Being able to gain the practical and theoretical knowledge required for a law degree, whilst also expanding my knowledge about research, politics and international relations through my Arts degree, has already led me to some incredible career building opportunities.
Why did you choose to study at Deakin?
Cassandra: After completing high school I didn’t feel ready to go straight to university and instead took the opportunity to go abroad and spend time in the UK. I spent five years living and working in London, where I had a wonderful opportunity to travel, gain independence and find out what my interests were before deciding to return to Melbourne to pursue full time study.
I was drawn to the breadth of study options at Deakin University and the option to study a law degree as a bachelor at undergraduate level, rather than as a JD was important to me. Whilst in the process of deciding which university to select, I found the student advisors at Deakin were always friendly and helpful and it felt as though Deakin would be a university where I would be supported and have space to grow (something I’m now glad to say on reflection I was absolutely right about!).
What made you interested in choosing your study area to pursue a career?
Cassandra: During high school years I started volunteering at the Good Samaritan Kinder School in Bacolod, Philippines and became aware that many children lacked the opportunity to gain a secondary education. This experience inspired me to organise a fundraiser, to establish a scholarship program to provide children from the kinder school with financial assistance to attend secondary school. I’ve made further trips to Bacolod to spend time volunteering with the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, and have had the opportunity to expand my work into their outreach centre, squatter feeding program and prison outreach program. The prison outreach program, which involved visiting groups of female inmates in local prisons and attending court with them as support, was particularly impactful for me.
It made me fiercely determined to pursue a career where I could impact people’s lives and be a voice for those who didn’t have one. However, I realised being passionate about something was one thing, but truly understanding and being educated about these complex international issues was another. Finding this purpose is what led me to pursue a law/arts degree at Deakin and I now feel confident I have chosen a degree that will be both fulfilling and impactful.
How is your course preparing you to be work ready?
Cassandra: Although my initial intention coming into university was just to get a law degree, I quickly realised that doing a double degree and being able to expand my knowledge and skills into other areas that interested me would be very worthwhile. Being able to gain the practical and theoretical knowledge required for a law degree, whilst also expanding my knowledge about research, politics and international relations through my arts degree, has already led me to some incredible career building opportunities and allowed me to expand my reach and career options.
My arts degree is where I’ve built my theoretical, research and writing skills, and discovered my deep interest for politics and international affairs. I’ve learnt how to think about complex issues deeply and analyse them with thought and perspective. I’ll be able to graduate with not only knowledge of the law but also an understanding about the theories of crime and the relationship between politics and law which are so closely intertwined. This will be particularly relevant for making an impact in areas such as policy and law reform, which require a broader understanding of the issues that affect society.
I hope arts degrees will continue to be seen as relevant and worthwhile options for students who have a broad range of interest areas, because I firmly believe they are a great way to not only develop interests but also widely transferable and diverse working skills.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your course at Deakin?
Cassandra: The most rewarding aspect of my course to date has by far been the opportunity to apply for, and be successful in being awarded a New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarship. I wasn’t someone who was always a high achiever academically at high school, but coming to university as a mature age student and having already acquired some professional experience, I feel I’ve really flourished and exceeded even my own wildest expectations. Being awarded the NCP scholarship felt like a rewarding culmination of hard work inside and outside the classroom. I felt extremely honoured that Deakin had recognised me as someone worthy of representing the university and grateful to have their support of my endeavours throughout the scholarship process.
Have you undertaken any professional experience as part of your degree?
Cassandra: I was fortunate at the end of my second year to be employed by Deakin as an administration assistant for the Comparative Network on Refugee Externalisation Policy’s (CONREP) 2020 International Workshop, which was hosted by Deakin. CONREP is a collaborative network of six universities researching the impact and effects of the externalisation of refugee policies. In assisting to organise and run the event I had the opportunity to meet scholars and other key civil society leaders from all over the world and gain insight into collaborative research and the important role of research in effecting change for critical real life issues. I am continuing to work in a casual capacity on various tasks associated with the CONREP project.
As a result of my involvement in the CONREP workshop, I was subsequently recently offered the opportunity to work as a research assistant for Faculty of Law at Western Sydney University on a large research project examining the impact of COVID-19 on human rights. I’m excited to work on this project because it will allow me to gain invaluable insight into the ‘real-life’ process of developing academic research and help me develop my own research and critical thinking skills more deeply.
In Trimester 1 2020 I was selected to host the MLL 213 Torts Revision Session, which is sponsored by Baker McKenzie and administered by the DLSS. This experience was challenging but also rewarding, as I was able to assist other students and share my insight into what techniques allowed me to succeed in this subject.
How would you describe the learning environment and culture at Deakin?
Cassandra: I think university is ultimately what you make of it, but in saying that Deakin certainly offers a wide range of opportunities for students to get involved in extracurricular activities if they want to, and from my own experience these can make a huge difference to your university experience. I’ve been a member of the Deakin Law Students Society since my first year and as a result have had the opportunity to attend many wonderful professional networking/soft skill building events. I think attending events that compliment your classroom learning is really important. Having the opportunity to hear from and meet prominent people in the legal profession has given me more ‘real life’ insight into the industry.
I have also been an active member of the Deakin Women in Politics Network since it started. The Women in Politics Network helped me solidify that I had a strong interest in politics. As a result, in the second trimester of my first year I changed my degree so that I could include a politics major because I felt so impassioned by the groups leaders and the female politicians I met through the groups events. Research shows very few young women in Australia wish to pursue a career in politics, so the Network provides a space for students to explore their interest in politics, and gain exposure to career building opportunities. I hope to help the network grow by taking more of a leadership role in the remaining years of my degree, and would strongly encourage other students to discover the benefit of joining groups like this, not only for the social benefit but also the incredible networking and learning opportunities they present.
Tell us about your experience of studying in the Cloud.
Cassandra: I was enrolled in the cloud for the first trimester of my degree (4 units) before changing my enrolment to on campus for my second trimester onwards. Online study can be challenging, and it isn’t for everyone. It definitely requires good organisation and time management, and you have to be that extra bit motivated to attend classes and get things done. I think the key is to try and build a structure that works with your life and other commitments, but that is consistent so that you try to attend or listen to your classes at the same time each week, otherwise it can be easy to fall behind and let things pile up. But if you’re looking for flexibility, online study is fantastic and can be a great way to get your degree started.
Image: Cassandra at the New Colombo Plan Scholarship award ceremony in Canberra .
Cassandra Le Good is studying the Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws course at Deakin University.