Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your background and your area of study?
My name is Hanny, and I am an international graduate student from Indonesia, currently doing a Master of International Relations at Monash University.
What is your new role within the MGAEC, and what are you hoping to achieve over your term in office?
I am the International Student Officer at the MGAEC. During my term, my goal is to proactively engage with international graduate students, bring their concerns to the MGA Executive Committee, and collaborate with relevant bodies to advocate for inclusive and impactful change. This includes connecting students with relevant support services, from academic and wellbeing resources to visa and financial guidance, while building collaborative relationships with the bodies best positioned to address their needs.
What motivated you to join the executive committee? What drives you to make a difference in your graduate student community?
I am strongly passionate about representing the interests and welfare of graduate students at Monash and ensuring their concerns are meaningfully addressed within university decision-making spaces.
Having navigated university systems, governance structures, and student life as an international student, I understand the academic, administrative, and cultural challenges faced by international graduate students. This lived experience drives my commitment to advocacy that is not only representative but also actionable, ensuring that international graduate students’ concerns are heard, understood, and acted upon at an executive level.