Eurobodalla Shire university student Samantha Law has the professional world at her feet.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The former Carroll College student recently won the Jacobs Engineering Consulting Award at the GradConnection 2019 Top 100 Future Leaders awards night.
Ms Law said she was “surprised” when her name was read out.
“We had assessments all that day, but we had no idea who would win until it was announced,” she said. “I was under the impression I hadn’t won because I didn’t go there to win it, I went for the experience and the networking opportunities.
“It seems the award has given me an opportunity to meet with employers, to have that recognition from GradConnect, and to have an extra boost over a lot of other potential graduates.”
The award is testament to the hard work Ms Law has put in to her studies at the University of Wollongong. She is studying a double degree Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering (Honours), and is currently doing her Thesis.
“It’s manageable if you go about it with the right mindset,” she said. “If you’re organised and have a good drive with your studies, it’s not too challenging.”
Even though she made it sound easy, Ms Law acknowledged the stresses of a double degree.
“I’ve been doing five subjects each session over the past few years, and it’s been quite stressful because I had between 20 and 25 contact hours every week.
“Normally I’d be in classes in the morning, spend some time in the library, then more classes in the afternoon. I’d go to the gym when I had breaks to try and get some balance in there.
“This year will be different, because I’ll be working 20 hours a week with 15 hours of class time.”
Ms Law said her passion for science and maths started during her high-school studies.
“We entered a science competition in year 10 that was based at the University of Wollongong, and our team won our division,” she said. “That showed me I could be a part of that, and I could see a career in that field.
“I’m looking to find a job in a coastal engineering role if I can, which would look at coastal sustainability and asset management.
“I’ve seen a lot of pristine coastline while flying up and down the coast with the Westpac Lifesaver Helicopter, and looking at the effects on coastal areas, especially after storms, has been really interesting.”
And while a lucrative job offer may be in Ms Law’s near future, she has some traveling to do first.
“I’d like to go to Canada and South America,” she said. “This is probably the best time for me to go, because I don’t have many commitments.”