Student Stories

“Don’t settle for what life gives you; make life better and build something.” — Ashton Kutcher

“Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.” —Danny Kaye.

Can you share with us your role in Google Developer Student Club PSB Academy (GDSC) and what motivated you to join?
I am a final year student at Edith Cowan University and the lead for the Google Developer Student Club at PSB Academy (GDSC).

I learned about GDSC back in 2019, when I joined a Google Developer Groups (GDG) DevFest in Singapore. It was a conference organised by Google Singapore for enthusiasts to share their passion for Android, Web, AI, and Cloud technologies. GDSC NUS was one of the GDSC pioneers in Singapore. One of the representatives presented a Machine Learning model and promoted his club to the conference attendees. I was inspired by their presentation and sharing about the student developer community, which led me to join PSB Academy’ student club.

What are some challenges you faced and how did you overcome these challenges?

One of the major challenges I faced was seeing low attendance at events and activities that are organised by our committee team for our club members.

The members expect a personalised experience to gain practical knowledge and skillsets in these events. Therefore, it was important for us to communicate the event details in a way that would draw their attention. Hence, I worked with my team to tweak our messaging.

What was the most memorable experience you had with your club?

My most memorable experience was organising the Ideathon 2021. It was PSB Academy’s first hackathon that aims to solve one or more of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals with Google technology.

It was my honour to organise a hackathon while serving on the committee team. Our team worked together and approached speakers, mentors and judges from different industries and nations. It was a humbling moment to be able to learn from their expertise.

How has joining a student club enriched your student journey?

Being a part of the student club has not only helped me gain technical knowledge and skills, but also built my communication, problem-solving, group development, management, and public speaking skills. As the GDSC lead, I could also hone my leadership skills.

Through the GDSC student club, I could connect with people who share similar interests, and I can get an insight into other countries, cultures, values, thinking processes and views from different perspectives.

What would be your advice for students who are planning to take up leadership roles?

Participating in activities and practising will allow you to develop your leadership skills. During such events and activities, you can take note and observe the leader in the way they lead. Learn and be inspired by them, provide helpful and honest feedback. Support them as best as you can to help them achieve the club’s vision. Put yourself in the leader’s shoes and imagine how you want your members to view and follow you. With that in mind, embrace those positive behaviours.