Civil engineering graduate Sarah Marsanich, well known as the ‘face’ of Griffith Engineering in TV commercials, will be offering her congratulations and encouragement to the graduating class of 2013.
Now working at Fortitude Valley in Brisbane as a submissions officer for the Transport Network Reconstruction Program, Sarah has accepted the invitation to be guest speaker at the Griffith graduations ceremony on the Gold Coast on Monday 9 December.
Three years on since her own graduation, Sarah is currently drafting the ‘close out reports’ for her work on the Brisbane Flood Recovery project, which has her reflecting on what she has achieved over the past few years.
Sarah says she remembers proudly her own graduation ceremony with all of her family in attendance.
“It was a chaotic moment in my life as I was already working full-time,” Sarah recalls.
“I know that I cut it very fine between wrapping up my work that day in Brisbane and getting to Gold Coast in time for the ceremony.
“But what I remember most is a sense of pride about being awarded my degree, being the first woman in my family to achieve that and also at having my mother, father and both of my grandmothers there to celebrate it with me.”
Focusing on ‘the now’
With a job she loves for the diversity of projects and locations, and a passion for hobbies like wakeboarding, dirt-biking and camping, it may come as no surprise that Sarah is content to focus on what is happening in her life right now.
“I had always been very future focused as I grew up, but I realised I was in a rush, that I wasn’t enjoying the moment,” said Sarah.
“I was already working well before I finished uni, so when I graduated and then found myself in front of a camera doing the TV commercials, I realised that I hadn’t given myself the opportunity to take stock of what I was doing.
“I was overlooking what I had achieved and what I could do for other students coming through in the engineering industry.
“I have always tried very hard to maintain my connection with the university and my work with Griffith on the advertising campaigns came out of that.
“It gives me great pride to feel I have played a role in the foundation of a network of peers from Griffith and engineering that can grow and support one another.”
Sarah will share more of her vision with the graduating science cohorts at the Griffith Graduation Ceremony 7pm Monday 9 December at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.