Xia Cheng, a UWA Master of Information Technology student, has been nominated for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship Outstanding Intern Award after making a meaningful impact to the work of Zonta House Refuge Association.
Contributing 100 hours through her internship role with Zonta House, Xia used her skills and knowledge progressing a data archiving project involving sensitive family and domestic violence (FDV) case management records.
“Despite the fact that we could offer no in-house IT support, Xia came exceptionally well-prepared, having independently researched client management system platforms, the nature of the data involved, and PostgreSQL system design prior to commencing her placement,” explained Natalie Walchshofer, Project Officer at Zonta House.
“Xia’s work had a direct and meaningful impact on our ability to support victim/survivors, by helping ensure that case history records remain accurate, accessible, and secure. Her assistance with the archiving and decommissioning of legacy databases was instrumental in strengthening our data management processes and safeguarding sensitive information.
“In every aspect of her placement, Xia exceeded expectations - not only by completing a high-level technical task with minimal supervision, but by doing so in a way that demonstrated a clear understanding of our organisational values, confidentiality requirements, and the broader social impact of our work,” Ms Walchshofer said.
Xia applied for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship (the Centre) internship to gain real-world industry experience with a role that would help her better understand how her IT skills could be used to make a positive difference in the community.
“The most rewarding part of my internship was realising how meaningful this work is. Knowing that what I did could help support women in crisis was incredibly powerful. It was especially fulfilling to see how the organisation’s efforts made a real difference in people’s lives,” Xia said.
The internship wasn’t without its challenges; however, Xia found a way to resolve her main concern:
“The biggest challenge for me was the 100-hour time limit of the internship - I wish I could have done more! Because of this, I’ve decided to continue volunteering with Zonta House Refuge Association after the semester ends,” Xia said.
“The internship is a truly valuable experience – not just professionally, but personally. You learn new skills, meet amazing people, and contribute to something that really matters.
“I feel incredibly honoured and grateful to be nominated by Zonta House for the Outstanding Intern Award. It’s a wonderful recognition and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and inspiring team!”