Alumni

Alumni Feature Story #1 (May 2026)

The Dreamer: Michelle Mortel

Degree: Bachelor in Secondary Education Major in General Science

Class of: 2022

*“A heart full of respect for the path chosen for me, but a soul quietly yearning for the kitchen fires.”*

Parents of Michelle dreamed of her becoming a teacher, but Michelle has other dream she kept in her heart. The shift didn’t happen in a classroom, but in the silence of her own heart right after her pre-service training. While her peers were buzzing with excitement about board exams and teaching rankings, Michele felt a profound sense of “missing pieces.”

“Everyone was asking if I’d do a review center or self-review,” Michele recalls. “I couldn’t answer. Not because I didn’t have a plan, but because I was torn between the life I had studied for and the dream I had suppressed.”

Choosing to move to Australia wasn’t just a change of scenery; it was a courageous “reset” button. It was the moment she stopped living her parents’ dream and started building her own, choosing the heat of the kitchen over the quiet of the classroom.

At present, upon moving to Australia, Michelle became a Chef de Partie at a leading hospitality firm in the country. Michele’s journey is a masterclass in perseverance. Starting with zero hospitality experience and facing a month of unemployment and 30+ resumes a day, she fought her way from a part-time line cook to a Chef de Partie. Her most significant professional milestone to date is successfully passing her Australian Skills Assessment as a Chef, a rigorous recognition by the Australian government that paves the way for her permanent residency and her ultimate goal: becoming a Head Chef.

She has also honed her craft within the high-pressure environment of a five-star hotel, proving that a General Science background provides a unique foundation for the “science of cooking.”

*“The scars, burns, and cuts are my medals of honor. I traded the chalkboard for the cutting board, and I’ve never looked back.”*

Now settled in Perth, Western Australia, Michelle proves that a DEBESMSCAT education builds a unique brand of resilience that translates across borders and industries. To her fellow “DEBESIANS,” she offers this seasoned advice:

“Don’t be afraid if you don’t have everything figured out yet. It’s okay to feel uncertain, that’s part of the process. Sometimes, the path you start with won’t be the one you finish with, and that’s completely fine. What matters is that you keep moving forward and stay true to what genuinely makes you happy.”