Nepalese Master of Business Analytics student Manasbi Poudel has been elected as the student member on the Macquarie University Council – the first international student to hold the position in some time.

The Macquarie University Council is the governing authority of the University. The Council comprises official, appointed and elected members who contribute a blend of financial, commercial, legal, academic, administrative and public sector expertise to the business and operation of the governing authority.  The elected student member is an important position on the membership of the Council and provides a mechanism for students to participate in the deliberative and decision-making processes of Council and the University.

Manasbi is looking forward to bringing the student perspective to the Council, having proven her leadership skills with an impressive array of achievements to date. She holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Economics and has been active in growing entrepreneurship in her home country. In particular, she is a fervent advocate for women, being a founding member of the Society of Nepali Women in Economics and serving on the board of Girls Empowered by Travel – an NGO providing opportunities for underprivileged women to undertake purpose-driven travel. Manasbi currently holds a Prometheus Fellowship for her study of public policy based on Ayn Rand’s Objectivism philosophy.

Calling her time in Sydney a ‘blessing’, Manasbi has embraced opportunities to further grow her leadership and business skills during her time at Macquarie. She has held executive positions in various student societies, including the Macquarie University Business Society, and is an enthusiastic participant in the Business School’s Lucy Mentoring program and e-Lead’s Millennium Women Leadership Accelerator program.

 

Manasbi (seated, centre) with fellow participants in the Millennium Women Leadership Accelerator program.

Manasbi plans to use her two-year term on the Council to help foster a strong sense of belonging and student engagement at Macquarie.

“It’s an incredible honour to serve on the Council and I am especially proud to bring an international student voice,” Manasbi says. “Having an international student member is a testament to the strength of Macquarie’s values of diversity and inclusion and I plan to use my position to provide a student perspective to Council deliberations that empower our community and ensure that all voices are heard.

“I look forward to making our University a better place for everyone.”