Alumni features
OUR STORIES. OUR LEGACY. OUR ALUMNI.
The history of ANU is made up of the stories of our alumni. Every alumni story is unique - a snapshot of their ANU experience, enriched by connections made with friends, partners and mentors during the student journey.
Through 75 Features - nostalgic stories of inspiration and overcoming of challenges - we celebrate the incredible spirit of our community of over 129,000 ANU alumni.
We will add new stories throughout our 75th anniversary until we reach 75 stories, so please come back and visit again soon. Or, click on the button below to share your own story with us.
From student politics to ACT Chief Minister and Treasurer
I studied a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies at the Australian National University (ANU) between 1992 and 1995. Now, I am the Chief Minister and Treasurer of the ACT.
From debating in the dining room, to the world stage
I grew up in a tiny fishing village in Queensland that has population of around 800 people. I went to public schools and definitely had a very rural upbringing.
Grades are not everything
For me, going to ANU was about much more than getting good marks. It helped me expand my networks by meeting people I wouldn't otherwise have met.
My second home
To me, The Australian National University (ANU) is not just an alma mater. ANU is my second home. It's the place that I grew up, both as a young child and intellectually.
An Aussie kid that ended up at NASA
The people that you meet at ANU, are people you will share a connection with for the rest of your life. That's been true for me, both professionally and personally.
Explore alumni features
Like mother, like daughter
My mum, Professor Jane Dahlstrom OAM, did her PhD in 1992 at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) at the Australian National University…
Yasmin Poole and her ANU mentor
It's an interesting experience, coming from my background and seeing first-hand the barriers that women of colour face. But growing up, it wasn't…
Community is the soul of ANU
I grew up in Melbourne and got early entry to the Australian National University way back in the 1970s or, as my children like to refer to it, back…
Friendship got me through Medical School
I did my postgraduate studies at ANU Medical School and, like me, a lot of my classmates had moved interstate or internationally to study at ANU. I…
It’s the people at ANU that make the difference
I came to ANU when I was just 16, so I was quite young. I lived at Ursula Hall - back then it was Ursula College - run by the Nuns. I was pretty shy…
From Helsinki to Australia’s national university
My first trip to Australia was in 1980. By 1984 I had packed up my life and made the trip halfway around the world, from Finland to Australia, to…
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