Nineteen University of Queensland students from around the world have been appointed Brisbane International Student Ambassadors by Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.
The UQ cohort was among 36 international students announced at a ceremony held at Brisbane City Hall yesterday (3 April).
Councillor Quirk said international student ambassadors had been promoting Brisbane to their home countries for six years and the scheme played an important promotional role.
“International students add so much to Brisbane, creating a cosmopolitan and vibrant city that makes it all the more inviting for other students as well as tourists, business investors and delegates,” Cr Quirk said.
“We now have 36 enthusiastic new advocates from 34 countries."
Among the 19 UQ students is Master of Development Economics student and Australian Government Australia Award recipient Eddy Lebelon.
After his studies, Mr Lebelon plans to return to his homeland, Haiti, and help create 10,000 jobs while working for the Haitian Government.
“As a student ambassador I want to meet many officials and learn from what they have done in Brisbane and take that knowledge back with me to Haiti,” he said.
“I also want to build upon and develop new contacts with Haiti.”
As Brisbane’s first international student ambassador from Haiti, Mr Lebelon said that he chose Brisbane as a study destination for its laid-back attitude and its combination of comopolitan life and nature.
“I would like Haiti to become like Brisbane,” he said.
In 2014, the ambassadors will promote Brisbane as a study destination, using social media to spread the word on why Brisbane is increasingly the city of choice for international students.
Cr Quirk said the students would get to familiarise themselves with the city and what it has to offer.
“Their role will see them enjoying many quintessential Brisbane experiences as well as volunteering at multicultural events and assisting with the hosting of official visiting delegations, particularly from Brisbane’s sister cities,” he said.
Brisbane Marketing’s Study Brisbane team has run the Brisbane International Student Ambassador program since 2009.
The 2014 UQ Study Brisbane Student Ambassadors are Rodrigo Castro (Brazil), Yuan Feng (China), Juan Filipe Rivas Barona (Colombia), Brian Tulcan (Ecuador), Yahia Ali (Egypt), Olivia Daw (England), Alisha Worden (France), Eddy Lebelon (Haiti), Akansha Panday (India), Simone Trentino (Italy), Minami Sakamoto (Japan), Lucia Fragoso Cota (Mexico), Soe San Htike (Myanmar/Singapore), Erlyn Rachelle Macarayan (Philippines), Maria Kostyanaya (Russia), Batool AL Saif (Saudi Arabia), Mijung Kim (South Korea), Carlota Marijuan Rodriguez (Spain) and Duy Hoang Nguyen (Vietnam).
Media: Clare McEniery, UQ International, 33467632 or c.mceniery@uq.edu.au.
