Rosie Harris | Bachelor of Education (Primary) | Nauru
“Preparing Nauru for tomorrow” is the Nauru Ministry of Education’s motto and one that USP Alumnus, Rosie Harris, holds dear to her heart as those words speak to heartfelt desire on her part to contribute towards building a strong Nauru for future generations to inherit, just as her forefathers did for her. And this patriotism lies at the heart of decisions and choices that Rosie has made over the years, and she shares those with us, through her story.
University years:
Rosie, with five children agreed 10yrs to 16yrs, moved to Fiji in 2009 as her husband came to to study civil engineering at what was then the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT) in 2009. Rosie was fortunate to obtain a scholarship soon after that and enrolled in bachelor studies at USP.
“Moving to Fiji with my family to study at USP was an exciting and rewarding experience. And studying at USP was a blessing because I wasn’t only receiving a world class education, but I was learning within a context base and with values guided by our Pacific culture and pacific region fundamentals”.
What were you passionate about and what extracurricular activities did you do that shaped your USP experience?
As a student I was passionate about learning and because I’d been an early childhood educator for 20+ years, I found every single course and my assignments, so very interesting.
Yes, I did participate in extracurricular activities, in fact I held positions such as, the Social Rep, the General Secretary and I was also President of the Nauru Student Association; and I was also General Secretary for the Nauru Community Association in Fiji. These extracurricular activities and positions built my leadership skills, and I became a proactive member of my community and our cultural group. Working closely to other cultural group representatives at USP, also built a wider knowledge, network and lifelong friendship.
What did you think your dream career & are there things about your course of study that you would do differently if you had the opportunity?
My dream career was focused on my field of study that I was passionate about and that was education. And if I had a do-over with my courses at USP, I would have still taken education. I learnt so much through out my studies at USP and I have to say that studying at USP was the greatest learning experience of my life.
Was it difficult to manage a family and study at the same time?
My family were my biggest moral supporters and having them with us, helped me stay motivated and focused. And because we were all students, we had the same routine, had study sessions and assignments and so we had common goals and interests. It worked out well.
My children also gained a lot from living and schooling in Fiji and we enrolled them in prestigious schools like Marist Brothers High School (MBHS), Jasper Williams High School (JWHS) and Adi Cakobau School (ACS) as boarders. My children gained not only a quality education, but the boarding experience helped build their independence, their character and they learnt to live amongst and embrace a new culture.
What did you do after graduation?
My first job after graduating, was an appointment by the Government, to the position of Consul General of the Republic of Nauru in Australia. A completely different field from my previous expertise and career; however, the extracurricular activities, the networking, social engagement and some of the courses I took at USP, were very useful for my new career path; courses such as Ethics & Governance, Pacific Worlds, physiology and many others.
What are you doing now?
Fast forward to 2025, and Rosie is a businesswoman and entrepreneur with the aspiration to create jobs for her people, which links back to her desire to contribute to nation building. Rosies business offers services such as rental cars, they have a fruit and veggie shop, and they also sell white goods, house building items and other goods not readily available in Nauru.
Like many Rosies uses Facebook as the platform to advertise and so for more information you can click on the link https://www.facebook.com/share/1A4cGG9xUV/?mibextid=wwXIfr
What does it mean to you to be an alumnus of USP in general?
I am proud to be a USP alumnus and I see this as an education pathway that I can inspire my grandchildren and others to pursue. And I was fortunate to have had other USP alumnus and mentors around me to encourage me to go to USP, so I would like to do the same for others.
The knowledge and experience and just as importantly, the network that I gained at USP have stood me in good stead and I have encouraged my children to take up studies at USP. I am proud that my daughter graduated in 2021 with Bachelor of Arts and Environmental Management, that made my husband and I, very happy.
Any last words for us?
Do not be afraid to face the challenges in life; walk right into it, feel it, learn from it and come out stronger.
Rosie is an alumna of the USP School of Education, having attained her Bachelor of Education (Primary). She plans to remain involved with the university by sharing her career journey and supporting future primary educators.
Like Rosie, your USP journey can inspire others. Share your story and register with USP Alumni ARMS: https://www.usp.ac.fj/alumni/arms/
