Sisters graduate to an exciting future

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Graduating from university is an exciting time of celebration, as Miss Tharindi Fonseka found when she experienced her graduation ceremony at the University of Melbourne on 7 August 2012. “No words can explain how happy I was!” she says. “When I put on the academic gown I felt so proud of what I had achieved. All of the hard work was worth it.”

Tharindi joined the University of Melbourne in 2009 after completing her schooling at Museus College in Colombo. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Accounting and Finance earlier in 2012, and feels very positive about her future. “Graduating from such a prestigious university, I have so much confidence now.”

Tharindi is the middle daughter of Mr Aubrey and Mrs Kusum Fonseka. Their eldest daughter, Miss Getmini Fonseka, is also a graduate of the University of Melbourne. She completed a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering in 2010, and works as a consultant for global management company Accenture.

?I knew I wanted to go into the corporate world?, says Getmini. ?I wanted to use all of the concepts I learnt at university, like analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, in my job.? The University?s Careers and Employment unit helped Getmini with her r�sum�, and she also attended the University?s annual Careers Fair, which showcases hundreds of employers.

Youngest daughter Miss Yoshana Fonseka is hoping to follow in her sisters’ footsteps by studying at Melbourne in 2013. Yoshana, a dedicated, high-achieving student, hopes to achieve outstanding results in her A-Levels and study for the Bachelor of Biomedicine. She will be considered for a prestigious full-fee-remission scholarship offered by the University to the best and brightest Sri Lankan students.
Yoshana knows the journey to her dream career in medicine will be a long path, but she is already excited. “My sisters have had such a good experience at Melbourne”, she says. “It’s not just about books, it’s about everything else: exploration and interacting with new people.” Tharindi and Getmini have told their younger sister all about getting involved at the University – whether by playing badminton, enjoying the Melbourne Uni Sri Lankan Student Association BBQs or exploring Melbourne’s world-class restaurants.

Mr Fonseka also speaks passionately about the city of Melbourne. “Of all the cities I have visited in the UK and the USA, none of them ever felt like home”, he says. “The first time I came to Melbourne, I felt so accepted – it felt like home to me. I visited the University and was shown around, and felt absolutely confident that it was the right choice for my daughters.” The trusted staff at Edlocate, one of Melbourne’s representatives in Colombo, assisted the Fonseka’s with their applications to the University.

The University of Melbourne will be hosting an information evening for future students and parents on Thursday 13 September from 5.30pm at the Cinnamon Grand. Mr Aubrey Fonseka will be speaking about his experience as a parent of daughters who have graduated from Australia’s number 1 university* (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2011-2012).

If you would like to find out more about the University of Melbourne and what is on offer, meet University of Melbourne representatives at Edlocate (79/5 Horton Place, Colombo 7) on 5th and 6 September 2012. Contact Edlocate for appointments on 011 5235148 or 5219129.

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