The RUSU Student Life Awards recognise student contributions, big and small, to student life outside the classroom. We want to highlight outstanding commitment to university life. RUSU is humbled to receive so many great nominations across the award categories from RMIT students achieving across so many different areas.
RUSU is delighted to present the Student Life Award 2022 recipients - congratulations to all of our winners and runner ups!
Student Life Champion Award
WINNER
Kartik Kumar
My friends and peers have been super helpful along my University journey. Even during Covid times, I have always managed to make friends and connect with people. I also want to thank RUSU and RMIT University for the platform they are building to acknowledge all the other students. My family has also played a big part in supporting me while I enjoy student life at RMIT University.
RUNNER UP
Koushik Mukherjee
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Student Leader of the Year Award
WINNER
Terry Kim
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RUNNER UP
Ayana Amez Lokhandwala
When I was offered the role of a President at RMIT Islamic Society, I was afraid of not doing justice to the role and the society. I had such high expectations from the society and really wished for it to be one of the best places to exist at RMIT for Muslim students. Moreover, being the first female President at RMITIS really added pressure of doing my role extremely well and representing women. I gave my best and kept faith in my lord, in return he made our society prosperous. I thank Allah (SWT) for making me a capable leader and an individual who is worthy of this position and the award. I am thankful to him for putting the right people with the right capabilities and mindsets together in a team that made the society and myself successful. I also like to thank my parents for giving me good values and teachings that I can pass to the world, and putting up with my busy schedules. So a huge shoutout to my A Team: Arshad, Safiyah, Alaa, Ashal, Shahwaiz, the incredible volunteers, and our beautiful Muslim community. Guys it was our teamwork that made our dream at RMITIS work!
Active International Student Leader Award
WINNER
M Arshad Auhammud
Speechless is one word to describe it. Never would I thought, a kid from an island that the majority of the world has never heard of, would win such an award. I feel nothing but honoured to be the recipient of it.
Being part of the RMIT Islamic Society has been a major blessing to me, and to be the Vice President for 2022 made it even more special. This year was filled with challenges, especially coming out of the two years filled with endless lockdowns. Starting basically from scratch was both challenging and difficult, but Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God) we, as a society managed to pull through.
I would have never succeeded in my position without the help of my committee members, volunteers and family. Special shoutout goes to Ayana, Safiyah, Shahwaiz, Alaa and Ashal for being the champions they are and has being an honour to have worked besides them.
Once again, I am very honoured and appreciative to be receiving this award, and hope to make the community of RMIT proud as a future Civil Engineer!
Walaikum Salam.
WINNER
Koushuk Mukherjee
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Community Wellbeing Champion Award
WINNER
Mary Mansilla
Thank you to the RMIT University Student Union for this award. It's truly an honour to be recognised for my social justice advocacy. Over these past difficult years, I've had the privilege to volunteer for several organisations that work tirelessly to improve outcomes for historically underrepresented and marginalised communities. A special thank you to QueersInScience, Orygen, Melbourne Children's, and the Young Women's Advisory Group to the Equality Rights Alliance, for the opportunity to utilise my unique intersectional experiences to create positive, meaningful changes in society.
RUNNER UP
Cristina Rojas
Thank you to RUSU and RMIT for this opportunity to be recognised for my work in community wellbeing. Anyone can get involved with community. It creates a sense of belonging and support which integrates with wellbeing. Find your passions and then find out how you can volunteer or assist in those areas and know that you are making a difference, no matter how small!
Peer Mentoring Award
WINNER
Jaber Jaber
Many thanks to the RMIT Peer mentoring team for supporting me on my journey to learn as much as I can about my course, my peers and my degree. I strive to continue the peer mentoring spirit well after I have graduated, because helping others is a key part of who I am now.
RUNNER UP
Riya Singh
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RUNNER UP
Gemma Srijan
I'm so happy to have been able to support my peers during these difficult times. It was easy to feel disconnected and alone during our online learning, sometimes asking for help doesn't feel like an option. Providing my peers with resources that they could access anonymously was something that I tried to do often so that they could feel like someone was looking out for them.
