Brendan Elliot

As a professional athlete for the past ten years, I first enrolled to Griffith University as a mature aged online student midway through my sporting career. Throughout this time, I have completed a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and am currently in my final year of the Master of Cyber Security. I initially began the undergraduate degree as a part-time student as I was unsure how I would manage the workload. However, after my first year I was hooked on thrill of learning and have been enrolled as a full-time student ever since. I have had many challenges throughout my sporting career, including domestic and international moves, injuries, and setbacks though it has been my academic pursuits that have kept me focused and well-balanced.

I am very proud of my sporting achievements, although it is my academic achievements that I am most proud of. The skills of prioritisation, planning, and time-management have been essential to my success as an online student – having received two Griffith Awards for Academic Excellence, a Master of Cyber Security Scholarship, and named in the 2022 NRL Academic Team of the Year. I have been lucky enough to be a member of the Griffith Sports College since my enrolment, although as a full-time online student with full-time work commitments, I completely understand the complexities and challenges online students face during their academic pursuits.

I understand how difficult online learning can be at times and how much self-discipline it requires. Therefore, I am truly honoured to be elected for the Online Officer position on the GUPSA Board and am excited to represent online postgraduate students at Griffith University.