How better to welcome our graduates from the Class of 2021 into the ISKL Alumni family, than to introduce them to other alumni around the world who are willing to share their experiences and tips for life after ISKL? The ISKL Senior Assembly Alumni Panel, held on Monday May 24, 2021, did just that, with a panel consisting of ISKL Alumni spanning the Class of 2017-2020 and studying across the globe, in Australia, Canada, the UK, USA, the Netherlands and Korea.
With exams completed, graduation just around the corner, and their sights firmly on the future, the Class of 2021 were able to ask our panel the questions that are most important to them, and get the benefit of hearing from ISKL Alumni who have also experienced the uncertainty of studying during the pandemic.
Our Alumni panel included:
Nadia Redza (‘17), final year student at University of Chicago
Alexis Vaillaud (‘18), final year student at London School of Economics
India Cooper (‘19), University of Melbourne
Max Rausch (‘19), Erasmus University
Leo Rubio Burkle (‘20), University of British Columbia
Gyeonga Jang (‘20), Konyang University
Bausch Koh (‘20), New York University
Each panelist introduced themself and talked about their year which, for Leo and Max, meant spending their Freshman year at university at home in Kuala Lumpur, studying online. For others, it involved pivoting to online learning, then back again, and dealing with the challenges of staying connected, both with their universities and friends and family. This was not a “normal” year for anyone, but our panelists shared ways they managed to stay positive and connected, whether that be taking part in university-organized online trivia nights, or just making sure to facetime with family. A key message was that everyone at some point feels stressed, lonely or uncertain, and the best way to deal with that is to ask for help, whether from the university, friends or family.
The interactive session was hosted by Lynette MacDonald, Director of Alumni, and several Seniors took the opportunity to ask their own questions; from what it’s like when your classes are online, on the other side of the globe, and in the middle of the night, to tips for networking to make the most of the university experience.
As our Seniors embark on the next exciting phase of their lives, we wish them all the very best and welcome them wholeheartedly into our ISKL Alumni family.
