This week’s Human of MBSSA is Alejandro Gaviria, who is currently pursuing a Master of Supply Chain Management from the University of Melbourne.
Why did you choose UniMelb for your masters?
After a rigorous seek of different universities I chose the University of Melbourne due to 3 main reasons. The first and most important was the curriculum content, being aligned with what I was looking for, taking into consideration that my master’s is very particular, limited and their scope varies depending on the university. Furthermore, that it was aligned with the academic and market trends, and covering an excellent deep scope with the subjects. The second most important variable was the ranking of the university, as an international student, it is very important to concentrate on universities ranked in tier 1 and 2, to have better chances and recognition in different countries. The third is the ranking of the city of Melbourne which has been one of the best cities to live in, which is really important to have a balance between the academic variables and the social and experiential aspects, that are offered extraordinarily by Melbourne.
What activities have you been involved in at the university?
Sadly due to covid the amount of activities that I have been able to participate are limited, nevertheless the university has been doing an excellent job to keep students engaged by interacting with each other, with the industry, and giving them spaces to learn and exchange experiences and knowledge. Among the activities that I have been involved in are the excellent activities of the MBSSA, which include networking events, integration parties, industry experts, and career coaching and advice.
Likewise, I have been involved with some activities of SMAC) Society of Marketing and Communication because marketing I one of my passions.
Furthermore, I have been involved with some bootcamps offered by the university such as the Building Entrepreneurial Ventures and the Innovated.
Which events hosted by the University would you say were the most helpful?
I think the best events are the ones that involve the industry, such as the employability week and the bootcamps because it gives you a lot of tools and advises to find your future role or to strengthen your knowledge and abilities.
Did you face any challenges during your course? If yes, how did you deal with them?
The challenge I have faced is one that as University, Students and Country have faced together, which is the COVID-19 and its chain of consequences and limitations. Nevertheless, I think that it is also very useful to gain resilience, new abilities, and knowledge upon the infinite challenges that we have encountered due to the virus.
What is something that new students should look out for? Any advices?
I think new students should not hesitate of studying due to covid-19, I think we need to learn of the errors of the country and learn how to live with the limitations and not wait until everything is over, because it’s not in the short term. Additionally, I recommend to new students to engage as much as they can in activities offered by the different societies, clubs, and their faculties because its the only way at this point to interact, make new friends, expand their knowledge, and do touch down with industry which is hard due to covid-19. Furthermore, these activities are very useful to have reduced frustration and stress gained by the COVID-19 situation and also the academic commitments.
Thank you so much to Alejandro for your time and wise words. Connect with Alejandro on LinkedIn here.
MBS Student Association 