By Mei Li Ng
Felix Tan proves it is possible to excel academically, be actively involved in sports and make a difference to the world in your own way.
His unassuming and ingenuous persona greets you at his office at the QUT School of Information Systems, so when you first meet Felix you feel right at home.
“Come in and make yourself comfortable. Give me a while, I’ll make you some coffee,” he said.
He first came from Singapore six years ago and is counting an impressive list of credentials.
Most recently, the PhD student was a finalist in the prestigious Premier’s International Student Awards 2007.
In his six years in Brisbane, Felix was QUT Student Guild International Students’ Director, Singapore Students Association President and was a key member in numerous committees.
He admits he felt lost when he first stepped into breezy Brisbane as an international student.
“At the start, it felt like I was starting anew because I didn’t have any friends here,” he said.
Felix feels this was the igniting point for sparking his interest in international student matters.
“It’s important for international students to have a voice here and they need to be heard.”
Felix firmly believes in the importance of helping people in seemingly minor matters.
“I am not looking at saving the world… what I do is to solve small problems,” he said.
“For example if I help a student settle his accommodation within 24 hours, it keeps him off the streets and that also means minimising the possibility of him getting into trouble…you will never know what can happen in a day, and similarly you will never know how far your help can bring a person to.”
His involvement in international student matters opened up the avenue for Felix to learn about other cultures through organising multicultural activities.
“I learnt every culture is unique in its own way. I was amazed when I found out more about Fijian cava through some of my friends,” he said.
“I was also very inspired by my ISS (International Student Services) colleague and mentor Mr Tevita Lesuma who has done so much for international students.”
Felix feels his roots prepared him well saying, “Singapore is known to be multicultural and this ‘rojak’ (mixed) culture made it easy for me to embrace other cultures”.
When asked what he ‘sells’ to his international friends about Singapore, Felix replies heartily “it has got to be food and more food!”
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