More than 140 people attended the McCusker Centre for Citizenship’s 2024 event yesterday at the University of Western Australia, where the Centre’s Outstanding Intern Awards were presented, internship supervisors and host organisations were recognised for their contributions, and students were presented with certificates of completion of the Minor in Active Citizenship.
With an audience of interns and family, internship supervisors and representatives from the Centre’s industry partners, the Awards were presented by McCusker Charitable Foundation Directors, the Honourable Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC CitWA and Judge Denis Reynolds AM, and Professor Tim Colmer, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at UWA.
Eight UWA students and recent graduates were named as recipients of the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Outstanding Intern Award, recognising their contributions to projects in the not-for-profit, community, local government and public sectors.
The recipients were selected from a strong field of 65 students who were nominated by their supervisors and were drawn from several hundred interns who undertook their internships over the last 12 months.
Six interns were recognised for going above and beyond expectations in their contribution with community and not-for-profit organisations:
- Amanda Chitty, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, intern with Denmark Futures
- Crystal Sing, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, intern with Anglicare WA
- Ng Wen Dis, Master of Marketing, intern with Council on the Ageing WA
- Paige Brandwood, Master of Public Policy, intern with The Kids Research Institute Australia
- TszTung Tsang, Bachelor of Arts, intern with St Patrick’s Community Support Centre
- Yanchen Zhao, Master of Information Technology, intern with the Path of Hope Foundation
Two interns were named as Award recipients for their internships in the public sector:
- Amy Alaouze, Bachelor of Commerce, intern with the Public Sector Commission
- Courtney Goh-Edwards, Bachelor of Science, intern with the East Metropolitan Health Service
The Centre’s award-winning social purpose internship fosters active citizenship in the community. It has grown significantly since it commenced in 2016, with more than 3,600 internships now undertaken with over 500 partner organisations.
Three of these partner organisations were presented with certificates of recognition for significant contributions to the internship program, with representatives from Consumer Credit Legal Service, The Department of Communities, and Zonta House Refuge Association accepting these on behalf of their organisations.
Three individual supervisors were also recognised for their outstanding support of the program. Helen Morton, Pingelly Somerset Alliance, and Dr Geraldine Tan, UWA Campus Management were presented with certificates, while Stewart Luxton, Centre for Accessibility Australia board member, accepted a certificate on behalf of Dr Scott Hollier, the organisation’s CEO.
Michelle Scott OAM, McCusker Chair in Citizenship and Director of the Centre, said that students who interned through the program made a significant contribution to work that benefited WA communities, with interns dedicating more than 370,000 hours to support host organisations.
“Thousands of UWA students have been able to give back through our internship program, and students and their host organisations overwhelmingly say that the experience is a valuable and meaningful one. The Outstanding Intern Award recognises students who have gone above and beyond in their efforts, students who stand out the way they have put their skills and energies into service of the community,” she said.
Along with awards for the internship program, students’ achievements through the Centre’s academic programs were also celebrated. Aleena Flack, Anika Hird, Audra Bintarti, Ellenor Sibon, Kamal Hassan, Matthew Little, Melin James and Sara Munro were congratulated on completing the Minor in Active Citizenship in 2024, a unique interdisciplinary specialisation facilitated by the centre that develops students’ capacity to apply the knowledge and skills they learn through university as caring and socially engaged citizens.
Image: UWA McCusker Chair of Citizenship Michelle Scott OAM, Professor Tim Colmer, Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor UWA, His Honour Judge Denis Reynolds, The Hounourable Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC CitWA, Zonta House Communications and Engagement Officer Ella Kent, and Zonta House CEO Kelda Oppermann at a McCusker Centre for Citizenship event on 10 October 2024 at the University of Western Australia.