Deakin’s Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship set me on my dream career path

My name is Juliet. For many years, I have been a keen environmentalist and conservationist. However, it was the unique experience of spending the night with an elephant in the middle of the South African wilderness which made me realise that I want to devote my working life to this field of study.

For many years, I have been a keen environmentalist and conservationist. However, it was the unique experience of spending the night with an elephant in the middle of the South African wilderness which made me realise that I want to devote my working life to this field of study.

From a young age, my love of nature grew from the intellectual pleasure of trying to understand the infinite complexity of the natural world. As a young child, I grew up in the British countryside, where my passion for nature first sprouted from the joys of exploring the hidden gems of my back garden. However, it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa in 2019 and immerse myself in nature during a wilderness trail, that I realised this was what I wanted to devote my life to.

In 2018, I participated in a competition held by the Wilderness Foundation Africa, in which I was selected as a Wild Rhino Youth Ambassador for their Wild Rhino Vietnam campaign. Through this, I undertook a wilderness trail and conservation workshop in South Africa. During my final school years, I worked with this campaign to raise student awareness of rhino poaching in Vietnam, and then joined the campaign as a full-time employee during my gap year.

In general, my work with the Wilderness Foundation Africa has given me a platform to express and further explore my love for wildlife, as well as giving me insight into professional practice in my preferred future fields of specialisation. Based on this experience and my passion for nature, I decided to pursue a career in veterinary science.

“It has opened up many possibilities for my future career, and I plan someday to contribute to the community and give back to the university that has helped me chase my dreams.”

I chose to study at Deakin because the university’s Bachelor of Zoology and Animal Science curriculum matches my deep interest in animal evolution and behaviour, exploring the social and economic impact of human activity on animal ecosystems. The principal reason I chose this course and career path is because my goal is to be able to research and care for the natural world and its wildlife – especially its animals – and also to be able to educate people about the beauty and value of nature.

Due to the high cost of international university tuition, the Deakin Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship has given me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue my dream and study in an international environment. It has opened up many possibilities for my future career, and I plan someday to contribute to the community and give back to the university that has helped me chase my dreams.

For further information about studying at Deakin and courses that relate to zoology and animal science, visit our environmental science page.