Elysia Low, a Malaysian student in her final year of Nutrition and Dietetics at Flinders University, has been presented with the inaugural Governor’s International Student Award.
The awards, an initiative of Study Adelaide and the State Government, aim to highlight the different ways in which students from overseas contribute to the community. The awards recognise international students in South Australia across four categories: academic excellence, sporting achievement, the arts and community engagement, as well as an overall winner.
Ms Low (pictured) won the major award for her outstanding academic record and her community work, helping to develop the relationship between Australia and Malaysia.
Flinders Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Communities) Professor Dean Forbes congratulated Ms Low on her award, and said that the contribution made by international students to both Flinders and the wider community was invaluable.
“International students bring insights, experience and a diversity of culture that enriches the educational and social perspectives of all our students,” Professor Forbes said.
As well as being the secretary of the Malaysian Students Association in South Australia, Ms Low has worked with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in the Australian outback and, as part of her degree, worked at the Whyalla Hospital for seven weeks to design guidelines on detecting and treating malnutrition for hospital staff.
Ms Low received a Merdeka Award from the Australia-Malaysia Business Council of South Australia in August.
She received her International Student of the Year Award – which includes a return flight to Malaysia – from the Governor of South Australia, His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce, in front of 600 students from 130 nations at the annual Governor’s Farewell for International Students.
The seven winners in the four category awards included two other Flinders students – Chinese student Shan He won the Academic Excellence (postgraduate) Award, while Deepak Chetry from Nepal won the Sporting Achievement Award.
Education Adelaide’s CEO, Ms Denise Von Wald, said that the 28,000 international students studying in Adelaide made the city more diverse and more dynamic.