Oliver Zhu is studying for a Master of Information Systems and Logistics Management at UWA, and recently undertook a McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship, contributing 100 hours to help make Lifeline WA’s upcoming Black Diamond Gala Dinner a success.
“With my role in the fundraising team, my goal was to raise money that will be used to train new crisis supporters,” Oliver said.
“Every $4,000 can train a qualified crisis supporter – through my internship I raised more than $80,000 worth of donations that will be auctioned, liaising with more than 100 business and individual donors,
“If the auction goes well, I will have helped train more than a dozen crisis supporters,” he said.
Oliver said that while the highlight of his internship was knowing he had made a difference when donations came through, he had also learnt about the non-profit sector, and working on a major project.
“I used to think non-profit organisations were funded by government, however now I see that a large part of funding for organisations like Lifeline WA comes from fundraising programs,
“My internship role supported a large project; in my future career, there will be more projects, and I can say that I worked on the Black Diamond Gala Dinner, and made a big difference,” he said.
Lifeline WA CEO, Lorna MacGregor, said Oliver had “demonstrated exceptional commitment and dedication to produce outstanding results”.
“It’s been a pleasure having Oliver on our fundraising team and we appreciate his exceptional work,
“Lifeline WA values the partnership with the McCusker Centre for Citizenship at UWA and we look forward to welcoming new interns from the program,”
Oliver said he would recommend the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship to other students.
“It gives you valuable experience, you can actually contribute to the community, and it gives you the opportunity to expand your social and professional network by meeting new people and making new friends.”