Page 40 - Luce 2024

A l umni News

Gypsy Akhyar too many essays, and, as a bonus, since I was thrust into a busy newsroom
(2019) my girlfriend speaks it, I could impress covering everything from a murder trial,
After graduating her with some French flirting (tu es la a federal election and a red carpet for
with my tartiflette de mon existence). the Brownlow.
undergraduate
degree, leaving I ended up taking the subjects, then Following my year in the Sunshine
JCH in 2021, took some more, and voila! I live in Paris State, I moved to Sydney where I took
and then now, I just bought pain au chocolat at up a role as a business reporter at The
coming back the my local bakery, I have about five Australian, mostly on the basis that the
following year different cheeses in my fridge and yes, I editor at the time saw my Commerce
as a tutor, I have bought a fondue machine last week. degree and thought ‘brilliant, he’ll get it’.
now taken off to
the other side of the globe. What started During 2023 – my gap year – I also Quite frankly, I was a terrible business
as a gap year trip across Europe ended completed some side quests. I started student. I never really understood the
up with me buying a fondue machine teaching maths a little bit more seriously, concepts and failing Finance 1 in my
for my French apartment. How did I get having about 15 different students at first semester created so much doubt as
here? one point, ranging from primary school to why I was studying this degree. My
to honours level. I started working as stubbornness is partly the reason why I
In the mid-year break of 2022, I wanted a research assistant in the Economics completed the degree – and then went
to complete a subject during the winter. faculty at Monash University. I learned on to complete a Master of Journalism.
At the time, I was doing a Graduate some algebraic combinatorics from
Diploma of Arts with an (informal) some lovely people here in Paris at But in turn that stubbornness in staying
major in philosophy. I had done a whole the IRIF (Institut de recherche en with Commerce paid off. It got me a foot
lot of philosophy previously and now informatique fondamentale) and in the door at the national broadsheet,
wanted to do something a bit different. CNRS (Centre national de la recherche where as a 25 year-old, I spent two
The problem is, all the subjects on offer scientifique). Oh, and I now know the years reporting on the impact of the
seemed so boring! difference between about 5000 different COVID-19 pandemic on our economy,
cheeses and pastries. financial systems and major companies.
Candidate: SOCI40009
(Writing Sociology) I come back to Melbourne in January In 2021, I decided to pack up from the
Verdict: Too applied for a philosopher! 2024 following the expiration of my visa Harbour City and head down to the
to finally study for my Masters. France Bush Capital, where I spent 18 months
Candidate: ANCW20015 is great, but I can’t lie and say that I am as a federal politics and economics
(Classical Mythology) not looking forward to speaking English reporter for The Canberra Times.
Verdict: Too many essays! in public, eating vegemite and avo on This was a whirlwind period in my
toast, and seeing my family. professional life. My time in Canberra
Candidate: CLAS30045 involved covering the 2022 election,
(Intensive Ancient Greek 1) I’m writing this in November 2023. thereby securing a front row seat at the
Verdict: Could be interesting? That’s all from me for now! circus that is a federal election.

As a mathematician in training, I had Gerard Following this, I was approached by
always wanted to know the lore of all Cockburn Seven West Media to cover business
the symbols I used daily. Plus, I had (2013) from Sydney for its print arm which falls
always wanted to learn a language At the end of under The West Australian masthead.
because they didn’t teach any at my my time in Janet Currently, I cover aviation and a number
school. Clarke Hall, of issues which intersect politics and
like a lot of business such as energy, industrial
Who am I kidding? One doesn’t choose undergraduate relations and resources.
to study intensive Ancient Greek on a students I was
whim. still trying to I have had the opportunity to go
work out what head-to-head with some of the most
I still thought that learning a language my career path influential people in Australia and quiz
might be a good idea. I kept looking and would be. them as to whether their leadership, be
looking through the handbook until… it government or corporate, is in the best
Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a bit interests of the public or shareholders.
Candidate: FREN10004 of a talker. I love conversations, I love
(French 1) debate and getting to the core of what A career in journalism has been a
Verdict: Perfect! creates an issue. It is for those reasons wonderful experience. It’s a hard
that I fell into a career in journalism – in slog and sometimes there are more
French fits all my requirements. A lot of particular, business and politics. challenging days than there are good
mathematicians and philosophers are/ ones. But when I cast that aside, the
were French which is just straight-up My first full-time gig was as a cadet at privilege to occupy a position where
cool. It’s a language, it doesn’t have The Courier Mail in Brisbane, where I can question the powerful and bring

40 LUCE Number 22 2023