Realising the ANU dream

Growing up, Safi Wheeldon heard stories of ANU from her father, a former resident of Burgmann College.

“It just seemed like the best experience. He’s still close with his friends from ANU. The fact that those friendships and traditions lasted decades told me there was something special about ANU,” says Safi.

In the hope that the culture and community Safi’s dad experienced was still going strong, ANU was an easy choice for her. 

Now graduating, Safi reflects on a time of significant growth.

“Living in proximity with lots of people, participating in College traditions and engaging in communal activities, naturally develops anyone’s communication skills and social confidence,” she says.

University is less about being perfect and more about contributing, participating and showing up.

The most hands-on experience for Safi was her involvement in the ANU Student Managed Fund (SMF), where she and other students managed over A$900,000 worth of investments. In her second semester of SMF, she became the head of the equities team.

“I was surrounded by some of the smartest and most driven people,” she says.

“I picked up skills outside my financial knowledge, like leadership, how to communicate ideas clearly, and the ability to defend my perspective. Along with researching real companies, building models, pitching ideas and working within a team, I learnt so much from the lecturers and the other students within the fund.”

Wanting insight into both worlds, Safi took on a double degree in law and commerce. Being able to do the double degree at ANU, she says, has given her a multidisciplinary perspective.

“Rather than learning law in isolation, I could see how legal frameworks interact with business realities, financial constraints and market dynamics simultaneously. Studying both meant I could move between regulatory and commercial thinking,” says Safi.

“The addition of my work in SMF solidified my ability to understand how legal structures shape business decisions, how compliance affects valuations and how commercial issues demand both legal and financial analysis.”

After five years of study and living on campus, Safi is more confident and outspoken. 

“The College environment demands that you step up, contribute and be present. It wasn’t an overnight thing; I gradually became comfortable sharing my opinions and just being myself in all situations. I developed genuine confidence in my ability to connect with other people.”

Safi Wheeldon

Safi recently graduated ANU with a double degree in Law (Honours) and Commerce, majoring in Finance. Throughout her studies she worked in a variety of retail, hospitality and administrative roles. In her final year she worked at a law firm as a Legal Clerk and Mecca as a Skin Specialist, while also leading the equities team in the ANU Student Managed Fund, helping manage over A$900,000 in real investments. Leaving ANU, Safi looks forward to starting full-time work.

The ANU College of Business and Economics offers an extensive range of specialised programs. Click here for more details.

Image credit: Snedden Hall and Gallop