Jack started off his studies as an engineering and commerce student, but that quickly changed. While he found himself surprisingly engaged by the commerce half of his degree, he found engineering increasingly challenging with little reward.
After he made the decision to drop engineering and focus on commerce, Jack decided on a whim to attend a couple of the campus Skills for Success workshops, which opened his mind to the extracurricular opportunities available at Curtin. Thanks to those workshops, Jack realised that “sometimes opportunities are put in front of you, and other times you have to really work for them.”
With that in mind, Jack contacted several clubs, keen to know what they do and how he could get involved. One of those clubs was Enactus. Through chatting with one of the Enactus team members, Jack learned that the club was an international non-profit organisation dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through the positive power of business.
Eager to know more, Jack came along to their annual general meeting, and within a month, he was President. By sticking his hand up and giving it a go, Jack got the opportunity to lead a team of like-minded students, as well as liaise with the Faculty of Business and Law and external stakeholders.
Last year, Jack took on the role of being Enactus’s Treasurer. And that’s not all. Due to his involvement with Enactus, Jack began a paid position with the Faculty of Business and Law.
On top of that, Jack is also completing an internship at Bevo Tech, a brewing supply company based in Inglewood. Though he finds this new role incredibly fulfilling, Jack has had to be careful to curb his “Tim Tam addiction”, as a free supply is always on hand in the break room.
One of Jack’s uni highlights so far has been volunteering at O-Week, as he found it rewarding to chat with the new students and make their transition into university easier.
With such a full schedule, Jack has had to be mindful to not overload himself. He finds that setting boundaries is important, as well as ensuring that you hold yourself accountable. “Make sure you are still contributing fully to each role you take on.”
We asked Jack what his advice would be for first year students on what they can do now to prepare for their future careers. His answer?
“Reach out, get involved. Curtin has a wealth of extracurricular programs that look at all facets of life… Get stuck in, do those extracurricular programs and put yourself in uncomfortable positions. It’s a safe, comfortable way of taking risks.”
In the future, Jack would really love to delve into politics. He has found a real passion for commerce through his studies, but has no big goal or idea, but he realises that other people do. With his can-do attitude, and the leadership skills he has built up over the years, Jack would love to help others see their dreams come to fruition.
Written by creative writing and professional writing student, Abbey Carson.
