Sophie Farrell – Bachelor of Commerce
Marketing and Events Intern, Transplant Australia
UWA Bachelor of Commerce student Sophie spent her McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship supporting Transplant Australia across a range of projects, combining her interests in marketing, sport, and health while exploring her future career path.
With a double major in Marketing and Exercise & Sport Science, Sophie was looking for hands‑on experience and insight into day‑to‑day work in the not‑for‑profit sector. During her placement, she contributed to the organisation’s new website, developed social media and presentation content, and supported planning for the Australian Transplant Games (ATG2026), including researching suppliers, sponsors, and media opportunities.
Transplant Australia supports people whose lives have been affected by organ donation and transplantation, promoting awareness, participation in sport, and community connection. Much of Sophie’s work helped strengthen how the organisation engages with its members and the broader community.
She also played a key role in preparing for Transplant Australia’s Kids and Family Camp, where she supported activities, connected with participants, and captured content to share the experience more widely. The camp stood out as a particularly meaningful moment.
“I was given the opportunity to do something outside the office and meet amazing people and hear their stories,” she said. “I love working with kids, so being part of the activities was lots of fun and really rewarding.”
During her placement, Sophie worked closely with Transplant Australia’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Dan Grant — a former McCusker Centre for Citizenship intern who is now part of the organisation’s team. Having completed the program himself, Dan brought a clear understanding of the learning experience and played an informal mentoring role throughout the internship.
“Having completed the McCusker Centre for Citizenship internship myself while studying at UWA, I truly understand the value and breadth of experience the program offers,” he said. “It’s been amazing to support another student through the experience and act as a kind of mini mentor while they’re interning.”
“It was fantastic to work alongside Sophie during her internship and support her development,” he added. “She brought a great level of curiosity and enthusiasm to her work.”
Sophie’s supervisor, Jo O’Farrell, also praised her contribution and professionalism.
“It has been a pleasure to host Sophie as an intern,” she said. “She showed confidence, interest and enthusiasm and quickly built positive relationships with all our team. Sophie supported a range of projects from social media and website content to planning for the Australian Transplant Games and engaged comfortably with our community and volunteers.”
Working directly with members of the transplant community gave Sophie a stronger sense of the purpose behind her work.
“It’s so much more rewarding,” she said. “I feel like my input is helping make a positive difference for people who need it most.”
The experience confirmed her interest in sport and health event management and gave her a clearer sense of how her studies can translate into a career. Along the way, she developed practical skills in communication, time management, and adapting to different tasks and environments.
Sophie encourages other students to take up the opportunity.
“This experience is so useful for learning valuable skills and seeing what your degree looks like in the real world,” she said. “It’s worth getting experience before graduating to see if you truly enjoy this area.”