Stepping Into History: Becoming a DUSA Councillor

In 2024, I was elected by almost 60,000 students to join the Deakin University Student Association (DUSA) Council. That sentence still feels surreal to say. As far as I know, I am the first international Vietnamese student to ever hold this role, a seat at the table that, until now, had never seen someone like me.

This role is about advocating for students, shaping policy that protects and uplifts them, and ensuring that every voice is listened to. For the first time, I was representing an entire student body. Being elected was not the end of the story. It was the beginning of a new level of leadership. I suddenly found myself standing not just on the foundation of who I am, but on everything I had been working toward for years.

Vi is the person on the furthest right, with the 2025 DUSA Team

My experience founding the Deakin Volunteering Hub, mentoring over 50 students, running fundraisers, and organizing events had prepared me, but this was different. This time, I was not leading within a small community, but rather carrying the voice of thousands. I was not just solving problems, but rather creating systems and projects that could shape the university experience for generations of students to come.

As a DUSA Councilor, I worked across cultures, communities, and interest groups to deliver initiatives with long-term impact. I collaborated with club leaders, welfare officers, and student representatives to design programs that addressed both cultural celebration and essential welfare needs. These efforts reached thousands of students, from the hundreds who joined the Multicultural Festival to the many international students who now use the Survival Guide as their starting point at Deakin. By pairing event-based engagement with structural changes, such as expanding free sanitary product availability, I demonstrated an ability to lead at scale, respond to diverse needs, and implement solutions that continue to serve the student community beyond my term.

This role has marked a turning point for me. It has reminded me that leadership is about being present, accountable, and courageous enough to step into spaces that were never made for you, and choosing to build something new anyway.

Vi with the DUSA Council and Representatives Team