From Shy Student to National Radio

Ever heard the phrase, “Your time at university will be some of the best years of your life?” Well, I’ve had a lot of people tell me that, and while it took me a while to agree, I now know it’s true. This is mainly because I was among the fortunate few who got to experience life as a Sunwayian in both my college and university days!

Growing up, I didn’t enjoy studying much in primary or secondary school, but going to Sunway completely changed my perspective on education and academics. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as being a Sunway student challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone. In hindsight, this helped me realise my potential and prepared me for life in more ways than I can count.

As someone who initially preferred to blend into the background, I was slowly given opportunities to share my opinions both in and out of the classroom. This, in turn, gave me the privilege of leading several projects in college and university.

Without a doubt, my proudest moment as a student was organising the first Malaysia Book of Records event for Sunway University in 2022.

To this day. that achievement motivates me to have the mindset of “If I could accomplish that, then I can do anything I set my mind to,” which came in very handy when I was competing in an announcer search contest to become a radio host at MixFM! I’m a person who has never enjoyed the sound of my own voice, which is ironic since I ended up winning the contract and hosting “MIX Nights with Q” for two years after I graduated.

Just as I was challenged as a Sunway student to think outside the box, I was pushed to do the same personally and professionally during my time as a radio host. While I had to adjust to the fact that it was my first job and I was the youngest member on the MIX team, I was also blessed to be working with people who have decades of experience in media, who thankfully were generous in sharing their expertise with me!

Looking back, it’s funny how in the span of a few short years I went from being a shy student to handling large-scale events and then to being on national radio, interviewing individuals like Cheah Liek Hou (Malaysian Paralympic Gold Medalist) and Callum Scott (International Best-Selling Music Artist). I'm truly grateful for these opportunities!
 

Qarlene Rishiqa Dharminder
BA (Hons) in Communication
2022