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Students at the University of Melbourne have recently decided to form an alumni society. President, Kushani Hewage, tells how it came about:

The National Youth Science Forum Alumni Society at the University of Melbourne was founded this year after a gruelling semester-long process full of applications. We collaborated to create this group after finding out that despite the enthusiasm to start a society, there was a need for someone to make the dream a reality. We knew that a couple of other universities around Australia had NYSF alumni groups or had annual gatherings, but this was not so in Victoria. Throughout last year and in particular this year, monthly gatherings were generally organised and co-ordinated by students who attended NYSF in 2013. We felt that by creating clubs affiliated with our universities, we would create a more prominent presence in the community.

While we are only a new, tiny club for now, we hope that as we are able to promote ourselves and bring in more members, we will be able to fulfil our aims.

The aims of the club are:

  1. To allow students who are a part of the National Youth Science Forum to remain connected with their peers in the University of Melbourne.
  2. To represent the cohort of NYSF who live/study in Melbourne, similar to NYSF alumni societies created interstate.
  3. To act as ambassadors on behalf of the NYSF organisation, promoting the program and play an integral role to help future NYSF students assimilate to the program easier.
  4. To hold events within the University as well as in collaboration with other Universities to raise funds for scientific research/projects.
  5. To hold an annual gathering to celebrate the newest NYSF students into the program.

We have already held our first event with a casual meet and greet (and drink) with a good turnout of NYSF alumni from various years. There are plans to hold a number of fundraisers so that we can grow our community and hold events on a larger scale, extending to not only past members but also to show potential NYSF participants in the coming years how the National Youth Science Forum can benefit them.

We are really excited to have this society at our University and we encourage alumni who want to keep in touch, whether you’re a student at the University of Melbourne or at a different institution you are welcome to join our lovely community!

Stay nutty and remember to always go bananas!

Further information: Search on Facebook - NYSF SOCIETY @ Unimelb or email nysf.unimelb@gmail.com