Andrew Watt's journey has taken him from Canberra, Japan, and now to Adelaide where he is currently furthering his education with a Master of Speech Pathology. Graduating in 2013 from UC's International Studies program and a Golden Key International Honour Society member, Andrew's life changed when he began teaching English in Okinawa, Japan. Enjoying the selfless work of teaching, Andrew traveled back to Australia, stating "I've been able to integrate the knowledge I gained in my international studies and languages field and apply them to my current work in speech pathology. I'm currently placed in an Indigenous school and a school with culturally and linguistically diverse students."

Andrew completed his degree at UC while working full time for the Federal Government in the Indigenous and Disability Support sectors. "UC provided me with the flexibility I needed to successfully balance my career and studies. It also gave me the opportunity to study in Okinawa, which is rich in history, cultural diversity and is an interesting political hub in the Asia-Pacific region" Andrew says. "My studies at UC opened up the doors to meeting some inspiring and influential people in my life. It was through conversations with these academics, teachers and students that provided further insight to the direction I wanted to take my career, which was closer towards the areas I'm passionate about".

Staying true to his UC roots while in Japan, Andrew developed several tutoring and language exchange programs with Japanese students at UC and in Japan, helping bridge the language barriers while creating a lifelong network of colleagues.

As a mature aged student, Andrew has a different perspective on finding the balance between work, school, and a social life. "Looking back, my interests and career goals have aligned, but it wasn't obvious at the time. There are so many opportunities available through UC, I would advise students to look for the opportunities that interest them, and then have the confidence to go after them and not let doubt or discouragement get in the way" Andrew says.