Outstanding Student Volunteer of the Year Award

Since the inception of the Guild Volunteering Awards in 2018, Convocation has been involved not only in the judging of the Guild awards, but also by offering our own award to a student who has made an exceptional contribution as a volunteer throughout the year.

The outstanding student is usually someone who has donated many hours in a variety of ways to a range of causes, but may equally be a leader or committee member who has put hours into the organisation and running of a major event.

All award winners are willing, energetic, passionate and selfless individuals.

Some truly exceptional students have been awarded a Convocation Medal in recognition of their contribution to the community and to the University.

To be eligible for this award, an application must be made through the Guild Volunteer Awards.

Roll of Honour

  • 2024 | Luke Alderslade

    Luke wears a number of hats within the volunteering community. He sits on the volunteering committee and is a strong advocate of volunteering. He heads up the Duke of Edinburgh program for UWA which allows many students to get a full university experience. He is the man behind UWA’s World’s Greatest Shave, raising money and awareness for Leukaemia. Luke is the first to put his hand up to assist Guild Volunteering in events and to provide direction and he is one of the last to leave when it is all finished.

  • 2023 | Yiu Xuan Lok

    Lok is one of the most passionate volunteers Guild Volunteering has had in 2023. He is always willing to help with any activity asked of him, consistent in attendance and always puts 100% effort in-to any activity he completes. He makes friends in excursions and encourages others to participate all while helping his community.

    Lok volunteers with a variety of organisations via Guild Volunteering. He is a regular at Little Things for Tiny Tots and Microvolunteering, as well as consistently attending other volunteering excursions. Lok has almost never missed a single Microvolunteering or Little Things for Tiny Tots session. His unwavering commitment to volunteering and the programs he volunteers for is second to none and is always in attendance with a smile on his face.

  • 2022 | Madison Holling & Dylan Turner

    Dylan and Madi are the passionate powerhouses behind the highly successful 2022 Relay for Life event!

    Relay for Life is an annual charity event that raises vital funds for Cancer Council WA, funding research, support and education programs.

    More than fundraising, Relay for Life has a significant impact on the student culture at UWA by providing an opportunity for clubs, faculty societies and other student groups to give back.

    Madi and Dylan volunteered hundreds of hours of their time to bring this event to life. As Co-Chairs they led a large committee of student volunteers and oversaw a diverse range of portfolios such as fundraising, marketing, survivorship, recruitment and logistics.  Madi and Dylan came up with new fundraising ideas in the lead up to the event and for the first time, Relay partnered with local gyms to run fundraising fitness classes which was a great way to raise money and promote health and wellbeing.

    Relay for Life has raised over 84,300 dollars so far and engaged over 300 UWA students!

  • 2021 | Emily Hoare

    Emily is the 2021 president of Ignite Mentoring! She has been described as “powerful, positive and empathetic” with an unwavering dedication to Ignite Mentoring’s mission that has involved endless hours of volunteering. Emily goes above and beyond in her role as Ignite Mentoring President, overseeing a complex leadership structure while ensuring that each member of the team – from the executive committee to individual mentors, feel valued and included. Emily is always searching for ways to have a significant community impact and to engage with the wider community. She has ensured that the organisation innovates and grows, reaching new pools of volunteers while strengthening ties with partner schools and expanding corporate sponsorship.

  • 2020 | Layaal Mikhael & Jenny Chang

    Layaal Mikhael

    As a dedicated volunteer and leader across a multitude of programs, Layaal has touched the lives of so many through her tireless dedication to making the world a more just place. One of her main volunteering areas is as Community Engagement Manager of Teach, Learn, Grow where she coordinates students across the 5 University campuses as well as being a tutor. She is Vice-President and Sports Representative of the Western Australian Medical Students’ Association, a volunteer with Lets Go Surfing Day, Youth Community Services and Fundraising Manager for Melkite Catholic Eparchy and a doorknocker for the Salvation Army. All that she does to help others is inspirational to others.

    Layaal is now a Junior Doctor with the South Metropolitan Health Services.

    Jenny Chang

    In 2020, Jenny volunteered as the president for Students for Refugees, as the Women in Social Impact Coordinator for the UWA Women’s Department, as a UniMentor, for the Australian Medical Students Association and Chaired the Volunteer and Community Engagement Committee that steers Guild Volunteering. The contribution that Jenny has made to fostering a culture of volunteering at UWA is unparalleled. She has overseen the first student-led volunteer weeks ,by delivering a fully virtual National Volunteer Week and following this up with a raft of face to face and virtual events for National Student Volunteer Week. Jenny is a natural leader and has prioritised mentoring other students as volunteer leaders. Jenny always looks for ways to grow engagement and impact by collaborating with others. She has worked tirelessly to create a community of social impact clubs. Besides all her Guild Volunteering, Jenny volunteers with numerous external charities.

    In addition to the incredible impact that Jenny has had on campus, she has also been a representative for youth volunteering through her TEDXTalk, interviewing on radio, appearing on Volunteering WA social media and as a speaker at National Volunteer Managers Day workshop.

  • 2019 | Elliott Wallace

    2019 Student Volunteer Award Winner Elliott Wallace was previously presented a Convocation certificate during a presentation as part of National Student Volunteer Week (12-18th August), which culminated in a ceremony on 15th August.

    Elliott is a well-deserved recipient, who has dedicated considerable time to volunteering in recent years. He is the Volunteering and Community Engagement Chair on the Student Guild. Among other tasks, this work involves developing policies for the Guild Volunteering team, as well as liaising with non-profit organisations and faculty societies to secure partnerships or arrange activities.

    Since 2018, he has also been a UniMentor, assisting new students in their transition to life at UWA.

    Outside of the university, Elliott helped found and co-manages Coastal Clean Up Crew, a volunteer organisation which focuses on natural resource management. Clean ups occur weekly in areas both north and south of the river.

    "Volunteering develops soft skills and prepares you for a global career, but also can be very fun as well," said Elliott. "I try and bring a lot of enthusiasm and fun into the role to inspire people of the benefits of volunteering."

    Elliott is now a High School Teacher.

  • 2018 | Jiwei Li

    Jiwei puts a lot of effort into coordinating and volunteering for the Swan Estuary Reserves Action Group, a team of 16 people. Every first Saturday morning of the month, Jiwei coordinates the volunteer group and encourages them with his enthusiasm. While this is a small group, it nevertheless contributes greatly to creating a better future for our local environment andmigratory birds.

X
Cookies help us improve your website experience. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies.
Confirm