USASA Postgraduate Student Representative

Benjamin Opiyo

opiby001@mymail.unisa.edu.au

What are you studying?

Master of Communication

What made you want to become a student representative?

I often ask myself, why do I do the things I do? Why would I leave my comfort to serve fellow students? The go-to answer has always been, "I want to be a pioneer, to be in rooms that my forefathers never dreamed of. Not just to be in those rooms but to let my presence radiate across the communities I represent and to lend my ideas and knowledge to the service of men and women. For service was a mark of honour when my forefathers lived.

What do you aim to achieve for UniSA students in 2024?

My overarching goal is to put in place a student engagement framework. What do I mean? If a UniSA student has a complaint about anything, that student should know who to approach and there should be a clear map of how that issue will be received and assessed. The student should know how and when to follow up on that issue and any actions the university takes. That is how you improve the student experience!

What is the best thing about your campus?

You can choose to sleep or study in the library; that is how comfortable it is.

What is your best piece of advice for your fellow students?

I am a country boy. Country boys leave the country to go to the city. They go to the city, not to compete with the big boys but to keep the village afloat. Stick to your dreams, ignore the Joneses.

Which UniSA events are you looking forward to this year?

Graduations. Most graduations. Graduations present an opportunity for students to seek comfort in their commitment, to dry their tears and to dress in hope for what the future holds for them.

What instantly puts you in a good mood?

Getting out on campus to meet people. I still cherish the good ol' strong handshakes, pats on the back and meaningless talk. It helps that I am extroverted.

How do you care yourself on mindfulness?

I used to meditate before. I do not think a full-time Masters program affords you the opportunity to meditate. But, I find myself sitting still during unplanned moments whether before starting the car or after calling home. Those moments are still precious unless you are a swiftie haha.

If you could have dinner with anyone - dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I am named after my great-grandfather. He grew up in colonial Kenya and was a self-employed man living at the doorstep of a giant castle where a colonial settler lived. I would go back in time to learn about that grace during a time of open hostility, to learn about his creative and business pursuits when man knew no internet and to bask in his hope when the future was not bright.

What is your MBTI and why do you think you are this type?

ENTP - The Debater. I am extroverted, assertive, prone to question the status quo and a lover of ideas. I think big but I do not complete most of my projects because ideas just become too many.