In Pursuit of a Dream

This year’s International Student of the Year award winner is Marco Lee, who has been studying at Box Hill Institute since 2015. Since high school, Marco had a passion for a career in the hospitality industry, which led him to enrol in a Certificate III and IV in Patisserie, a Diploma of Hospitality Management (Specialising in Patisserie), and finally a Bachelor of Hospitality, all studied at Box Hill Institute.

Marco said, “Hospitality is always my passion. I am a people person and I would like to learn different skills to enter in the hospitality industry and get to know people better.” 

Winning the student award was the icing on the cake for Marco after so many years of hard work. Excited, proud and overwhelmed when he heard the news, he said, “I was jumping up and down. It did make my day on that day when I have found out. I am really proud of myself and sharing the news with my family and friends.  I was so excited to tell them and I was overwhelmed and grateful too.”

Marco values the skills and knowledge he has gained at Box Hill Institute. He said, “I love my lecturers and I got to make a lot friends in classes, sharing my experiences and knowledge in our study outcomes with the others too.” 

It has been a long journey for Marco, who first arrived in Australia from Hong Kong in 2012. He completed his high school studies in Ringwood at Aquinas College and, after enrolling at Box Hill Institute, he completed the English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students to ensure he would perform well in furthering his education.

In August 2018, Marco started working with Qantas in the international business and first class lounge as a food and beverage attendant and front desk porter. He said the interpersonal, leadership and time management skills he was learning helped him make great connections with people in the hospitality industry.

Marco’s education continues today but he has moved on from Box Hill Institute, enrolling in a Master of International Hotel Management, Hospitality Administration/Management at the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School. He is missed on the Box Hill Institute campus but offers these words of advice to other students, “Keep up the hard work in a positive way. If I can do it, you can do it too. If you put your efforts in your course, you will succeed and it will all be worth it at the end. The future is yours.”