Khadhraa Glenn

Bachelor of International Studies

“An internship just wasn’t available, so I created my own opportunity”.

In my first year of studies I began volunteering with Senator Natasha Stott Despoja. I assisted the Senator by typing her speeches, preparing for events and conducting various political awareness campaigns for young people. I also held the role of deputy chairperson for The Parks Advisory Group to the Minister for Families & Communities. The advisory group worked to reduce the impact of crime and drug use in the community and improve the safety and standard of living for the citizens of the area.

In my second year of studies, I searched for an internship to gain experience in my field. I travelled to the US, Mexico and the Middle East but an internship just wasn’t available, so I created my own opportunity. I worked as an Arabic/English bilingual, bicultural advisor for the Multinational Coalition Forces in a very intense political atmosphere in the Middle East. I led a successful religious discussion program for detainees of the infamous Camp Bucca detention centre, while running my own security and logistics business for two Iraqi companies.

Deferring my studies in the short term enabled me to gain very relevant work and life experience. Living and working in an international and political ‘hot spot’ in the Middle East, has opened numerous doors of opportunities which would not be available to me now had I chosen a safer, more traditional path.

In 2007 I became the first South Australian Muslim to be awarded the Gold Medal for The Duke of Edinburgh Award. In the same year I was also a semi-finalist for the Young Achiever Award.