This week in our Students as Partners series we feature Emma Campbell, a participant in the Faculty Partnership Program pilot.
Emma Campbell
I am a first year student studying a Bachelor of Speech, Hearing and Language Sciences with a Bachelor of Human Sciences. My current plan is to go on and do a Master of Speech and Language Pathology or Clinical Audiology, although I am keeping my options open. I love playing squash, reading, studying Spanish, and playing the ukulele and guitar.
What do you see as the major challenges for students at university today?
I believe the responsibility and independence that comes with starting university is a challenge for many students. In high school, teachers guide students and constantly remind them of the work that needs to be completed. At university, it is entirely up to the student to find out what work they need to do and complete it on time. This can be a large adjustment for many students as they need the motivation and independence to do the work themselves. Another challenge is the sheer number of people at university that can overwhelm many students. It can be difficult to be in an environment where few people know your name or anything about you. This greatly contrasts to high school where teachers not only know the students name, but also many details about them.
You’ve recently joined the new Partnership Program pilot where you will be seeking feedback from your unit peers and collaborating with unit convenors to make positive improvements to the learning experience. What motivated you to get involved?
I was motivated to get involved as I liked the idea of being able to work with others and make a positive contribution to the university early on in my degree. In high school I was not as involved as I would have liked to be and it was something I always regretted. I want to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible at university. This way I can get the most out of my time here and also hopefully make a difference at the university at the same time.
What does employability mean to you?
To me employability means possessing all of the skills required to be a competitive person in the job market. This requires having a certain degree of knowledge in your field of interest, whether that is medicine, architecture or engineering. This can be gained through studying your degree, work experience and internships. You also need to have the interpersonal skills that will allow you to thrive in a workplace environment. Skills such as communication, problem solving and leadership are vital, and transferrable across all careers. I believe a person who is employable has the skills and knowledge in both of these areas.
What has been the most memorable experience with your studies to date?
I have only been at university for six weeks but in that time I have already had many new experiences. One of my most memorable experiences so far is starting the Global Leadership Program. When I attended the GLP welcome session during O-Week, I remember being very impressed and excited about the program and all the opportunities it offers. I attended my first colloquia, which was a workshop that broke down what is means to be a leader, and am already booked in for more upcoming colloquiums. I think it’s fantastic that Macquarie offers opportunities like this to all students, to challenge everyone to extend themselves beyond their degree.
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