“When I first came to university, I was a little overwhelmed. I was not very outgoing at all, but the lecturers and staff really supported me. They were always available and their open door policy was wonderful. This environment and the personal connection with the lecturers really helped me to work hard. When a lecturer becomes a friend, you definitely study harder and listen more in class, you don’t want to let them down,” says Mark.

Mark excelled in this environment and his final results exceeded his expectations. He is pleased that the staff not only encouraged him academically, but they also assisted him to get involved in activities outside the classroom.   

“Overtime however, my confidence increased and I joined in many extra curricular activities. I joined the band and through this I met many other students. It began to add a whole new dimension to my student experience. I got very involved in student life and the student culture, it made me step out of my shell and try something new,” recalls Mark.

 
“I later joined the Student Council and we worked with different representatives from the university and many different nationalities including students from Nigeria, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, China and the Middle East. During this time I met students from all walks of life and we became great friends. These friendships still remain,” recalls Mark.

This experience spurred Mark on to join the Victoria University business club, where he was later elected as president of the club. It was here that Mark met his current business partner and it was not long before they began devising plans for a business in the hospitality industry.

“We wanted a business model that worked well with a theme and one that was unique. After graduating, my business partner and I worked in our respective industries and then later we decided to give our business idea a go. We quit our jobs, said goodbye to our salaries and spent time learning more about hospitality businesses. It was a big decision, but one that I am glad we did. We learnt all aspects of this type of business and then later decided it was time to open our own restaurant,” says Mark.

Frames Café is located at Sunway Pyramid and is a five-minute walk from Sunway University. The restaurant is aptly named, as there is an abundance of framed photographs filling the walls. These photos are the work of artists, friends and customers, naturally drawing many a photographic enthusiast to the cafe.

“We still maintain very strong ties with Sunway University. We have many students and staff from campus who visit us regularly, and we even have some students working with us. The university has been very supportive of our business, and that just proves that they genuinely care, even now that we have finished our formal studies,” states Mark.