Ethienne Casey Wong

Course: Bachelor of Psychological Science and Business, 2023
Nationality: Malaysian
Current role: Consumer Marketing Communications, Maxis

Why did you choose to study Psychological Science and Business?

Since the beginning, it was very clear that I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to have freedom. That said, I knew I could never stay long-term in white-collar jobs or any job that has a fixed 9-5 schedule. Hence, I started looking to pursue a career in entrepreneurship, where I can work for myself on flexible hours. As I am still unsure of the exact industry I want to enter, I decided to widen my areas of knowledge/skill instead of narrowing it down to one specific area.

I also believe that most entrepreneurs would need to possess a wide area of expertise instead of a specific one. This is why I chose the Bachelor of Psychological Science and Business, which allowed me to gain a preliminary understanding into the world of Business, as well as the way the human mind operates (which had also always intrigued me). With the skills from my current degree (the Psychology aspect, in particular), the knowledge would be applicable to me throughout my entire life and in literally anything that I do, as I could never run away from the need to deal with other human beings.

Why did you choose to study at Monash, and has it met your expectations so far?

Simply put, I chose Monash from the beginning for two main reasons only. Firstly, being the availability of exchange programs, which allows students to continue paying school fees in MYR. This was a dream that I always had—to be able to study and live abroad independently during my tertiary education. Secondly, Monash’s reputation as a prestigious school.

Amongst all the Universities that offered Psychology plus Business (the course which I had already set my eyes on), Monash seemed the most decent and prestigious, and I loved the environment. Monash definitely lived up to my expectations, with good quality teaching and a great work-life balance. Additionally, I am also super grateful for the amazing student life that I am privileged to experience here.

While at Monash, what type of opportunities did you participate in?

As mentioned earlier, the highlight of my university journey was the University Exchange Programme that I enrolled in. Monash Abroad is an amazing department that I believe all students should look into. They offer really amazing programmes and student exchanges. Even though my initial application for the US was rejected due to the lack of space (as my seniors from COVID times who didn’t get the exchange were prioritised), I got an offer for my second choice at the University of Warwick, UK.

And, I must say, that was undoubtedly one of the best life experiences I’ve ever had. Other than the exchange, I’m also an active member of several clubs and societies, which allowed me to destress and socialise with new people, as well as learn new skills. As I play competitive dodgeball outside, it is definitely lovely to be able to introduce this ‘new and coming’ sport into the wider Monash Community as a Committee member of the Monash Dodgeball Club.

While at Monash, did you go for any internships or work placements? If so, where? And did the experience help you in terms of career preparation/what have you learned?

Yes, I did. I was a Business IT Applications & GTM Intern at Menara Maxis, KL. This engagement was more about my Business major in Business Analytics. During the engagement, I had to quickly self-learn skills like Python and SQL to help run the day-to-day activities of Maxis, and support the internal teams within the organisation. Besides, as a Maxis Scholar, I was also provided the opportunity to network with the C-Suites and even did a presentation to the CIO about a business proposal that I had to revamp the way my team worked and increase efficiency. And, yes, this experience evidently provided me with the expectations of the real working world and business environment.

I learned a lot of soft as well as hard skills during my time in Maxis, with the biggest takeaway being learning how a big company operates. On top of that, I was also referred by multiple lecturers and tutors, who provided me the opportunity to work alongside a few Sunway and Monash Professors as a Research Assistant for a short period of time while I was waiting for my study abroad. This engagement is really different from my experience in the business world, and it really activated the research and academic side of my mind, where I gained insights into (and helped with) the preliminary research process of upcoming journals and research articles.

What do you enjoy most about your student life at Monash?

The first thing that comes to mind when I see this question would undoubtedly be the Monash Cup. Describing myself as somewhat of an athletic person, I was always a sucker for good sports. The annual Monash Cup made me live my dream and play as many sports as I like for my House. It would always be something that I looked forward to throughout each year.

This event also provided a strong emphasis on the phrase ‘work hard, play harder,’ in which students would be able to not only just focus on academics but achieve a work-life balance that would really elevate one’s mind and soul. Besides, Monash has a really nice community of lecturers, professors, and students alike. I really enjoyed learning alongside/from these people, and I would say that I had made a large community of quality connections for both social and career purposes.

What is your biggest career goal, or what is the difference you’d like to make?

As I have already discussed my career goals in the above sections, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the differences that I’d like to make instead. Aside from my academic and sports career, I also have a hobby in filmmaking and content creation. With that said, I do YouTube and am a freelance filmmaker. Fun fact, I have been doing YouTube since I was 10 years old! I believe that YouTube is a great way to make changes (even the slightest bit) to anybody all across the world.

With a relatively tiny subscriber base of a little under 2,000 subscribers on my 1st channel, I am always touched when I read the comments of people saying how I had made changes in their lives through my academic/motivational videos. Therefore, I aim to use my skills in filmmaking and content creation to continue spreading a positive impact on the people around me and creating the smallest differences/impacts wherever and whenever I can. Maybe one day, when I make it big on YouTube, I will be able to influence and positively change more lives. But for now, I shall continue to do my best and hopefully be able to make even the smallest differences within the community closest to me.