Kristian Torres

A fond or happy memory of your time at ANU

Aside from the engaging discussions I’ve had and lessons I learned, my fondest memories at ANU are moments spent with friends: hiking to one of Canberra’s many lookouts, sharing home-cooked meals, playing random card and board games, chatting about news from our home countries, and shopping for bargains at Canberra Centre, among other things. The ANU community is a tightly knit and multi-cultural community that accepts everyone and offers an unforgettable experience. Thanks to my time at ANU, I have lifelong friends from all corners of the world!

Post-graduation plans

As an Australia Awards scholar, I will be working with the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on developing a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system that caters to the needs of indigenous peoples under its conditional cash transfer program. This would include developing an Indigenous Peoples Wellbeing Framework that would identify measures and indicators of indigenous wellbeing that are culturally appropriate and relevant. In addition, I am planning to continue working in the field of M&E and applying everything I learned at ANU to help improve access of women and the vulnerable to an improved quality of life. 

Words of support or hope to your fellow graduand cohort

With everything happening in the world right now, graduating and starting a new chapter in our lives is a daunting and scary endeavour. Let us continue holding on to our dreams and aspirations that motivated us to begin and complete our respective programs at ANU. Whenever you feel overwhelmed and exhausted, pause, reflect, and remind yourself of your dreams and aspirations. Use your dreams and what you’re passionate about to guide your everyday decisions in life. ANU has equipped us with the necessary tools to achieve our dreams; it is our duty to use these tools to make our dreams into reality! Congratulations, fellow graduands!