Omila Herath

Engineering

For as long as he can remember, education has been part of his family's story.

In Sri Lanka, his grandparents were educators. One was a school principal, the other a teacher. Learning was valued deeply, not simply as a pathway to a career, but as something that could shape lives and create opportunities for future generations.

That story was interrupted by conflict.

When he was six years old, his family made the difficult decision to leave Sri Lanka and begin again in Australia, seeking safety from the Sri Lankan civil war. "I knew my parents never had any plans of leaving Sri Lanka," he says. "It was the brutality of the war that pushed them to come to Australia."

They left behind loving family and established careers, carrying only the hope that their children could have a fresh start and new opportunities.

Although Omila was young, he grew up understanding the enormity of what his parents had sacrificed. Starting again in a new country meant rebuilding every aspect of life. His parents had to work long hours in order to provide their children with the opportunities they came to Australia to give them. "Education was really pushed hard upon myself and my brother," he says. "The underlying message was that a good education would open more doors."

For him, growing up here meant moving between cultures and worlds. At school, he was learning how to fit into a new environment. At home, he remained closely connected to his Sri Lankan identity with his family returning to visit family there often.

University was never simply an individual goal for Omila, as he understood the financial and personal cost of the opportunities he had been given and felt a strong responsibility to honour his parents' journey.

I always saw education as a stepping stone. To live up to my parents' sacrifices, I had to pursue any opportunity that I could see and find. ”

As he settled into university life, he began to embrace opportunities beyond the classroom. Joining a student club introduced him to people with similar interests and experiences, helping him form meaningful connections and broaden his sense of what university could be.

That growing confidence was strengthened by the educators he encountered throughout his studies.

Within the Faculty of Information Technology, he found educators who not only shared their expertise, but genuinely invested in their students' success. What stood out to him was their passion for teaching. “They wanted to be there to teach you," he says. “They have incredible experience and industry knowledge, and you can reach out to them to get advice.” Omila noted how much he values such connections with his educators, and how much this deepened his overall experience at Monash.

Today, he is grounded not only in his academic achievements, but in the values that guide him: kindness, gratitude and empathy. Every opportunity he takes is connected to the journey his family began nearly two decades ago.

"Every door I step into, I'm bringing my parents with me. Every opportunity is a chance for me to honour my parents' efforts and sacrifices."