"It was a leap of faith that's truly changed my life"
At 19, Vincent Mondol is a medical student at the University of Adelaide, a published researcher, an international science competitor, and a two-time NYSF Student Staff Volunteer (Staffie). Three years ago, he was a Year 11 kid from Darwin who wasn't sure he could afford to leave home for a 9-day program, nor did he know that anyone from the NT ever did.
He stumbled across NYSF online and spent days reading everything on the website, desperate to understand what opportunities awaited him. What really hooked him were the possibilities- the chance to see what was out there, to meet people from across the country, to step outside his bubble and take a leap of faith.
"Being from the NT, especially at this time, there was very little interstate and national opportunities available to us," Vincent said. "It'd be rare to hear of an NT or Darwin student travelling somewhere for a summer school or national opportunity."
"I really wanted to prove the stereotypes wrong and not only learn more about myself as a person, but wanted to go out my comfort zone and take a leap of faith."
"Whether that was a leap of faith to meet more like-minded people, or a leap of faith to jump into the real world and discover what's there outside my little bubble - it was a leap of faith that's truly changed my life."
Taking that leap wasn't as easy as it sounds, though, with Vincent sitting with concerns about the cost of the program and also with a quiet fear of feeling like an outsider.
"I didn't come from a well-off background," he says. "A part of me didn't want to apply in case I got in, and then I would've realised I couldn't afford it."
He applied anyway. When he was accepted, the Rotary Club of Darwin stepped in with financial support, removing the biggest barrier.
The fear of not fitting in dissolved quickly once he arrived, much like it does with every single student who attends the program.
"Every person there had a side other than loving science or being smart... they [weren't] just "nerds", but people with passions outside of school and science," Vincent said.
"I connected with so many other athletes and sportspeople at NYSF, and it honestly helped foster those connections even more as we had the same passions and hobbies to talk about."
"Everyone is more than just their grades."
Vincent attended Session A in Canberra in 2024 and came home with his passion for medicine cemented, his confidence expanded, and a group of friends he'd go on to be selected as a Staffie alongside.
His achievements since then are striking. He secured direct entry into medical school out of Year 12, published a research paper at 17, represented Australia at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles and became a director at the Australian Science and Engineering Fair.
"NYSF gave me the confidence that distance or location does not define your ability to do something," he said
"It shifted my perspective on life and opportunity - if there's an opportunity out there, there is nothing that can stop you if you put your all into it."
He returned to the program, being selected and trained, as a Staffie in 2025 and again in 2026, at one point working alongside friends from his student year and some of the NYSF Staffies who had guided him.
"It was a surreal and full circle moment," he said.
Besides the life-altering affirmation of his academic goals, the NYSF left an even more impactful mark on Vincent, with his favorite memories not of lab visits and inspiring speakers, but of silly moments spent with new friends.
For anyone sitting on the fence about applying, Vincent's message is clear.
"You are the right fit. Whether you're a complete geek about all things science, or just curious about where science could take you in life — it's more than just the academics. It's about the people and connections you make. And these connections are truly ones that'll stay with you for the rest of your life."