Anthea Haryoko
Course: Bachelor of Communication, 2010
Nationality: Indonesian
Current role: Head of External Relations, Center for Indonesian Policy Studies
Please tell us about your role in your current organisation.
I lead the External Relations department at the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS), an independent policy think tank in Jakarta. I manage CIPS’ public outreach to advocate and garner public support for our policy recommendations to push for reforms on legislative and executive levels of government.
How have your studies at Monash helped to prepare you for the working world?
More than anything my experience in Monash Malaysia has taught me how to think critically, write persuasively and speak clearly. These are lifelong skills that prime you for a promising career in any workplace environment no matter what industry or sector.
Did you participate in any student activities or opportunities while at Monash?
I joined the student club COSTA, supported in the founding and first initiatives of the Monash University Volunteers Program (MUVP), and participated in the “In Search of…” student trips.
The most valuable, and helpful, skills from these experiences that could be transferred to the workplace environment were coordinating with others on projects, interpersonal communication, and also technical know-how to execute tasks such as photography, or logistics for a project.
What did you enjoy most about your student life?
I loved that I gained lifelong friends from my time at Monash. Being from many different countries, we are all living in different corners of the world, yet we still talk to each other and meet up when we can. As a student you also feel how much the lecturers care about you, even long after we’ve graduated and moved on in our careers, it’s wonderful to know you can pop by their offices if you happen to be in town and be welcomed back warmly!