by Grace Knight
Charlotte Gibbs has hit the ground running as a Gold Coast Mayor’s Student Ambassador.
The competitive cross country runner and President of the Bond University Run Club will spend the next year representing the local student community and promoting the Gold Coast as a study destination.
In between she’ll continue her Bachelor of Biomedical Science studies and compete in the Gold Coast half marathon.
“Running has always been one of my passions and I found that up here it was such a nice way to meet people,” said Ms Gibbs, who was born in Brisbane but spent the past 12 years living in Melbourne.
“It’s not only a great way to start your morning but it’s a perfect way to establish a community and sense of belonging which I’m hoping to continue now as president of the club.”
The newly minted ambassador is loving life back in the Sunshine State and looking forward to sharing her experiences at Bond.
“I feel very honoured to be able to represent the students of Gold Coast and the city that I now get to call my home,” she said.
“I felt so welcomed by the community when I moved here and I really look forward to giving back to the city that welcomed me.
“From the very beginning I just fell in love with the lifestyle, the community, campus life and my classes – it’s all been amazing.”
Prior to beginning at Bond, Ms Gibbs completed a year of study at a Melbourne university which was a ‘very different experience’.
“My cohort in Melbourne had about 2000 people and I found that there was a bit of a lack of connection,” she said.
“Since I first arrived on Gold Coast, I just found that it has been such a welcoming environment and I was able to establish a really nice community.”