Over the past month, ACICIS’ Campus Ambassadors and alumni community have been mobilised across the country to host a series of pre-departure events and informal meetups for new students undertaking the Public Health Study Tour in December 2016, Professional Practica in January 2017 and semester programs in February 2017. Approximately 140 students were able to attend these events hosted throughout Australia.

The first event was held at the University of Sydney Business School, for students from University of Sydney, UNSW Australia, University of Technology Sydney, and Western Sydney University.  ACICIS was represented by Campus Ambassadors Jonathan Soerjoko (BPP 2016), Owen James (Sem 42/Feb 2016), and Anastasia Pavlovic (Sem 42/Feb 2016), as well as ACICIS’ Business Professional Practicum (BPP) Program Officer Fendi Liem. The event was attended by 35 students, representatives of AIYA NSW, and the KJRI Sydney.

The second event was held at the University of Melbourne for new ACICIS students from Victoria. ACICIS was represented by Campus Ambassador Luke Elson (Sem 40/Feb 2015), who was joined by AIYA Victoria’s President Clarice Campbell (DSPP 2016) and Samuel Shlansky (Sem 40, Feb 2015), both former ACICIS students themselves. 28 students from the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, La Trobe University and Monash were in attendance at this event.

In the third week, ACICIS held events in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.  Approximately 25 students from Murdoch University, The University of Western Australia, and Curtin University attended the WA event hosted by ACICIS Campus Ambassador Nikita Stockinger (DSPP 2016) and ACICIS Secretariat Officers Matthew Satchwell (Sem 28/Feb 2009 & Sem 35/Aug 2012), Megan McPherson (Sem 27, Aug 2008) and John McMaster (Sem 40, Feb 2015). In the Northern Territory, ACICIS was represented by ACICIS Campus Ambassador James Turner (Sem 40, Feb 2015) who hosted a small gathering of students at Charles Darwin University.

The next event was hosted for 15 South Australian students at Flinders University. ACICIS was represented by ACICIS Campus Ambassadors Abby Witts (Sem 40, Feb 2015), Christiaan Alford (Sem 40, Feb 2015), Will Spooner-Adey (Sem 40, Feb 2015), Leah Wilson (DSPP 2014, Sem 40/Feb 2015 & Sem 41/Aug 2015), Khadi Omodei-James (Sem 41/Aug 2015), Shanti Omodei-James (Sem 35/Aug 2012),Ben Leaver (Sem 40, Feb 2015), and Darren Thompson (Sem 40, Feb 2015).

To wrap up the series of events, ACICIS held two pre-departure events in Queensland. The first event was hosted by ACICIS Campus Ambassadors Liam Mckinnie (Sem 42/Feb 2016) and Janelle Falconer (Sem 40/Feb 2015 & Sem 41/Aug 2015) at the University of the Sunshine Coast. The second event was hosted by Campus Ambassadors Steph Pearson (Sem 40/Feb 2015), Melanie Kilby (President of AIYA Qld) (Sem 40/Feb 2015), Rory Brown (Sem 41/Aug 2015), and Drew Pavich (Sem 42/Feb 2016). Students from the University of Queensland, the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland University of Technology, and Griffith University were invited to attend either event.

Thank you to our Campus Ambassadors for hosting these events and for their enthusiasm in speaking with new students about what life in Indonesia has to offer!