In honour of International Day of the Girl Child, we would like to spotlight Jasmine, an outstanding Class of 2025 scholar from Queensland. Jasmine was recently selected as a participant in the University of Queensland Young ChangeMakers Program, an on-campus experience program aimed at helping Year 11 students become the leaders, thinkers and innovators of the future. Jasmine hopes the program will help her foster friendships with both the people who share like-minded goals with her and those who have differing opinions, as she believes this is one of the key steps towards building her future. She also wants to develop her leadership and innovative thinking skills whilst experiencing a taste of university life. Jasmine is ecstatic that leadership opportunities are becoming increasingly available for women and she highly encourages others to take on these positions.
When asked about the biggest challenge she faced in pursuing her goals, Jasmine shared how she is an introvert who often shies away from putting herself out there. She tends to question whether she overestimates her capabilities or if she is qualified for a program, and this has become her major challenge in trying to get involved in more opportunities. However, through the recent programs and events she has participated in, she has realised that many people are in the same boat. She asserted, “We all tend to think negatively, but I can assure you that as soon as you turn those thoughts off, you realise that you can overcome many things.”
Reflecting on the International Day of the Girl Child 2024 theme ‘Girls’ vision for the future’, Jasmine shared her aspirations and hopes for the future. She envisions a future where everyone has equal opportunities without the limitation of societal norms. Jasmine finds women are often the minority of STEM-related professions, which is her area of interest, because there tends to be a lack of encouragement for women participation shaped by centuries of negative opinions on the capabilities of women. However, Jasmine believes that society has the ability to continue progressing towards a more equal representation of both men and women. As someone who recognises the potential of taking every opportunity, she hopes to realise this vision by encouraging others to take a step out of their comfort zone because everyone’s voice has a significant impact. She advises everyone to take on every opportunity that comes their way and utilise it to develop their skills. “Stay true to your beliefs and act on them. Every little step you take brings you closer to contributing to positive changes and your aspirations.”
