Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your area of study?
I am Jingrong Wang, an international student from China. Currently, I am undertaking my Master of Secondary Teaching at the Faculty of Education on the Clayton campus. My teaching methods include Psychology and Humanities. I also had some academic training in philosophy during my undergrad.
Outside of study, I am also a movie-goer. My favorite director is David Lynch and I am a big Twin Peaks fan. If you also like a good cup of joe with a slice of cherry pie, I think we can make good friends.
What is your role within the MGAEC, and what are you hoping to achieve over your term in office?
Right now, I serve the role of general representative within the MGAEC. Not bounded by any specific official position gives me the freedom to participate in a wide range of activities. I can help planning for MGA events, going around the campus to collate graduate students’ concerns and needs, and lending a helping hand to other committee members who are pushing forward their agenda.
As for my personal goals, I wish to have a chance to join as many university committees to understand the functioning of the bureaucratic system we have at Monash. I will then connect students’ needs to the committee most responsible for them, try to prioritise the setups of the services that best address such needs, and advocate the services so more graduate students can have access to them.
What are your personal interests? What do you do for fun?
My biggest motivation to join the executive committee was the concern that the voices of many international students, especially those who are still improving their English, might be marginalised. I know that many Chinese international students generally do not track information updates sent by the university emails or listed on the university websites, so it is a bit hard to establish conversations between them and the university. Yet, if you have a chance to talk with them face-to-face, you realise that they too have many suggestions on improving graduate students’ experience, just like all other students.
I hope that during my stay at the MGAEC I can become a bridge to connect the international students with the university and channel their voices to the executive level of the university.