2013 ~ P R E S E N T |
S T I L L E V O LV I N G
• And priceless memories made over food with Dr Tan
Meng Yoe, Adrian Yao Yong Tat, Dr Joel Moore, Dr
Marco Buente, Dr Jonathan Driskell and Dr Melissa
Wong Yuet Fun.
The organizational acumen demonstrated by Kevin
Tan and later Choo May May and Nurul Farahin
Darhim was, and continues to be awe inspiring. Both
Nurul and May May ensured that I completed my
GCHE in June; I will always be appreciative of their
efforts. I am now officially a SASS alumna.
I do not think that I have ever experienced such
collegiality in a working environment. It has left an
indelible impact on my psyche.
138
With Adrian (left)
and Timothy (right) during
the first SASS Alumni
Gathering (2016). ▼
However, it was the students who truly changed
me. Over my two and a half years in the classroom
teaching journalism majors and non-majors, I was
educated along with the students. I now fancy myself
a semi-expert on regional culture and politics. My
time in SASS reinforced that my decision to wade
into the academic waters was made with sound
judgment. I can truly say I love teaching and the
GCHE program made me a more aware lecturer as I
strove to implement a more student-centered focus to
my discipline. There are too many student highlights
to mention but having three honors students – Hau
Pham (Robbie), Alya Mustaffa Kamal and Christ Tan
Hooi Koon – who all received high distinctions for their
thesis in 2016, and the graduation of my mentee,
Brenda Wong in 2018, fills my heart with delight!
There were also many challenges. Being a black
woman in Malaysia can be fraught with trauma at
times but it hurts even more when that trauma and
overt racism spilled into my safe space that should
have been the campus. However, even on the difficult
days, I was happy to be in the School of Arts and
Social Sciences and have their unwavering support.
Along with a multitude of memories, I have kept many
souvenirs from my time in the school: the thumb
drive Mei Sie gave me on my first day of work, an
engraved key ring from Andrew dangles from my
car keys, a saree Rajani Chandra Mohan helped me
choose ensured I was the belle of the ball at a recent
international dinner, a piece of batik from Tim’s office
covers the throw pillows in my apartment, and a
wooden plaque of the campus from Sharon sits in my
new office at the University of Lynchburg. My SASS
family is always with me.
When I think about my decision to move back to the
United States, I think of the quote: “Life takes you
to unexpected places but love brings you home.”
Monash University Malaysia and the School of Arts
and Social Sciences were part of an unexpected
adventure that I will cherish for decades to come.
I am happy to be but a blip in the school’s ten year
story. Cheers to many more years of molding young
minds and providing a nurturing environment for
careers to flourish!
Ghislaine has a PhD from the University of Canterbury.
She worked in SASS from 2015-2017. She is currently
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies,
University of Lynchburg, USA.
◀ With my honours
supervisees,
Alya, Christ and
Robbie (2016).