Living on the EDGE: Valentine Sesselkin

WHAT cause would you stand up for? For 27-year-old Valentine Sesselkin from Kazakhstan, it’s the push to make public transport concessions available to all international students.

What’s your name, and how old are you?

My name is Valentine Sesselkin and I’m 27 years old.

Where are you from? Where and what course or program are you doing?

I’m from Kazakhstan. I’m studying in RMIT and I’m doing my Master’s degree in Marketing.

How long have you been in Melbourne for and why did you choose to come to Melbourne? Did you come alone or with family?

I came to Melbourne by myself and I’ve been living here for almost two years. One of the main reasons why I chose Melbourne, was its international recognition as a prime destination for sports, history, travel, cultural diversity and more.

What got you into the EDGE program? And what are you expecting to get from the program?

Challenge and motivation. I consider this program as a great opportunity for me to better my professional and academic skills in the particular sphere of education and social communications.

What does leadership mean to you?

Strong commitment and constant process of self perfection.

What or who do you draw inspiration from, and why?

I get my inspiration from almost anything that surrounds me daily. The most obvious are musical performances, movies, books, people and sport. I guess this is what keeps me challenged and stimulated.

If you could champion one cause for international students in Melbourne, what would it be?

This might sound very trivial; however, it would be public transport concession.

What, in your opinion, is the most common misunderstanding/stereotype that people have of international students in Melbourne?

It’s a good question! The most common misunderstanding is directly related to unawareness on geopolitical and socio-economic peculiarities.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

My top five in no particular order: sport, social life, movies, cooking and reading.

What are your other hobbies outside the classroom?

To be concise, some of my favorite hobbies are international politics, traveling and music.

What song gets you pumped or excited? Think Eye of the Tiger or Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” or any Bon Jovi track.

Bill Evans Trio – My foolish heart

If I had a million dollars I would…. dispose them properly, make every cent work.

If I only had $5 I would…. use the aforementioned approach.

Valentine Sesselkin is one of a handful of dynamic international students handpicked to take part in the City of Melbourne’s EDGE leadership program.