Profiles
Catherine Jones
April 2012
Catherine is beginning a Master of Development Studies, a qualification she hopes will not just help her to get the job she wants, but will also help a lot of other people improve their lives.
"That's exciting,” she says.
Catherine in Romania during Victoria University's summer break.
"I was originally going to go into the media business, but I fell in love with Geography at school. I love people, so the human side of Geography really appealed to me. I did my undergraduate study at Victoria in Development Studies, History and Education and am getting into my Masters this year.
Catherine's thesis will look at the impacts of neoliberalism upon small island nations in the Pacific. To explore the concept, she will analyse the social, economic and environmental impacts of the multinational cooperation, FIJI Water, on the local Fijian community.
"FIJI Water has become an international phenomenon. It's a good example of a niche market where a product is branded in such a way that the cultural, environmental or historical identities of a nation are infused into the product. I want to find out how the production of FIJI Water is affecting Fiji.
"I love travel, so a project in the Pacific appealed to me. Victoria already has well-established connections in the Pacific and my project will add to that since I'll be spending time there for my research. There is lots of support in the School for students and I'd like to challenge people to get amongst it and stick at it – with good support a Masters isn't scary at all.
"I love challenging myself to see how I will manage in difficult situations and finding out what my limits are. Development Studies has encouraged me to push my personal boundaries and explore the world. In my second year of study, I went to Leeds in England for a semester on Vic OE. I was quite young to be on the other side of the world for seven months, but it was a huge opportunity for me and I learned how to cope without my home and family.
"I also went to Romania in the summer break to see what it was like to live in a different environment. The country is amazing but really demanding - living there was like being in a different world. For a start it was minus 20oC and very few people spoke English. I did an internship in an orphanage for disabled children and helped at a maternity centre. The experience not only opened my eyes to a new culture but also taught me various skills, such as how to act appropriately in different social contexts.
"Development Studies has equipped me to think about some big questions, such as why some people are privileged and others not. I enjoy taking those questions apart and looking at the ideas that come out of them. There are still some big hurdles to overcoming poverty in the world, but we are gradually making progress. I want to be part of that."