Meet Tom (He/Him) – a Bachelor of Commerce student, keen Aussie Rules footballer, and the architect behind the Good Sammy’s Reconciliation Action Plan.  

Tom’s Action Plan aimed to help the organisation to commit to collaboration with their Indigenous stakeholders and drive change within society.  

It was produced during his time with the McCusker Centre for Citizenship – an internship that immerses students into real-life engagements and understandings of professional responsibility and citizenship while developing transferable skills to really kick start careers.  

“I learned about corporate governance, policy development and business decision making, together with experience in internal and external stakeholder engagement,” Tom says.  

But even more importantly I gained insight into how Indigenous relationships can be furthered across Australia, and how a commitment to reconciliation is fundamental to ensure Indigenous growth.

Tom’s research into the issues of disability and prevalence of disability in Indigenous groups highlighted the seriousness of these challenges and demonstrated how they impact access to employment, healthcare, and education for Indigenous peoples with a disability.  

His hard work paid off, landing him a nomination for the McCusker Centre for Citizenship’s Outstanding Intern Award.  

“I feel incredibly honoured to receive this nomination – especially from the CEO of Good Sammy,” Tom says.  

When not kicking goals in the goodness space, Tom is kicking them on the football field for the Quinns District Bulls where he recently won the 2023 Rising Star award. He has also played in WAFL club West Perth’s development team.  

If Tom could give you one piece of advice to make the most out of your UWA experience, he would encourage you to “adopt a growth mindset and put yourself out there, take risks, meet new people and take any opportunity that arises. And a McCusker internship is the perfect way to exercise all of the above!”  

It provides an outlet to put our theoretical skills learnt at uni into practice while building professional connections and making a meaningful difference to society.

Find out how an internship at the McCusker Centre for Citizenship can be such a rewarding learning experience for you too.