130 students, graduates, and industry partners gathered at The University of Western Australia yesterday for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship's End-of-Year Thank You Event and Outstanding Intern Award ceremony.
The event celebrated the contribution of students and industry partners involved in the Centre's internship program, which has now facilitated nearly 6,500 internships with more than 650 community, government and not-for-profit industry partners across Western Australia. Together, students have contributed more than 650,000 hours to projects benefiting communities throughout the State.
This year, partner organisations submitted 105 nominations for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Outstanding Intern Award, recognising students who went above and beyond in their internship.
The 2026 Outstanding Intern Award recipients were:
- Alannah Yuen, Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services
- Barun Chhetri, Master of Business Analytics, City of Canning
- Billie-Jo Robinson, Bachelor of Psychology, Rockingham General Hospital
- Hien Tran, Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised), Lions Eye Institute
- Jovan Wylen, Master of Data Science, St John Western Australia
- Md Mehabub Rahat Akash, Master of Business Analytics, Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
- Stephanie De Luca, Bachelor of Human Sciences, Neurofibromatosis Association of WA
- Tegan Espinos, Bachelor of Science, Advocacy WA
The awards recognised an extraordinary range of projects, from strengthening community coordination and supporting family and domestic violence initiatives to improving healthcare outcomes, advancing research, and contributing to government policy and service delivery.
Among this year's award recipients was Stephanie De Luca, whose internship with the Neurofibromatosis Association of Western Australia helped lay the foundations for a statewide education initiative designed to improve understanding and support for children and young people living with neurofibromatosis.
Working closely with the organisation's staff and community members, Stephanie researched best-practice programs, identified service gaps and helped develop a framework for education resources that could be shared with schools across Western Australia.
“The internship gave me a chance to develop my research and problem-solving skills in a unique environment, but what made the experience so meaningful was seeing how closely the work connected with the wider community," Stephanie said.
Three industry partners were also recognised for their outstanding contribution to the internship program:
- Melville Cares
- Department of Fire and Emergency Services
- Lions Eye Institute
Together, these partners have hosted nearly 100 interns providing students with outstanding learning opportunities to contribute to projects ranging from community education and research to emergency services, digital innovation and healthcare.
Speaking at the event, McCusker Chair in Citizenship and Director of the McCusker Centre for Citizenship, Michelle Scott OAM, thanked partners who provide outstanding learning opportunities for students through the program.
"The impact of our internship program is only made possible through the collaboration of our industry partners investing in the experience of young people, to make a positive impact in the Western Australian community" she said.
The event also recognised six students who completed the Minor in Active Citizenship, an academic program that encourages students to engage with complex social issues and develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute positively to their communities.
The 2026 Minor in Active Citizenship recipients were:
- Dawn Chen Xi Lim
- James Johnson
- Kaitlyn Holden
- Max Stewart
- Thushara Koneswaran
- Keighlee Burkhardt
Image caption: Outstanding Intern Award Recipient Jovan Wylen accepting his award from the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Advisory Committee Members Professor Guy Littlefair, UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience, Judge Denis Reynolds AM, the Honourable Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC CitWA (Committee Chair), and Professor Tim Colmer, UWA Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (left to right).