Praveen Wong

Grab all opportunities to put your best foot forward.

How and why did you choose your degree program, and why Monash? 

My childhood was basically moulded by the many engineers in my family. If it weren’t for my obsessive curiosity in how machines worked, I would have most likely ended up doing law or even medicine. It’s without a doubt that engineering was my calling and being able to put my dreams to work in Monash University is truly an unimaginable blessing. Monash University has always had a good name for itself and being so easily accessible by public transport is also a plus.  

What are your future goals and career ambitions? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

In years to come, I see myself helping out the community through freelance and charity work. I love to give back whenever I can, just imagine what an engineer can do to make a difference. Personally, I aim to develop myself to a level where my skills and expertise can be valued in engineering community.

Please describe yourself as an individual. What makes you unique? 

No matter how active I am in sports, I’m still a little chubby. You know what they say, chubby people are always the nicest. Jokes aside, I love to meet new people, eat different types of food and participate in different sports. I feel like I can get to know people better by putting myself in their shoes.

Do you participate in extra-curricular activities in the university or in the community? If yes, how has it helped in your personal development? 

I’m an active player in the Ultimate Frisbee community, Vice President of Monash Ultimate Frisbee Club (MUFC) and I am apart of Team Monash under Ultimate Frisbee. Through the game, I’ve learned how to be more vocal and express myself to others, fit in and work together with people I have never met before, make rational decision on tough problems, to be honest with my mistakes and wrong doings as well as to treat everyone with the same amount of respect.

How do you find your degree program? 

Intriguing. That’s the best way I can describe it. The engineering program offered in Monash is well-balanced with plenty of cool and amazing projects and some not-so-cool and repetitive assignments. Sometimes you might even spend all-nighters on campus to finish up your work, but the satisfaction that comes after giving it your all is definitely worth it. In short, I enjoyed every bit of it.

What advice would you give other students considering various degree programs? 

Go for it! Monash has an experienced teaching staff and all the right facilities to accommodate your needs and is currently expanding to create an even more hospitable vibe for students.

While at pre-university what challenges did you face and how did Monash help you overcome these challenges? 

Coming from a small pre-u, I didn’t have the ability to show my full potential as a student. Always being outshined by the top students or being out-valued by rising talents. Coming into Monash was a totally different story. My first year alone, I bagged a position in the Monash Ultimate Frisbee Club (MUFC) and subsequently joining Team Monash. Opportunities are always there for me to put my best foot forward.

Whilst at Monash, did you have any industry exposure/placements? 

How has it made a difference to your own life or the life of others around you? I have yet to have any industry exposure under Monash, but I sure am looking forward to get down and dirty with whatever that comes my way. To me, it’s the experience of going through hardship that make industry exposure truly worthwhile.

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

It’s without a doubt the people that I call friends. Being part of the community here in Monash has introduced me to many people from different walks of life. The people I meet are easy to get along with, super nice and sometimes retarded (but in a good way). It sure does make the journey to complete my undergraduate degree much more interesting.

If you could provide one sentence of advice to future undergraduate students, what would it be? 

SET YOUR ALARMS, 8AM CLASSES EXISTS!