Alumnae Feature Story

Abdelmalek Sister Act

MARINA AND MONICA ABDELMALEK

Two incredible sisters, Marina Abdelmalek (Class of 2012) and Monica Abdelmalek (Class of 2015) are making their mark on the world of engineering.

Marina completed a Bachelor of Architectural Design and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at Monash University. Marina is currently a consultant at Aurecon, an international engineering consulting company. Following her sisters lead in her own individual way, Monica completed a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) at Monash University and is now a Transport Planner – also at Aurecon.

Fondest memory from your time at Ave?

Marina: My fondest memory about Ave is those warm, sunny days where I would buy my hedgehog slice / steamed dim-sim from the canteen and sit on the front lawn in the sunshine with my friends at lunch until the bell rang!

Monica: My fondest memory at Ave was the athletic and swimming carnivals, especially during Year 12 when we would all dress up and have a parade! It was always so exciting to see everyone’s costumes and the vibe of the day was always so relaxed.

Favourite subject?

Marina: My favourite subject was Visual Communication and Design with Ms Younes!

Monica: My favourite subject was Information Technology with Mr Papaleo, we always had a good laugh in those classes.

When did you realise the career that you wanted?

Marina: I moved to Ave in year 10 and that was the first time I had been exposed to Vis Comm. I very quickly realised that design was a passion of mine, alongside maths which I always loved. That’s how I decided I wanted to be an architect, which eventually led me down the path of the double degree at Monash in Civil Engineering and Architecture.

Monica: To be honest, I never thought about what career I wanted to do until I got to VCE. When it was time to pick my subjects in Year 11, I realised that I loved Mathematics and I was good at it. I looked into careers within Mathematics and that’s how I fell into Civil Engineering.

What inspires you about your sister?

Marina: Mon is always extremely dedicated to her work and her career. She knows when to work hard and when to have fun!

Monica: Marina’s work ethic is second to none and her confidence in herself is something that I admire.