Met at Monash: Dimitra Manis and Grace Lowden
Dimitra Manis and Grace Lowden
Monash Life | Met at Monash l 2 minute read
There can’t be many more glamorous places to start your career than a cosmetics company in New York City.
But that’s what happened to Grace Lowden, thanks to her role in Monash’s 2017 Global Discovery Program during her final year as a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business student. The highly selective initiative sends students to New York, where they connect with alumni, hear their stories and build their networks.
I didn’t know exactly what I wanted from the experience, but I really wanted to travel.”
And it was on the program that she met Dimitra Manis, who would prove instrumental in her later move to New York – first by giving her an internship at Revlon that led to a full-time role. Lowden has since joined Estée Lauder as project associate.
As a Bachelor of Business and Commerce alumna and member of the Monash Global Leaders’ Network Advisory Committee, Manis often hosts alumni events and is heavily involved in the Global Discovery Program. “We’re always on the lookout for great talent, and perhaps I’m biased, but that’s why I like to hire Monash students,” she says. “I’m always willing to give them a go with an internship.”
Even still, Lowden stood out. “She impressed me from the minute I met her – she was really switched on and energetic. She engages easily with people, and we hit it off straight away,” she says. “When she told me she was interested in human resources, it was like a perfect match.”
Lowden is grateful for the many opportunities that have come through Manis and Monash’s alumni network, and she remains active in the community. Lowden is also still in touch with Manis. “I feel we’ll always be connected because she’s changed my life so much,” she says. As for Manis, she’s clearly enjoying watching her friend’s progression. “She has a wonderful flourishing career in New York City, and I’m so proud of her,” she says.
