1 minute read
Creating a legacy for women
RMIT alumnus Silvia Tejedor
After leaving Argentina in the 1970s to escape the violent military junta, Silvia Tejedor came to RMIT to study electronics – as one of two women in the class. Now she is leaving a bequest to support future generations of women studying science.
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“Being a migrant isn’t for everyone - you have to learn a new language, get used to the strange food and culture, in fact everything was a bit of a shock for me arriving in Melbourne at the age of 14.
I was always good at maths and science in high school because I had already done the curriculum before I came to Australia and it was easy for me. I wanted to continue with technology and electronics to find out how things worked.
I’ll never forget my first day at RMIT when I started my Certificate of Technology in Electronics, I saw one other woman apart from myself in the entire course, 98 per cent were guys, the second day at RMIT there was one woman in the course, me!
No one would give me a traineeship as a technical officer (because I was a woman) and in those days (1980), you couldn’t finish the semester subjects unless you had a job, so the second round of interviews was with the Department of Defence, I said to them, look, I know I’m a wog [sic] and I know I’m a woman, but give me a chance!
I’ve only just retired after spending 34 years with the Department of Defence as a technical officer in electronics!
Having had that experience, I really wanted to be able to help other women because you can feel alone when you work or study in a male dominated area, so I wanted to encourage other women to study engineering and science.
I’ve made a better life for myself because of the opportunities given to me through education in Australia. That’s why I decided to leave a bequest to establish a scholarship, to help others experience the opportunities I have had.”
Leaving a gift to RMIT in your will You too can create your own legacy at RMIT. Find out more about how you can make a lasting impact.
www.rmit.edu.au/giving
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