Why leadership is the adventure you didn’t see coming
When you start university, leadership might not be on your mind. But with the right support and encouragement, you’ll soon realise that others see you as a role model more than you expect.
Leadership isn’t just about titles — it’s about how you contribute, whether in a sports team, a club, or a group project. When you speak up and support others, you build confidence and self-belief that extends into all areas of life.
University is full of opportunities to observe and learn from experienced academic and student leaders. By watching their actions, you’ll start to understand how you can inspire and guide others toward shared goals.
Want to see leadership in action? Hear from University of Adelaide students who took the leap and get inspired about how you can practise leadership.
Louisa
I'm Louisa and have studied and worked at the university as a Succeed@Adelaide* Student Ambassador Leader. I've been with the team for four years and I love helping new students settle into university.
In 2024, I represented the university at the Students, Transition, Achievement, Retention, Success (STARS) Conference in Melbourne. The university funded my travel costs, and I had an absolute blast. It was an incredible opportunity to learn about strategies from other universities and share insights from our own team. I had the privilege of participating in roundtable discussions with esteemed academics and industry leaders. I enjoyed learning about the 'Enabling' approach, which focuses on helping students discover their purpose, exceed their own capabilities, and make informed decisions about their education and career. Rather than strict assessment criteria, Universities are moving towards flexible deadlines and learning guidelines which allow room for creativity. As someone who chose to write raps instead of essays in high school, I think that’s pretty cool!
So how did I get involved with Succeed@Adelaide? Was I always this confident and outgoing? No, absolutely not!
I came to Uni with a lot of smarts and curiosity but not a lot of interpersonal skills. Joining clubs connected me with likeminded people and helped me overcome my social anxiety. By second year, I had gradually built my confidence and wanted to give back. A pivotal moment was volunteering as a Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) leader. After I received a letter of gratitude from one of my students, I realised my gift for encouraging and helping others achieve their best. It was through this volunteering opportunity that I came across the casual role at Succeed@Adelaide. Initially, I was quite intimidated by the idea of entire shifts spent on the phone (yes, I also struggled with telephobia – telephone anxiety!) however I decided to give it a go. Now, four years on, I made it as a 2024 Student Ambassador Leader!
I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had with Succeed@Adelaide. It's been a fantastic journey of personal growth and helping others. I would highly recommend working at Succeed@Adelaide to anyone who is passionate about giving back to university community and is willing to challenge themselves.
James and Louisa
James
Hello fellow students! I am James, a final year science student with extensive student leadership experience. My journey with student leadership started with PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) in 2021 where I support students in their studies and university journey and have the privilege of watching them develop. At the end of 2022, I joined a new student volunteer initiative advocating for, and educating fellow students on, Academic Integrity. Most recently, I have had the privilege of joining the amazing Succeed@Adelaide team. These roles have been pivotal in my personal and professional development, allowing me to further develop countless skills including communication, leadership and social media skills, while serving the university and student community. These roles have also helped to open doors that I otherwise would not have had access to. One such amazing opportunity was an all-travel expenses paid three-night trip to Melbourne, provided by the University, for STARS Student Success Conference 2024.
At the STARS Student Success Conference, I gained insight into initiatives being implemented at other universities to address challenges that students face – many were the same/similar challenges experienced by our student cohort. One such great initiative is at Charles Sturt University where they are supporting students’ mental health and diverse outside-university responsibilities by providing every student with one seven-day extension per course per semester with no questions asked that they can use at their choosing. There is also great work in Academic Integrity education including our very own Claudia Gottwald in educating students on using Artificial Intelligence with Academic Integrity. This extends to working closely with five other universities on implementing similar programs.
The university and volunteering landscapes are very interesting and diverse; there truly is something for everyone. I’m excited to see what impact YOU will leave on the student experience for current and future Adelaide University students.
Grant
Hi everyone, I’m Grant, the student representative for the Master of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning program.
Student representatives**, known as student reps, collaborate with university staff in the student leadership space, accessing professional development opportunities. Supported and guided by staff, student leaders are encouraged to drive positive change.
Grant with doggo Jake.
The role of a student representative is crucial as it allows you to advocate positively for your peers and offers a platform for professional development. This opportunity was highlighted by a manager in my role at Succeed@Adelaide.
I am deeply passionate about advocating for those in need, especially during the often-demanding times of study, where students from diverse backgrounds navigate unique challenges.
My focus is particularly on representing neurodiverse individuals, as I understand the unique challenges they face.
As I approach a year in this role, my focus in 2025 is on enhancing the university experience by fostering a positive and vibrant student community. By encouraging students to focus on their future and providing opportunities for collaboration and networking, I hope to help create experiences that will support students well beyond their studies and into their careers.
One of the key challenges in achieving this is ensuring that the voices of students who strive for success and want to contribute positively are heard and recognised.
Throughout my tenure, I look forward to driving this positive change and celebrating the success of students in their academic and professional journeys.
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*Succeed@Adelaide is a peer-to-peer student support service in which Student Ambassadors are employed by the university and are responsible for making timely and proactive contact with commencing and continuing students to assist in their transition, engagement, and success at the University of Adelaide.
**Student Leaders and Representatives are part of the University of Adelaide’s Students as Partners approach that positions students as active partners and contributors to the University. They work with staff and students to co-create improvements across curriculum, services and the overall university experience. Student representative roles can be volunteer-based or paid via honorarium. For more information and to view current opportunities, visit the Students as Partners website: Opportunities | Student: Your Voice | University of Adelaide