Alum Maryam Sherzad speaks with Year 11 Biology class
Julie Elkin
Ourschool Alumni Program Coordinator
On Thursday 24th April, Ms Darling's Year 11 Biology class were pleased to have Maryam Sherzad (2018) visit to speak about her journey in the healthcare field.
After completing a Diploma in Health Science at Deakin Uni in 2020, Maryam gained entry into a double degree of Nursing and Midwifery at Victoria Uni. At this time, of course it was the COVID-19 pandemic, so much of her study was online. Maryam took advantage of opportunities to help her succeed, such as study groups and mentoring sessions. Unable to complete all her placements for midwifery, her clinical coordinator suggested she concentrate on gaining her Nursing certification, which she did in 2023. Maryam subsequently completed a graduate year at Barwon Health, specialising in medical/surgical wards. She is currently working as a recovery nurse in the post-operative ward.
Maryam delivered some great messages around goal setting, seeking opportunities to succeed and staying focussed.
As a refugee, arriving in Australia with limited English, and spending time in the Geelong English Language Centre based at NGSC, Maryam realised she was behind the other students. She knew she wanted to complete a VCE program and also knew that this meant she had to work tirelessly to catch up to, and stay with, the rest of the class. Maryam demonstrated her determination and ambition to succeed by seeking out help from teachers, study groups, utilising the local Library and joining mentorship programs.
Maryam explained that the ATAR score was important, but it was not the be all and end all. She first completed a Diploma as she did not gain the ATAR she had expected. She also explained that if you did other things after leaving Secondary School then, in a few years, the ATAR is not taken into account, and it is still possible to gain entry into a University.
Maryam has shown resilience throughout her studies, mainly driven by the pandemic, but also her drive and ambition. She has expressed interest in working overseas, which will be another challenge - one which I'm sure she's up for!
Thank you for giving up your time to return to NGSC - it was much appreciated!
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