For current Master of Sustainability student Jesselyn Hasnah, her passion for sustainability stems from a clear understanding of our pressing global challenges. As a young professional in accounting, Jesselyn was driven to make a change in the world as she realised that businesses can no longer just focus on profit.
For Jesselyn, a meaningful career meant looking beyond traditional accounting principles towards a future driven by sustainability.
“We’re facing rapid changes: climate, social, economic, and it’s clear that we need adaptable, forward-thinking leaders. Over time, I realised that business can no longer focus solely on profit. Today, we need to embrace the triple bottom line: People, Planet, and Profit," said Jesselyn.
This realisation fueled Jesselyn's decision. "That’s why I chose to pursue a Master of Sustainability, to broaden my perspective beyond numbers and finance in a more holistic and multidisciplinary way with sustainable impact,” shares Jesselyn.
Sustainability can sound broad and hard to define. But once I started the program, I realised how practical and relevant it really is.
Master of Sustainability student
For Jesselyn, an international student from Indonesia, receiving the prestigious joint LPDP-Australia Awards Scholarship was one step closer to making a difference in how businesses approach sustainability. “I’m really proud to be one of the first awardees of the joint scholarship. It’s a full scholarship designed to foster leadership, international education, and mutual understanding between our two countries," said Jesselyn.
As part of a four-week program designed to prepare scholarship recipients for studying in Australia, Jesselyn presented on the issue of fast fashion waste in Indonesia. “It was an engaging interdisciplinary discussion with other awardees that further strengthened my networks and commitment to advocating for sustainable business practices,” she shares.
Accustomed to the structured, data-driven nature of accounting, Jesselyn found stepping into the multidisciplinary world of sustainability to be a refreshing shift, unlocking a new way of critical thinking.
"Units like Environmental Footprints and Input-Output Analysis gave me the tools to actually measure impact, while Ecological Economics helped me unlearn the idea that GDP is the only indicator of progress," she shares.
The program’s flexibility has also been a significant advantage, allowing her to “access lecture recordings and manage my study around other commitments,” alongside well-curated reading materials that have built her “confidence in engaging with complex sustainability issues.”
Beyond her studies, Jesselyn has found a welcoming community in Sydney. “Settling into Sydney has been a really positive experience. From day one, I felt connected," she expressed.
This sense of connection grew through her active engagement with the University Sustainability Club and her role on the Education Committee of the Indonesian Students Association (PPIA USYD). One particularly inspiring moment for Jesselyn was attending the Australia Indonesia Business Council NSW x PPIA USYD panel discussion.
"It was an inspiring experience that helped me envision the kind of regional cooperation we can build in sustainability between Australia and Indonesia," explains Jesselyn.
For anyone unsure about pursuing sustainability, Jesselyn shares, "That’s totally normal! Sustainability can sound broad and hard to define. But once I started the program, I realised how practical and relevant it really is.”
Jesselyn also emphasises that no matter your educational background, you can play to your strengths, “Whether your background is in business, science, or the humanities, this field needs diverse voices and perspectives. As long as you’re curious and open to learning, this field has so much to offer, and the world really needs more people who care."
Jesselyn has a clear ambition of who she wants to be, "I want to be someone who can bridge disciplines, bring ecological thinking into business strategies, and help organisations navigate complexity with clarity and purpose."
She emphasises that her Master's degree is the key to realising this vision, "With this master’s degree, I’m strengthening my expertise to ultimately become a sustainability consultant who evaluates both financial and non-financial performance holistically.”
