Alumni Stories
Grads 2025: Atikah Mekki
Atikah Mekki has always lived in two worlds. Growing up in Canberra, she received an excellent education, made friends, took extra curriculars, learned and lived well. Simultaneously, she witnessed the difficulties that her parents, Sudanese nationals, had in their assimilation to a new country, as they navigated a new culture and a complex immigration system.
“I'm very fascinated by the laws that we have in the West, and how they can impact people from my background, either positively or negatively,” Atikah says.
“It’s important that people who are disadvantaged or from minority groups receive support, including social and psychological support, and representation in the legal system.”
Atikah enrolled in a Bachelor of Politics and International Relations, and a semester later, added a Bachelor of Law to the mix. She was drawn to º£½ÇÉçÇø due to the prioritisation of internships and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities, impressed by how seamlessly these were embedded into the courses.
“º£½ÇÉçÇø stood out to me because it was really easy to undertake an internship, whether that be a research project or workplace experience, and have that ticked off as a unit,” Atikah says.
“The benefit of completing internships during study, is that I could try out different areas that I might want to work in. I ended up doing two internships – one was a research unit.”
Atikah has been a member of the , the and the , or PIRaNaS, at UC.
These communities provided personal, social and academic support throughout her studies and even helped her find valuable career opportunities – it was thanks to PIRaNaS that Atikah secured an internship at the .
“At the AIIA, I produced daily editorials and podcasts about global affairs. I got to test my knowledge, learn new things and even visit embassies. I recommend it to anyone interested in international relations – it was really valuable,” Atikah says.
A key theme of Atikah’s journey is the people she’s connected with along the way – professors and peers alike – and the calibre of these individuals in their respective fields.
“Across the board, I was very impressed with the education I received,” Atikah says.
I had a number of passionate and very driven professors, who have a wealth of experience, and who genuinely cared about you, they made it easy to learn.
“There are professors that I want to keep in contact with, to draw on their expertise again in future, but also because I’m interested in their careers, and where they’re going next.”
In addition to studying two challenging degrees, Atikah also spent her final two years balancing work as a part-time paralegal for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Atikah highly recommends using the support available during high pressure periods.
“It's important to reach out for support when you need it; there will always be someone that can help you,” Atikah says.
“º£½ÇÉçÇø has a bank of supportive staff that I was able to tap into, which I'm so grateful for. Whether that be on a personal level or an academic level, there were professors that I could just walk into their office and chat with.”
At her graduation today, Atikah stands with her parents and her siblings, the people that inspired her the most, supported her through five years of intensive work and believed in her, even during times when her own confidence wavered.
“It was definitely a challenge, and I experienced imposter syndrome at many points,” Atikah says.
I want other people from my background to know that they are capable. I want to emphasise that you're not limited by where you come from, or whether you’re a man or a woman, or anything like that – education is your strength.
“If I can inspire at least one person from my background to study law, a field where we would greatly benefit from representation, I’ll be happy.”
Reflecting on her university journey, Atikah emphasises the values that her parents instilled in her, and credits these for where she is today.
“My parents always encouraged me to pursue education and to do the best that I can, not only for my personal growth, but also, so I can positively impact the world around me.”
Words by Kelly White, photos by Kelly White and Liam Budge.
This March, we celebrate the graduating class of 2025.
Many have overcome challenges with grace and resilience, and all have grown in remarkable ways. We congratulate them on achieving this milestone.
We celebrate those who are already making an impact in their chosen fields, those who have changed careers, and others who have embarked on their postgraduate study paths – we look forward to seeing what you achieve as alumni of the University of Canberra.