Kilvonian Profiles

Charan Naidoo

Charan Naidoo, Class of 2017

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

A: I am a third-year undergraduate at the University of Melbourne with ambitions to pursue a career as a diplomat. 

Q: What year did you finish at Kilvington?

A: 2017

Q: What have you been up to since leaving Kilvington?

A: A number of interesting and diverse pursuits. I am enjoying studying Politics and International Studies, Sociology and French at the University of Melbourne. In 2018, I joined Bendigo Bank Aspendale Gardens-Edithvale as a Cadet Director and was elected a Director in March 2020. This role has granted me insight into community engagement and board directorship. I also had the opportunity to study on exchange at SciencesPo, Paris earlier this year, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced me to return home early. 

Q: What is your favourite memory of Kilvington?

A: It is difficult to select a favourite memory of Kilvington when there are so many from which to choose! It was always a great honour and source of pride for me to represent the school at external events as School Captain.  

Q: Any funny stories?

My very entertaining (and informative) Economics classes with the hilarious Mr Clement! 

Q: Did you end up where you expected you would when you finished school?

A: I expected to study Economics at university but decided to switch into Sociology in the second semester of my first year. Although this was a wise decision in retrospect, it was not what I would have anticipated in Year 12. Otherwise, I am where I expected to be when I finished high school. 

Q: How did your time at Kilvington prepare you for what you’re doing now?

A: Kilvington provided the ideal learning environment to cultivate the core competencies which underpin what I am doing now. For example, I received invaluable one-on-one support from my tireless VCE English teacher during Year 12. This helped me develop strong analytical skills, which are key to my part-time role as an Electorate Officer for Shadow Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus QC MP. Kilvington also provided me with opportunities to cultivate my oral communication skills (i.e. through debating and public speaking) which I use as a member of the Kingston Youth Advisory Committee. 

Q: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve had to face to get where you are now?

A: One of the biggest challenges for me in my first year of university was to work productively in groups filled with very diverse people. I would often forget that my fellow group members had different skillsets and often different academic objectives. Realising that diverse skills are an asset, not a liability, helped me work far more productively in groups. This is an important competency to cultivate for today’s workforce. 

Q: What advice would you give to others who might be faced with similar obstacles?

A: I have found that patience and understanding are key to working cohesively with others. Harnessing the unique skills and knowledge of group members often leads to more enjoyable and higher-quality work. 

Q: What has been your biggest highlight so far?

A: As a Cadet Director at Bendigo Bank Aspendale-Gardens Edithvale, I led a team of five directors to launch the inaugural 2019 ‘Community Pitch’. This event culminated nine months of work and invested $23,000 in local community groups. 

Q: What excites you about the future?

A: I am excited by the opportunity for graduate study and to (hopefully) attain a foreign posting one day as a diplomat. Kilvington has helped instil in me the confidence to pursue my passions; a crucial asset in a fragile and uncertain world. 

Q. How did what you learnt at Kilvington help make you the person you are today?

A. Kilvington’s ‘Character Curriculum’ has taught me about the importance of staying true to my moral values, especially when it is challenging to do so. I am confident that this will remain true when I complete my university study and enter the workforce. 

Q: Any advice for our current Year 12 students as they embark on the next stage of their journey?

A: I deeply sympathise with Kilvington’s current Year 12 students who have had to grapple with their most challenging year of school in extraordinary circumstances. However, from my reading and conversations with those who I admire, I have come to believe that ‘working hard’ (i.e. ‘time on task’) and ‘working smart’ (i.e. ‘appropriate use of time on important tasks’) are the keys to success in both study and work.