Conny Lenneberg

In her own words (adapted from her Living History interview)

I was a student at La Trobe University back in the 1970s. I finished my Bachelor of Arts in 1978, and I went on to do a Masters and finished that in 1988.

When your eyes are opened up to the larger world, you are often overwhelmed by the complexity that you’re beginning to get some insight into, and it’s your choice to choose the thing that inspires you rather than letting yourself be overwhelmed by all that you’ve learnt. The way in which this kind of education opens your horizon in so many ways can be overwhelming at times.

My time at La Trobe has really been absolutely formative in setting the direction of my life. As part of my undergraduate degree studying in the politics department, I was very inspired by a number of professors and their view of the world, who choose initially an academic career, and then from the academic side into the activist side and to start working for organisations that were working on issues of justice with poor and developing countries.

It was through my studies that I really had my eyes opened to a much larger world, so it’s that growing awareness that the University was absolutely critical to, and at the same time providing that inspiration that you can be part of doing something about it… that you can shape the world.