In high school Deni set herself the goal of working internationally for an NGO and being a global citizen, lofty goals for a teenager not yet at university. Fast forward two and a half years later… Deni is in the final semester of an undergraduate degree in Public Health and Political Science at the University of Western Australia. Deni will travel to India this year as part of her studies.
Deni is “actively involved in [as much] university life as possible. She has volunteered for the United Nations Youth WA and successfully organised and ran their annual State Conference for over 100 young people. Deni has volunteered at a Needle and Syringe Exchange Program and advocated for people living in government housing. She has even become a dancer for the Perth Scorchers and the West Coast Fever.” Deni says that these goals have “materialised from the security and motivation that comes from being a recipient of the Long Tan Bursary. This scholarship has assisted me in gaining a well-rounded tertiary education, and I could not be more grateful for the support over my undergraduate degree.”
Raised by her retired grandparents from the age of three, Deni has enjoyed a close relationship with her Vietnam veteran grandfather Alfred. “We share a close bond as the sacrifice he made 48 years ago has shaped my life and allowed me the opportunity to live a full life.” She goes on to say, “My grandfather is a hero and role model, although we have been presented with various issues, he is still my idol.”
Deni has set her sights firmly on postgraduate study, and a move to Sydney, in 2018. The team at AVCAT are proud of Deni’s undergraduate achievements and wish her the very best for what is yet to come on her way to achieving her global ambitions.