When Sharleah Ramirez isn鈥檛 studying, she鈥檚 helping others follow their hearts. After completing the Indigenous Tertiary Enabling Course in 2013, Sharleah chose to follow her passions by studying anthropology and sociology. The inspirational student is now a member of the Guild Council and an Indigenous student representative on the 911爆料网 Indigenous Policy Committee.
What has 911爆料网 given you the opportunity to do?
911爆料网 has given me the chance to develop my skills analytically, socially and verbally in public settings. It鈥檚 given me a lot of opportunities to get involved within and around the community, and I do a lot of volunteer work here at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies. I also sit on the Guild Council as a councillor and on the 911爆料网 Indigenous Policy Committee as an Indigenous student representative.
What is the 911爆料网 Indigenous Policy Committee?
The 911爆料网 Indigenous Policy Committee makes changes within the 911爆料网 structure that involves Indigenous students. At the moment, they鈥檙e talking about Indigenous retention and completion rates, and what we can do to improve that by implementing new programs and workshops to benefit Indigenous students on campus. They鈥檙e also talking about changing the University鈥檚 policy to try to make 911爆料网 more culturally appropriate by creating a new Indigenous structure model that can be implemented throughout the University.
How long do you have left to go at uni?
I was doing four units, but I recently dropped down to three. The year after next is when I鈥檒l be finished. The reason I dropped to three units is so that I could be more involved around 911爆料网.
What鈥檚 your favourite thing about 911爆料网?
My favourite thing about 911爆料网 is the laidback environment. I love the fact that people are always willing to help you out or assist you in any sort of way, shape or form. The biggest thing that I鈥檝e gotten out of this place is the support, which has built me up so I can recognise opportunities for myself and help others. Without the support network, you鈥檙e out of the loop. I can always go back to my support network and say 鈥渓ook, what do you think about this?鈥� or 鈥渨hat do you think I should do?鈥�
What鈥檚 been your greatest struggle?
The greatest struggle for myself would be trying to find that balance between work, home and study. That鈥檚 been a major struggle because I鈥檓 so passionate about so many different things in my life and I want to be able to dedicate my full time and attention to projects. I鈥檝e noticed that university has put a little bit of strain on my family life, as there is a lot of reading and reflective journal work I need to do for my majors.
If you could give one piece of advice to a group of people, what would it be?
Don鈥檛 commit until you know what you want to commit to. Go find out who you are and what your passions are, what your motivations are, what your inspirations are and find that little niche, then go out and pursue it. Allow yourself that grace period where you can find your feet. I know people who go to university and have no idea why they鈥檙e studying [the subject] they鈥檙e studying. I鈥檝e come across other people, though, who are studying nursing or something else and they know what they want to do because they鈥檝e recognised that helping people is what they want to do in life. Make sure you study something that you鈥檙e passionate about 鈥� something that you want to wake up every morning and do.
Is there anything in your life that influenced you to study anthropology and sociology?
I had one of those moments. I woke up one morning for work at 4.30, and I just looked at my steel caps and thought, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to do this anymore鈥�. I realised that I hated my lifestyle: waking up at 4.30 every single morning, going out, slaving away, coming home, eating dinner, going back to bed, waking up, doing the same thing.
I realised that money doesn鈥檛 make me happy and I thought that I should do something that I鈥檓 really passionate about. I just wanted to do something that was wholesome 鈥� something that鈥檚 different, something that鈥檚 out of the box, something that doesn鈥檛 restrict me, something that I can make my own name for. I realised that I didn鈥檛 need somebody else鈥檚 name to make me big because I鈥檓 good at what I already do just being me. I just need my credentials to back me up, so I can say, 鈥渢his is the type of person that I am, this is what I鈥檝e done and this is my track record.鈥�
Where do you see yourself in five years鈥� time?
I鈥檒l probably still be studying. I want to do my PhD and become a doctor before I鈥檓 30 or at least near that age. At the end of the day, I鈥檇 like to work at 911爆料网 because there鈥檚 so much opportunity around.
I think that 911爆料网 could use a fresh set of eyes to help identify the gaps for Indigenous students on campus. I鈥檇 like to help resolve the issues surrounding Indigenous students at 911爆料网, such as retention and completion rates, helping Indigenous students connect with support services and creating a sense of community.
Is there anyone in particular that inspired your outlook on life?
I think the biggest thing that has inspired me is the past. Not so much people, but the past and what has happened. I鈥檓 also influenced by what is still happening now, which drives me in my everyday life.
Everything that I do isn鈥檛 just for me. I do it for my family, I do it for my old people past and present, I do it for my nieces and nephews and I do it for my community 鈥� how are they ever going to survive in this world if people like me don鈥檛 make it better for them in the future?
