Lumen Spring Summer 2023 - Flipbook - Page 6
The first graduates - 2013
Children’s
University turns 10
Inspiring young people for a decade
By Poppy Nwosu
Growing up, Dua Anees always knew she
wanted to attend university.
“When I was young, I’d watch cartoons
that emphasised the importance of doctors
and nurses. I always knew I wanted to be
in a medical-related field and serve my
community like that, too.”
Self-described as someone “fascinated
by human anatomy, physiology, and
pathophysiology”, Dua is currently
completing her final year of a Bachelor
of Nursing degree at the University of
Adelaide.
6
THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
“I love it here because there are so many
opportunities,” says the twenty-year-old,
who moved from Pakistan to Australia when
she was ten.
“My cousins back in my home country have
the knowledge, but there isn’t the same level
of opportunities there, especially for girls.”
In addition to the ache of leaving close
family members behind, Dua faced new
challenges to her childhood university dream
when she started school in a new country.
“I’d already learned English back home,
however we didn’t communicate in it, so
when I came here, I started to focus more
on my English and writing, and I ended up
neglecting my own language. I don’t like
telling my cousins back home that I don’t
know how to write, it’s embarrassing! But of
course, I still speak fluently.”
When describing herself as a high school
student, Dua says she was “really shy”
and an introvert. “My confidence, critical
thinking, and problem-solving abilities were
not where I wanted them to be.”
It was at this time that an initiative called
Children’s University came to visit her high
school, Roma Mitchell Secondary College,
and Dua saw a pathway forward to help her
overcome her challenges.
