Future leaders recognised as national finalists

Five business, economics and law students from The University of Queensland have been named as finalists in GradConnection’s Top100 Future Leaders Awards, which will be held in Sydney in February 2019.

Each year, these national awards celebrate the most promising and talented future leaders who are soon-to-be-graduating from Australian universities.

BEL Student Employability Team Director Rhea Jain congratulated our BEL student finalists on their success.

“To make it as a finalist these students have undertaken a full and intensive graduate recruitment process, including online applications, psychometric testing, video interviews, and employer interviews,” Ms Jain said.

“In partnership with our employability experts and leading industry partners, many of our students have been building their skills, experiences and confidence in this space over several semesters.

“We’d like to congratulate each and every one of our students for investing in themselves both academically as well as professionally during their time at UQ, and we wish them all the best for the awards ceremony and their future careers.”

Meet our BEL Faculty Top100 Future Leader Award finalists below.

Claudia Cipressi | Bachelors of Engineering (Honours) and Commerce
Finalist | AECOM Engineering Consulting Award

Not only do I see leadership in my future, I see the prospect of guiding, shaping and changing the future, in my career as a professional civil engineer. Driving this vision is a passion and deep desire to find methods to better the lives of those in our community. From a recent design summit where I lived amongst a small Nepalese village, to volunteering in an engagement program for a local housing institution, I was able to get a sense of the direct global impact I could have in my career. The future is disruptive, and so a future leader must be adapting to this ever-changing world. Through my participation in start-up weekends, to travelling across the world for study, I'm in a constant pursuit to better myself with an open mind to learn. And the future is global. With a deep understanding of cultural differences, I believe I can lead global teams towards common visions, with the necessary ambition and curiosity to tackle the complex future ahead.

Niama Beaton | Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Commerce
Finalist | Westpac Banking, Insurance and Financial Services Award

The qualities that make me a future leader in the banking and financial services field are my conscientious and organised approach to my work, my affable personality, and my strong conceptual thinking and analytical skills. I believe these attributes make me a potential leader since they allow me to think of different solutions whilst also communicating the message in a relatable way to either a client or peer. My professional and extra-curricular experiences have allowed me to build upon and enhance my skills in terms of public speaking, teamwork and problem solving. My education has also allowed me to think in creative ways and explore different avenues which has helped me become the person I am today.

As an aspiring consultant, I am concerned with serving an organisation which delivers for clients. To do this, I am well aware that there must exist a unique form of leadership. Servant leadership is an extraordinary form of leading to me, and it is what I believe defines me as a leader. In the fast-paced world we live in, we get told that we can have whatever we want and do whatever we want, with little focus on others. I am dedicated to a life of servant leadership, where I serve others through my influence and my work. Consulting is an excellent field for me to exercise this as it involves enabling a client to get the best results possible by working in the service of their best interests.

Agnes Toth-Peter | BA (Hons) International Business
Finalist | Protiviti Business & Consulting Award

The club I was president of had the motto: Connecting tomorrow's leaders. I stood up for this, and aim to communicate this message ever since. Drawing upon my international academic and professional experience (London-Paris-Valencia), I worked together with many people from various cultures and adapted to different situations in past years. I am also undertaking innovation and entrepreneurship and social impact and sustainability as my two majors during my masters. Our world is changing and there are many unexpected situations that we are yet to face. Drawing upon my studies, I aim to assist people and businesses in becoming more sustainable and to adapt to the new circumstances. I believe these are traits a future leader needs, being flexible and adaptable, having an innovative mindset, focusing on sustainability.

Shaun Moon | Bachelor of Commerce
Finalist | KPMG Accounting Award

When people think of leaders, they automatically assume to the types of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, etc., but I don't believe that leaders necessarily have to make a global impact to be considered a leader. Helping those directly around you, teaching people to be better team players and not just leaders, giving the hopeless hope, and never backing down for the values and rights that you believe in. These are all what I consider to be leadership values, and I believe that I can be a person to inspire and motivate the younger generation.