Outstanding Woman in the Community Award
WINNER
Monica Louise Evans
I’m honoured to receive this award. I’m passionate about advancing the interests of women in STEM as an ambassador and student for RMIT, and in the community. Im very grateful for the support from Adam Steiner and the amazing RUSU team, my wonderful teachers, the women in STEM engagement coordinator Nicole Fetchet, and RMIT.
RUNNER UP
Iman Nayli Rozali
I'm so grateful to receive this award, as it honours the part of my job that I love the most - uplifting and encouraging other women in the community.
Queer Community Champion Award
WINNER
Larissa Cullen
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Active Outer Campus Award
WINNER
Samiuela Fangaloka
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HDR Student Leader of the Year Award
WINNER
Emma Jane Pretty
I would like to thank each and every HDR student for allowing me to share their voices and experiences, as it is only with their trust and passion that I am able to help make a positive change to the research environment.
RUNNER UP
Jebunnesa Jeba
I am really excited and honored to be selected as the Runner-up for the incredible award "Higher Degree Research Student Leader Award". This is a wonderful accolade which will keep me motivated to contribute to the academic community further.
Student Media Award
WINNER
Alyssa Fortato
Thank you for this opportunity and for this award, it means a lot and I'm so grateful. I have always loved creating media in multiple different formats, whether it be written, audio or visual. I'm really fortunate that I'm able to do what I'm passionate about.
Outstanding Club Award
WINNER
RMIT University Malaysian Association (RUMA)
RUMA would like to sincerely thank and appreciate everyone, from members to sponsors, for their continuous support! We hope that RUMA has played some part in everyone's university journey and elevated their study abroad experience.
FIRST RUNNER UP
Environmental Engineering Student Association
EESA is a proud club whose primary aim is to represent students within the Environmental Engineering discipline at RMIT. Over the last 12 months, we have been able to surpass our aim. This is through record student engagement and memberships, as well as our ability to hold a multitude of different events suited towards everyone. Whether this be Industry Night's with focuses in research and consulting, or our annual Snow Camp. first time events such as our Alumni Social evening.
EESA has continued to work successfully with other RUSU affiliated clubs to host events such as Trivia nights and Engineering Ball. We appreciate their time and effort in working with us over the last 12 months.
EESA would like to thank the academic staff of the Environmental Engineering discipline. Historically the link between academic staff and EESA has been strong and this year was no different. We appreciate the extra time and support they provide in supporting EESA, and we believe it is this connection which is fundamentally key for the ongoing success for the club.
Finally on behalf of our committee, Larissa, Harrison, Jacqueline and Yianni, we want to thank all our members for their support over the last 12 months. It is these members who make the club work and it is our privilege to be able to represent you.
FIRST RUNNER UP
Females+ in RMIT Engineering (FIRE+)
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SECOND RUNNER UP
RMIT Snow Sports
RUSS is very excited to receive this RUSU award, as a committee we have worked very hard to foster a fantastic community centred around extra curricular student experience. This award shows the work we do is meaningful, so here’s to this one and many more!
Outstanding Club Leader Award
WINNER
Larissa Cullen (Environmental Engineering Student Association)
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FIRST RUNNER UP
Marsha Fernando (Business Students Association)
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SECOND RUNNER UP
Ayana Amez Lokhandwala (RMIT Islamic Society)
When I was offered the role of a President at RMIT Islamic Society, I was afraid of not doing justice to the role and the society. I had such high expectations from the society and really wished for it to be one of the best places to exist at RMIT for Muslim students. Moreover, being the first female President at RMITIS really added pressure of doing my role extremely well and representing women. I gave my best and kept faith in my lord, in return he made our society prosperous. I thank Allah (SWT) for making me a capable leader and an individual who is worthy of this position and the award. I am thankful to him for putting the right people with the right capabilities and mindsets together in a team that made the society and myself successful. I also like to thank my parents for giving me good values and teachings that I can pass to the world, and putting up with my busy schedules. So a huge shoutout to my A Team: Arshad, Safiyah, Alaa, Ashal, Shahwaiz, the incredible volunteers, and our beautiful Muslim community. Guys it was our teamwork that made our dream at RMITIS work!
