in her stride.

Even during the unusual experience of remote learning, Nikita is achieving great results at uni.

Jasmine Azzopardi was already working in her chosen field when she decided to get a qualification from VU Polytechnic.

Jason chose VU to study osteopathy because of the hands-on learning component, which gave him his industry advantage.

Sharni Chandler has overcome years of bullying at school to become a prize-winning make-up artist.

With a love for the stage and performing, Ellie McEvoy enrolled in a Diploma of Specialised Makeup Services at Victoria University Polytechnic. The back-up plan turned into a job working on the Oscar Nominated Film, Lion.

Priscilla moved to Melbourne from her hometown in Bali straight after high school to pursue her passion for skin care at Victoria University.

When Wes Clarke didn’t get the ATAR he’d hoped for at the end of Year 12, he didn’t let that stop him from achieving his dream to become a sport scientist.

Registered psychologist Alana Howells returned to study a Master of Applied Psychology (Clinical Psychology) – while continuing to build her own successful practice.

Samantha Page's passion for hair, make-up and beauty has translated into a successful career, and her own business.

Dr Lannie O’Keefe left school at 15, but has since completed three degrees, including a PhD, and begun an academic career.

Shane I’Anson discovered the challenges that come with a career change are more than worth it when he changed from social work to osteopathy.

After studying at VU, Sharlyne is reaching her dream of becoming a qualified doctor.

From disappointing VCE results to the Ivy League.

Emma Heard credits VU's industry connections and placement opportunities for preparing her for a career in midwifery.

Nikki is co-founder and CEO of an organisation that provides first aid training to school students, workplaces and parents.

Vanesa Stojanovska won a prestigious medical research grant.

Alysha Moore has been interested in travel since she was a child. She is now completing her final year of her degree, working at Visit Victoria in a Work Integrated Learning capacity, as the tourism sector responds to unforeseen challenges.

Shaneal has just completed her studies and already has gained employment in the industry. She talked to us about her work-integrated learning.

Megan Walendy knew that by studying tourism she was following her passion – but she never predicted what would ultimately launch her career.

Following her pathway to success from diploma to degree, Eriwati got a head-start in her IT future.

Andrew Hinton's IT pathway has seen him rewarded with a position as a cyber security threat hunter.

Monika Mathur was already working as an IT professional when she decided to upskill with a cyber security qualification from VU Polytechnic.

Learning to take the initiative and work effectively as part of a team are two of the key learnings Renuka Ranapal gained from her time at Victoria University.

Although he’s a long way from his family and friends, Pratik Shakya “feels like home” at Victoria University (VU) Sydney.

By seizing practical experience during her studies, and professional opportunities since, Christine Soriano has landed her dream jobs at Google and Facebook in the US.

Mariestella De Leon pursued a career in IT for both its opportunities to get creative and industry demand – but VU offered her the secret weapon to study success.

Through a combination of supportive VU pathways, hard work and hackathon success, Zahra Rezai found her place in the world of IT.

VU’s supportive learning environment was the perfect setting for Abigail Bravo’s career change.

International student Vinh is living proof that you can never be overqualified, or that a change of career isn’t just a dream.

Kot Monoah, a Sudanese refugee, followed his dream of becoming a solicitor, and community mentor and leader.

After fleeing the murder of his parents, Burundi refugee Innocent Karabagega has followed a pathway to Bachelor of Laws.

Several prestigious awards, nominations and her dream job later, this legal young gun’s never looking back.

Bol Mathiang used an arts degree to help him transfer into Law at VU. Now, thanks to the support he received during his studies, he’s ready to take the next step towards his goals.

Meredith Hunt knew she wanted to be a lawyer from an early age. So she was never going to let something as insignificant as a number get in the way of her achieving that dream.

While working as a trainee legal registrar, Rhiannon Stoneman’s magistrate and barrister colleagues convinced her to become a lawyer.

Studying law thanks to two prestigious scholarships, Joseph Hafoka is finding success through the VU Block Model

Since completing his studies, Farhan Rehman has started his own law firm with global connections.

Without the required ATAR for law, Jihan discovered a VU course pathway that led to a career in which she passionately uses the law to help those in need.

CEO Seema Shah enhanced her career with a postgraduate qualification in migration law.

Lewis Truong follows his legal career dreams around the world, but never leaves home without his most important assets: pride in where he came from and an unwavering sense of justice.

After achieving her position at a top tier law firm, Christie Jones is taking on fresh challenges – as a barrister, law student mentor and parent to two children.

Seizing every challenge available to her, Mary Amon thrived on her international study tour and excelled in her practical placement, leading to her being offered her current full-time position.

Karen Cortez found her passion in migration law.

Shavini Kumarawansa overcame personal tragedy to become a successful lawyer, and now uses her expertise to support those who need her help the most.

Celil Kardaslar found confidence as a student during high school debates. Now he finishes his degree ahead of schedule and is embracing every opportunity as an award-winning Law graduate.

Vincent Shin didn't let a violent childhood stop him from realising his dream of becoming a lawyer.

Iman Osman dreamed of studying law since childhood. VU’s support programs and practical learning opportunities helped make that a reality.

As the youngest of three siblings to study law at VU, multi award-winning alumnus Amanda McDermott is leading the way in her career.

Marco Man’s diverse study pathway has led him from VCE to a Bachelor of Laws.

Returning to study in her twenties, Kelsie Cafarella found her career calling thanks to VU’s industry connections, internship opportunities and supportive teaching staff.

After completing his Master of Digital Media at VU, doors have opened for Brendan Park in his career as a digital communications adviser.

