Pacific student ambassadors mentor next generation
PATHE ambassadors, Ofa Tuiono and John Pene
Western Sydney University’s Pasifika Achievement to Higher Education (PATHE) program is dedicated to helping Pacific communities think big about their education and career aspirations.
Through community engagement, in-school programs, on-campus visits and mentorship, the program has helped increase participation rates of Pacific students at the University sevenfold since 2012, with 80 schools now involved in the program.
At the heart of PATHE are the ambassadors who work alongside University staff to provide crucial one-on-one engagement with students, as they consider life after high school.
20-year-old Ofa Tuiono, who is completing a Bachelor of Social Science, will be the first person in her family to graduate from university.
“My connection to Tonga stems from my parents being born there and my relationship with my late grandmother Meliame Latu Siale, who instilled in me the significance of never forgetting where you came from,” said Ofa.
Ofa’s parents decided to immigrate to Australia to seek better opportunities for their family. The Campsie resident, who is the youngest of four children, recalls the strength of her mother who worked as the sole provider while her father faced deportation back to Tonga.
“Every struggle that my family experienced pushed me to want more for them. I realised that the decisions I made in my life would impact my family,” said Ofa.
“My parents worked tirelessly in labour occupations, my eldest sister was a mother and a wife at the age of 21, family members have been in and out of jail and amongst all of this they always wanted the best for me and found ways to continually support me.
“Pursuing university was not just for myself but for my family and for every time they were told they were not good enough and that they would never amount to anything. The day I graduate is the day we all graduate.”
Through the PATHE program, Ofa was given the opportunity to participate in a refugee support project, juvenile justice mentoring and high school mentoring, which allowed her to give back to her community and helped further shape her career goals.
“My aim is to work in policy or management to help developing countries like Tonga tackle prevalent social issues through aid and development. I would also love to help formulate rehabilitation programs that focus on early intervention and stemming the cyclic nature of reoffending,” said Ofa.
22-year-old John Pene, another program ambassador, was born in Fiji and says his strong sense of faith and family comes from his Rotuman roots.
“Growing up we were taught that church is the most important thing alongside your family. This way of thinking translated into the way I approached my studies,” said John.
Shortly after the 2000 Fijian coup, John’s immediate family – his dad, mum, older sister and younger brother – made the difficult decision to move to Melbourne, Australia, to start a new chapter in their life.
As a 17-year-old he made the move to western Sydney to live on-campus but despite enjoying the freedom university offered, he found himself wondering if the Bachelor of Engineering was right for him.
“The first two years of my degree were a struggle. I wasn’t sure if I truly wanted to do engineering. I took a year off to work out what I really wanted, which was hard to explain to my parents, but within three months I knew engineering was for me. When I returned to university I felt really motivated and it showed in my marks,” said John.
The now Cranebrook resident went on to connect with the PATHE program which kick-started his passion for Pacific student education.
“As a PATHE ambassador, I have the opportunity to impact and guide students, particularly high school students, to make sure they know university is an option they can pursue if they want to.”
“Lots of Pacific students don’t see university as an option for different reasons and it’s great to be able to change these perceptions through workshops, mentoring and days where students can come onto campus and get a taste of what university is all about.”
Now in the third year of his degree, John is working as a Trainee Engineer with Penrith City Council as well as studying. He plans to work in property development after he graduates and to stay connected to the Pacific communities and programs he has been a part of at Western Sydney University.
For more information on the program, please visit the PATHE website (opens in a new window).
ENDS
23 May 2019
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