Lucy Blake has recently completed her Bachelor of Biomedicine at UWA and is getting ready to start her postgraduate studies in 2026, on an assured pathway to Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. She was one of five students to complete the Minor in Active Citizenship facilitated by the McCusker Centre for Citizenship in 2025, expanding her academic and practical experience significantly.
“After completing the Making a Difference: Civic Participation and Social Change unit in my first semester of university, I realised how much the content resonated with me, sparking an interest in understanding how individuals and communities can drive meaningful change, which ultimately motivated me to pursue the Minor in Active Citizenship,” Lucy said.
Along with Making a Difference, Lucy took the McCusker Centre’s Approaches to Wicked Problems unit and was a Project Intern with the Association for Culturally Appropriate Services through the Centre’s internship program.
“Each unit I completed as part of the Minor in Active Citizenship offered a unique and meaningful learning experience. I learnt so many useful skills, like how to write professional reports, work well in real workplace settings and communicate confidently. It also helped me become more adaptable and proactive, which I know will really help me in my future career and any community work I get involved in.”
The social aspects of undertaking the Minor were another highlight for Lucy.
“Completing the Minor allowed me to meet other students with similar interests and make new friends outside of my degree, engage with real-world community projects, and gain a deeper understanding of civic responsibility and social impact. I stepped outside my comfort zone, which has made my time at university more meaningful and well-rounded.”
While broadening her UWA experience with the Minor, Lucy has made seek out other opportunities beyond university.
“I stay involved in active citizenship through volunteering, including beach clean-ups and other community activities,” she said.
“I would definitely recommend the Minor in Active Citizenship to other students. It offers so much more than traditional units, teaching practical skills while also encouraging you to think about and actively contribute to your community in meaningful ways.”
Image: Lucy Blake and Catherine Moloney (centre-left and centre-right) with certificates for completing the Minor in Active Citizenship, presented by the Honourable Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC CitWA, Judge Denis Reynolds AM, Professor Guy Littlefair, UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience, and Professor Tim Colmer, UWA Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (left to right).