Meet our students

GLP Student Testimonials

Hear about how our students are benefiting from their Global Leadership Program experience.

Erin Allen

Bachelor of Science

The GLP has benefitted... my wellbeing during the pandemic. The activities offer a sense of connection to others and learning about world issues and innovation with the GLP gives me a sense of hope for the future. GLP Colloquia and experiences have become the thing I look forward to most.

The skills I have developed in the GLP that will help my future career are... The GLP can be tailored to suit your ambitions, and is also valuable if you’ve been in the workforce for years already. As a mature age student, I have very focussed goals, and lots of entry-level/life experiences already so, I’ve been choosing GLP activities that build on these, and will specifically help my psychology career and personal goals.

GLP opportunities with a cross-cultural focus will help me to become a more culturally informed clinician in the future. GLP opportunities that focus on maximising your social impact and influencing social change, are also invaluable to my mental health advocacy aspirations.

The GLP helped me build community by... COVID-19 has divided and isolated us. In this hard time, the GLP stepped up and moved online really efficiently, the program offered a sense of community and connection at a time I needed it most.

Abdullah Abdulaziz J Abualsaud

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

The GLP has benefitted... my perspective on how much a person can achieve in a single year. Following through with the plan is easily achievable with the help of the GLP team and the friends I have made during the program's activities.

If I hadn't joined the GLP I wouldn't have... had the chance to socialise and observe the diverse opinions of the students from other faculties. One particular Colloquium, Beyond Borders, focuses on the concept of global citizenship and how a small contribution by an individual can have a significant impact on the community, and the globe, during a pandemic or at anytime. I wouldn't have known how important these concepts are if I hadn't joined the GLP.

The skills I have developed in the GLP that will help my future career are...

a positive attitude about doing extracurricular activities, and engaging with the community. In addition to this, the GLP helped me to develop a better understanding of how I can use the technical knowledge of my field, as a student of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, to improve society. The program emphasise leadership and initiates positive actions toward sustainability and renewable energy projects.

The GLP helped me build community by...

I am currently the VP of Partnerships and a part of the executive team of the Engineers Without Borders - Macquarie University (EWBMQ). By following both the GLP and the EWB principles, the EWBMQ team is planning to run school outreach workshops, where my team and I reach out to public primary and secondary local schools to promote how can engineers develop the quality of life for communities locally and globally.

Global Leadership Entry Program/Macquarie Leaders and Achievers Pathway Students

Brittany Gilchrist

Bachelor of Advanced Science specialising in Biology

I was attracted to the Global Leadership Entry Program because…

I wanted to carry the types of activities that I had done at school with me into University life. I was interested in leadership, travelling, engaging with communities and meeting like-minded people from different disciplines and cultures – the GLEP seemed like the perfect fit.

What would you say has been the highlight for you so far at Macquarie?

This is a tough question. The Macquarie community is exceptionally encouraging of your endeavours – whatever they may be. For me, it was fantastic to be working alongside senior researchers and interning within the Biology Department where I investigated antibiotic resistance and the global spread of Influenza. Having such exposure, especially as a first-year student, was definitely a highlight.

The best part about getting a GLEP offer is...

The reassurance of entry into your desired program and already belonging to an inclusive community at University that will support your values and ambitions.

My top tip for future GLP students is... have a go at activities and Colloquia that are out of your study area and comfort zone! It really helps you diversify your perspective and you never who you may meet or the new-found interests it could spark.

Global Leadership Program Alumni

Leonie Nahhas

Bachelor of Arts majoring in Primary Education and Psychology

The most important thing I’ve learned from the GLP so far is...

is the value of what it means to think global, act local and start personal because by nurturing this mindset we can begin to instigate the change we want to see in this world.

I want to be the kind of leader that… challenges the hierarchical pyramid structure of the leader as a dictator and instead practice service leadership by being perceptive and responsive to the needs of others, and to facilitate and empower team members to meet and surpass their personal and professional goals.

My dream job would be…

to contribute to the United Nation's youth engagement and advocacy efforts across all four pillars of the Office of UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth: Participation, Advocacy, Partnerships and Harmonisation.

My top tip for future GLP students is…

to engage whole-heartedly in all aspects of the GLP. Be curious, ask questions, seek answers and be open to being challenged – these are the essential qualities of change-makers. Being part of the GLP is a commitment to grow and evolve as an individual and as a collective. With this in mind, journey with your GLP peers and keep the conversation of social change going. This meaningful dialogue will foster critical and creative thinking to explore these issues more deeply and in doing so, turn passion into action.

Shantell Lee Bailey

Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Criminology and Bachelor of Laws

Upon reflection, what was the most rewarding thing about participating in the GLP?

The most rewarding thing about my GLP experience was getting out of my comfort zone to learn about things I’d never even thought about and jumping into the deep end by taking up opportunities that I never could have imagined! My GLP journey took me all over the world from Central Australia to consult with Indigenous Leaders on some of Australia’s toughest legal and social challenges, to Austria where I was able to engage in a short-term exchange studying human rights and international law in a global context. I then went to California where I was one of 30 student delegates selected to be part of the World Indigenous Law Conference, which was a gathering of first nations legal professionals from across the globe to discuss real-world challenges for Indigenous peoples and communities.

These experiences also encouraged me to complete a number of internships with different organisations including the Salvation Army, The Aspiration Initiative, Redfern Legal Centre, Gilbert + Tobin, and Allen’s Linklater’s, all of which contributed to extending my understanding of the world.

My career highlight since graduating has been… receiving a number of graduate offers for 2018 including for the Attorney-General’s Department and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

My top tip for GLP students is…

My top tip would be to jump in and go along for the ride! GLP is an amazing experience which adds a whole extra level to your degree. You walk into the program often with little understanding of how much you don’t know about the world, and walk out with an intense and passionate interest in the world around you!