Sam Khan, a UWA Master of Business Analytics student, recently interned with City West Lotteries House, helping with a project to connect 25 not-for-profit organisations and earning a nomination for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Outstanding Intern Award through his efforts.
“I applied for a McCusker Centre internship as I wanted an opportunity to apply my problem-solving skills to a project that would have a tangible and positive impact for the community,” Sam said.
“City West Lottery House has 25 not-for-profit organisations as tenants. Even though they all work under the same roof, many people only know each other by face or name; my project aimed to increase understanding of what other organisations are working on, what their goals are, and even highlight opportunities for collaboration.
“I created the visual design of the newsletter and coordinated with the organisations, writing and editing content, and establishing a system so it can continue to be produced easily after my internship.
“The experience made me realise how many moving parts can be behind something that, on the surface, looks simple. Liaising with the organisations who are busy with their own work opened my eyes to how much coordination and persistence goes into getting even a small project off the ground. My communication, collaboration, teamwork and time management skills all improved massively!”
Nicola Quick, City West Lotteries House General Manager, said that Sam had succeeded in showcasing achievements and creating an award recognition system, and had successfully set up a newsletter which could be replicated internally and externally.
“Several tenants acknowledged the value of Sam’s work. The completion of this project will enable on going sharing of knowledge and a greater understanding of each other’s challenges and goals and unite us more strongly as a community.
“Sam quickly understood and respected the diversity of the organisations based in our building and displayed sensitivity and an ability to foster collaboration as he delivered a superb end product,” Ms Quick said.
For Sam, a rewarding internship experience was underpinned by the support of his supervisor and colleagues, those he worked with, and the McCusker Centre team.
“It was an honour to be nominated for the Outstanding Intern Award by my supervisor, who provided guidance, encouragement and freedom to bring my vision for the newsletter to life. I’m grateful to everyone involved for the chance to gain experience, develop my skills and work on a project that had a direct positive impact.”