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For someone who describes herself as an introvert, standing in front of high school students and answering their rapid-fire questions might sound like a nightmare. But for Master of Professional Accounting student Komal, it became the exact challenge she needed, and the reason she joined the Student Ambassador Program in the first place.
After completing her studies at Curtin at the end of 2025, Komal is commencing her graduate role with Deloitte’s audit team. Looking back on her time as a Student Ambassador, she credits the Program with transforming not just her presentation skills, but her entire approach to communication and teamwork.
Komal first learned about the Program through a friend who was already an Ambassador. After hearing about Race Around the Uni (RATU) – an orientation activity for high school students – she was intrigued.
“Once I got into the Program, I was like, okay, you get to do the fun stuff, but you are also working on your professional development. That’s like a win-win situation.”
As an Ambassador, her role involves welcoming high school students to campus, leading them through the RATU, and participating in panel sessions where students ask questions about university life.
“On that panel, students ask you random questions. Some of them are tricky. Some are okay. When they finish, you have three to five seconds to think about it. There’s no time for overthinking,” she explains.
It’s exactly this pressure that’s helped her grow the most.
The most important skill Komal has developed? Her presentation skills.
“I’m an introvert and it’s really hard for me to talk to strangers. And when we have high school students coming here, you get to talk to them and they throw random questions at you,” she says. “Whatever you know, share your experience with them. It’s more about honesty.”
Her favourite moment came during a school visit to a girls college, where she spoke with teenage girls thinking about their future.
“I was in their situation not long ago, thinking about my future. So it was a great thing for me talking to the girls, giving them an idea how life can be as a girl studying at Curtin.”
Beyond public speaking, the Program has taught her invaluable lessons in teamwork and collaboration, skills she knows will be essential in her future career.
“As an Ambassador, we usually work with other Ambassadors, like in a group of four or five. And sometimes your own thoughts or your approach may not match with others,” she explains. “But the fact is that you need to understand what their thinking process is. And I have realised I’m improving on that.”
The skills Komal has gained as an Ambassador align perfectly with her career aspirations. As an auditor, she’ll be working in client-facing roles and collaborating with teams, all experiences she’s practised through the Program.
“In auditing, you can’t work by yourself. You need to work in teams. And the more you learn about it, how to navigate the conflicts, the better it is,” she says.
She also appreciates how the Program has expanded her network beyond her own faculty and the flexibility the Future Student Engagement team provides.
For students considering applying to become a Student Ambassador, Komal’s advice is clear: embrace the presentation opportunities, even if they feel uncomfortable.
“Don’t shy away when they ask you to do presentation for RATU. If you are joining Student Ambassador, your main priority should be focusing on your presentation or public speaking,” she says.
She notes that public speaking opportunities are rare in other campus programs, making this aspect of the Student Ambassador Program particularly unique.
As she prepares to graduate and begin her role with Deloitte, Komal reflects on how far she’s come.
“The person I am now compared to my first year is completely different. I was full of anxiety on my first day. I couldn’t talk to people. Coming out of my shell was a huge challenge, but it’s been necessary.”
And now? She’s ready to take on whatever challenges come next – three to five seconds at a time.
Applications to become a Curtin Student Ambassador close on 9 April.
