Dominic McCarthy, Bachelor of Business student
Exploring the world while studying a Bachelor of Business and building an entrepreneurial empire is something that most people only dream of doing.
But third year CQUniversity Bachelor of Business student Dominic McCarthy was determined to make this his reality.
At only 20-years-old, Dominic holds an impressive life portfolio. He kick-started his studies through CQUniversity’s Start Uni Now (SUN) program in high school in Mackay, and today he is working in France as an English Teaching Assistant while simultaneously completing his studies.
After graduating high school, Dominic moved to Brisbane to complete his first semester. During his semester break, he had the opportunity to participate in a two-week study tour in Vietnam. He then returned to Mackay to complete his second semester, where he secured an internship in commercial real estate.
Dominic was awarded a fully-funded scholarship from the prestigious New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program in November 2019 and set off to New Caledonia in early 2020. Sadly, the program was placed on hold due to COVID-19 and he returned to Australia.
Since then, Dominic has continued to make waves around the world while being grounded in Australia.
With COVID-19 travel restrictions lifted, Dominic packed his bags and headed to France in October 2021, where he is undertaking a six-month program at a local high school.
Dominic said he chose to study Bachelor of Business with CQUniversity as he believed it would provide him with the right foundations to build a career in business, international relations and diplomacy, and it would enable him to follow his dream of seeing the world.
“Rather than choosing a second major, I chose electives. This allowed me to explore my interests by studying, interning and volunteering abroad,” he said.
“It has been a very supportive experience studying with CQUniversity. It has really allowed me to ‘be what you want to be’
“I also love how the lecturers know you by first name, even though we’re studying online.”
Having the flexibility to study abroad and on his terms has provided Dominic with the freedom to explore his current locations, meet some truly inspiring people and work on many incredible projects.
“I have been fortunate enough to meet some truly inspiring people. Only recently I had a coffee with a diplomat from the Australian Embassy in Paris and last week I caught up with a diplomat at the Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva,” he said.
“While making my way through Switzerland, I visited a town called St Gallen. Here I reconnected with a contemporary dance performer – an Australian from the same dance school as me in Mackay – who was a big inspiration to me during my years doing ballet. It was incredible to catch up on the other side of the world.
“I also spent a week at the end of October in Lisbon, Portugal, volunteering on a food rescue project. This was part of my current elective subject called Service Learning: Communities and Context.
“During the volunteering, we would collect leftover food from restaurants and cafes, and package it into meals and pack boxes for families in need. The initiative helps to reduce food waste while also assisting those who need it.”
The diversely talented student is not only the Co-Director of the Pacific-Australia Youth Association, but he is also the Director of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement with the Australia-Latam Emerging Leaders Dialogue, the Alumni Community Leader for the French Pacific with Campus France, the French Embassy in Australia and the Australian-French Association for Research and Innovation, and the Australian Ambassador for the Language Assistants in France program.
With the vast experience he already has under his belt, Dominic is set to accomplish great things and he is sure to set a new standard for future entrepreneurs.
Dominic said, “Whether you want to study with CQU and live abroad or do a student exchange, it’s a life-changing experience. You can discover new cultures, countries and languages. I highly recommend it".
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