Alicia Maynard

Chair of the Academic Board Joanne Gray, Provost and Vice President Peter Booth, Staff, Distinguished Guests, Graduates, Parents, Partners, and Friends.

Congratulations to the students who are here today to be acknowledged for your effort, commitment and dedication in completing your respective degrees.

Each of you have come from different circumstances, but for all of you, it is such a feat that you sit here today about to be conferred, with a whole new chapter in your life journey ahead.

My journey at this institution began in the late 90s.

I wanted to study engineering through my love of maths and the built environment but I had never planned to go to university - it simply wasn’t an option financially. So when I received a scholarship to study at UTS, it felt like all of my dreams had come true.

My father and I drove 5 hours from our home in a small rural town in the central west of NSW to enrol in the bachelor of engineering degree. As my Dad's ute wound through the blue mountains towards Sydney, the reality of the task that lay ahead of me started to sink in.

What welled up inside was fear - fear of the unknown, fear of the expectation to succeed, fear of being alone, and ultimately fear of failure.

We made it to enrolment, and found somewhere for me to live. So we headed home, packed up some of my belongings and Dad's ute began that journey again, this time back to Sydney where I was staying for good.

I lived in a share house with a lovely family, and their five cats. Now I didn’t realise until after I moved in just how allergic I was to cats, but the rent was cheap and it was close to the campus so I guess sometimes you have to make sacrifices!

My first semester here was tough - I fought financial hardship, sickness and a general feeling that I was going against every ounce of my DNA to study here. It wasn't an easy experience, I think it is fair to say that I struggled immensely through the transition. There wasn't one day that I didn't question myself - I wasn't sure if I'd make it, I felt like I didn’t belong here. When the first semester was over and I received my results in the post, I held the piece of paper which showed I had passed all subjects - it was the first time I felt a glimpse of hope, opportunity, and possibility that I could make it if I continued to work hard.

This realisation made me feel like I was on the way to conquering Everest.

As the months and years passed by, I made new friends through the university sporting groups - which is where I met my husband, I lived in student accommodation, I studied in the university library and used the university computer labs. I reached out to my lecturers and tutors, I asked for help when I needed it and I never missed one class.

I was so happy - I felt at home, with a sense of belonging to all that this institution represents.

My grades started improving as I gained confidence in my potential, encouraged by my lecturers and academic staff, and as I continued to work hard.

I realised I was going to make it - I was going to be an engineer!

Through my studies and time at UTS, I learnt a new way of thinking - process oriented problem solving, critical thinking, analytics.... But most importantly I learnt the value of relationships, good communication, dedication and that resilience and tenacity pays off with amazing results.

Despite all the hours of exams I sat in this hall, the last time I sat here I was in your position, about to graduate. I not only graduated with first class honours, but I graduated with the highest GPA in the Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree, and won the NAWIC scholarship.

These attributes and learnings have served me right from those humble beginnings, through every career success I have had since - I have travelled the world, worked on world leading developments, spoken at international conferences and I now lead a team of engineers focused on developing, designing and operating premium assets across Australia.

In hindsight, I think that as hard as things were initially, the experience has made me appreciate my life and career more than if it was a walk in the park. I know firsthand the reward from hard work, as well as the despair of day to day struggles. I value everything I have just that little bit more – and I will never stop working hard.

Your journey ahead will be rewarding, but there will be bumps in the road – there will be times that are challenging, there will be times that you question yourself. The best advice I can offer is to never lose sight of what you set out to achieve, and don’t lose yourself in the process.

Work hard through the tough times, be authentic in your engagement and communication, stay true to your values – the learnings through the tough times will serve you better than any success. They will make you more resilient, they will teach you adaptability, and when the dust settles, they will give you a great story to tell!

Ultimately, you will be better equipped to handle any situation that arises - allowing you to apply your learning as a new way of thinking and problem solving, to achieve even better results. Charles Darwin said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

I have no doubt that some of you here today will have had similar experiences or have experienced difficult times already, but no matter how you got here today - the outcome remains consistent - you each have earnt the right to celebrate all that you have achieved, setting you up for the most rewarding career and life opportunities possible.

I wish you the very best for the future.

Congratulations.