Future international student: Lucas

Owned by Sam Motion (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jun 30, 2015 by Anne Nelson (Unlicensed)
2 min read

Name

Lucas

Scenario

  • Male
  • 23 years old
  • From Chicago, USA
  • Has South American heritage. Mum and dad are splitting the cost of study with him.
  • Potential postgraduate student. Has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geophysical Sciences. Wants to do a Masters.
  • Was a solid B undergrad student. Excelled at practical tasks but found essay writing and group work tiresome.
  • Tossing up between NZ and Australia. Attracted to NZ for its environment and reputation for innovation. But will he be able to find a job after studying?
  • Wants to live in a hall to meet people.
  • Is confident, social and makes friends easily but rarely gets close to people. 
  • Physically active and adventurous. Bit of a risk taker.
  • Influenced by his parents and their social group more than his own. Also by 'thought leaders' in his field.
  • Idealist but in a 'practical' way. For example, is interested in renewable energy partly because he thinks the job prospects are good.

 

“I need to do graduate study to make good money in my field, but I also really want to get out of this city and see the world. So I want to study abroad.”
“I like the idea of the Kiwi lifestyle – hiking, camping, skiing, surfing. Wellington seems like a good spot for all that. I might do a campervan trip to the South Island at some point.”
“Studying in New Zealand looks expensive so I’ll need a part-time job to get by. I’d like something in my field, I wonder if it’s as hard to get a paid internship as it is in the States?”

Challenges

  • Impatient – if he can’t find the answer to a question quickly , he’ll just give up and write it off. Will usually start with a google search.
  • Likes to be seen as ‘having it together’ so unlikely to ask questions (even of friends) if he can’t figure something out, especially when he’s new.
  • Gets frustrated by rules and processes and will cut corners where necessary.

Technology/internet

Comfortable with changing technology but doesn’t care for most of it. Likes to go off-grid.

Communication preferences: Expects that the information he needs will come to him – in class, on noticeboards, via email or notifications. Would be OK using Blackboard but will forget to check it without reminders.

Social media: Proud to be bad at social media. Has Facebook but barely uses it. Likes Youtube, watches Ted Talks and action clips. Recently got a GoPro and is learning to edit his videos – might upload a few.

Devices: Has an older model smartphone and laptop.

Tertiary education and career goals

  • Has vague life plans and sometimes feels directionless. Really just wants to be independent but knows that requires money.

  • Could never do something he hated for a living. Dreads winding up sitting at a desk. 
  • Considering staying in the Australasian region after he finishes studying. Is worried about job prospects in New Zealand, particularly, so wants to make networks through his studies.

Information needs from Victoria

  • Needs good communication networks in place because he  doesn't like to go looking for information.
  • Won't stray far from his google search results, so information needs to be searchable.
  • Gets frustrated by things that appear complicated but should be simple.