Jessica Almenara can see her graduation around the corner – and she's not letting a global pandemic get in the way of successfully completing her business degree.

The knowledge and skills VU international student Clera Sam has gained will stay with her long after she returns home.

Building on a background in communications, Kuhan Supramaniam came to Victoria University (VU) to expand his skill set in digital media.

International student Seun Omolewa is determined to bring his passion for filmmaking to life.

With the kick-start of a Bachelor of Business from VU, Beck Reeves now works as Marketing Manager at Walt Disney Company Australia.

After completing his masters degree in business marketing, Sebastian Au landed a job at his dream company, L'Oreal.

Kayla McLeod leveraged the University’s industry connections to forge an exciting career in media.

Ghofran Al-nasiri was given a chance to achieve her dreams of becoming a researcher through VU’s pathways program.

Brady Hamilton’s passion for nature led to his involvement in critical scientific research.

Kuorwel Kuorwel went from refugee to research scientist with a PhD in chemistry.

After completing two different science-based bachelor degrees at other universities, Yao-Han Lee’s hunt for an interesting honours project took him to VU where he found top marks, supportive teaching staff, and the passion for PhD research.

Andrew Pascoe completed a placement and year-long residency in Papua New Guinea where he made a widely screened documentary.

Sarah Graham, a ‘quiet achiever,’ chose a career close to her heart.

Inclusion, diversity and respect – these are some of the values Damilare Shodimu has applied from his studies at VU to his role as a youth worker.

VU’s revolutionary learning model and support network has seen Jaydah flourish in her studies away from home.

With a life-long desire to help others, VU Youth Work valedictorian Zenab Tewolde found her career calling at Melbourne City Mission.

Leaving high school early didn't stop Fatima Abdul from completing two degrees with VU.

After working in hospitality for 30 years, Jason Butcher embarked on a career change – enrolling in a Diploma of Community Services at VU Polytechnic. He’s working at a Neighbourhood House while he’s studying, and already making a difference.

While undertaking life-enriching travels, Luciano Cornelius was always drawn towards a calling – he just needed to follow.

After returning to study as a mature-age student and sole parent, Renee Page forged a career in community services.

An eye-opening overseas placement in Malaysia ignited Robert Impey’s passion for Community Development.

Being a finalist for international student of the year on the same night as her university won an award for its revolutionary new teaching model is a highlight of Olena Nguyen's international study journey so far.

Thanks to the rich and diverse learning environment at VU, Angelo Monizjong is getting the most out of his Master of International Community Development.

Reflecting on the year that was, VU student Mia Dunphy says she has “grown so much” following her Indonesian study experience.

With an interest in criminal justice, James Dib was drawn to his VU degree due to its practical learning opportunities and strong career prospects.

Eliza Kandell fought back from a low score to find her career calling in Youth Work.

Celia Tran was named Premier’s Volunteer of the Year 2016 for her tireless community work.

Olena Nguyen says VU’s First Year Model has made her journey to become a social worker much less stressful.

Sisters Bianca and Rosemarie Michetti followed pathways from TAFE to postgraduate study.

Ninja Warrior Australia semi-finalist and strength and conditioning coach/educator Kadeem Aarons has his sights set on an exciting future.

Callum is forging his career in the fitness industry by studying at VU, a leading Australian sport university. He has found success with the VU Block Model – discovering its benefits even during remote learning.

After completing the Diploma of Sport Development, Laura D’Aloia decided to pursue her degree and an exciting career in sport management.

While Gulcan didn’t receive the required ATAR to get directly into her uni degree, entering into the diploma first was the perfect pathway.

Sharna Naidu’s placements and industry connections through VU helped her gain roles at Melbourne Victory and now Football Victoria.

Founder of holistic health and fitness provider The Biomechanics Luke Postlethwaite credits his success with the practical approach of his VU studies, and his own determination.

Victoria University’s 2017 student athlete of the year shares her tips on balancing study and professional sport, and what excites her about the future – in basketball and beyond.

Maeve Coughlan was always destined to become a fighting champ. Here’s how she finds the balance to keep fighting, while studying for her dream career.

Claudia Davey uses her VU sport and business degrees to nurture female football talent.

Will Haines’ pursuit for fairness is matched only by his love of sport. So discovering his postgraduate course in sport integrity offered the perfect career path and invaluable networks to enter his dream job.

When sports' fan Macey was considering a career change from finance, she rediscovered VU’s postgraduate sport integrity course was the perfect fit.

Brooke Muscat's combined degree in sport science and psychological studies has taken her to an exciting role with Western Bulldogs Community Foundation.

Since graduation Shruti has taken a lead role improving sporting culture in her home country, India.

Lorcan Mathews is working with the next generation of local footballers as Melbourne Victory Academy’s U15 Team Manager.

The decision to study in Melbourne – and at Victoria University (VU) – was a self-professed “no-brainer” for international student Avery Loganathan.

Driven by his passion for rugby, Eoin McVeigh is forging a career in London as a performance analyst.

Clifford Fahler used industry experience gained through VU to find a full-time logistics career.

Delight harnessed of all the hands-on learning and development opportunities at VU and has cracked her career.

Eric Law developed the practical and theoretical skill set to kick-start a successful career in the logistics industry.

Since high school Jacinta Sapwell has had a keen interest in electronics and electrics. In 2009 she enrolled in and completed an Advanced Diploma in Electrical Technology at VU Polytechnic.

Maree Stuart completed her masters as an investment in her supply chain and management career.

Deepak Vinayak's work as a multicultural community champion earned him a 2018 Pride of Australia medal.

With the support and guidance of VU, Blake Dutta has forged himself a place alongside GM Holden’s senior leadership team.