Volunteers help bridge language barriers
Volunteering provides an integral link between the聽University and the wider community.
奥颈迟丑听聽available for anyone to聽participate in through the University, many of the聽projects our alumni choose to be involved in are to聽benefit current students.
While undertaking his PhD, Dr Omid聽Kavehei benefitted from the support聽of one such program 鈥撀.听
Now an Assistant Professor聽in Engineering at RMIT, Omid says that聽as a new international student at the聽University, the help that he received聽from Ron Seidel, one of our alumni聽volunteers, opened his eyes to his聽new environment and continues to聽be an inspiration to him.
鈥淚 am not sure whether Ron was able to聽understand my English at the time but聽he never diminished my confidence,鈥澛爏ays Omid.
鈥淗e patiently explained Australian work聽ethics, customs, history, culture and idioms, helping me and my wife to聽integrate and enjoy our time in Adelaide鈥.
There are many ways we show our聽appreciation of our volunteers and in the case of Ron and Marilyn Seidel, it聽would be appropriate to do so in the many languages of the students they聽have supported.
For the past ten years, Ron and聽Marilyn have supported the University鈥檚 international students through the Talking聽with Aussies program, meeting one-to-one聽with students to help improve their聽English language skills and engage them聽with aspects of Australian culture.
鈥淭he success is theirs but if I can do聽anything to enhance their learning or to make their stay here more enjoyable聽then I am satisfied,鈥 says Ron.
Ron and Marilyn have maintained a聽close connection with the University through attending public lectures聽and other events, and Marilyn also volunteers her time as the Chairperson聽of the聽Hughes Bequest Society.
鈥淚 have great faith in younger people聽and it is education that can give them the capabilities to address the needs聽of the community and the world. I have benefited significantly from education聽and have been warmly welcomed professionally and personally in many聽countries. I want to return to the global academic community some of that聽which has been given to me.鈥