Paris McNeil is in her first year of studying a Law and Psychology double degree at Curtin. Last semester, she participated in the Design Your Curtin Experience (DYCE) program, a series of workshops designed to help students develop career and leadership skills and find out about extra and co-curricular opportunities at Curtin.
What made you decide to get involved in the DYCE program?
I’ve always been really passionate about leadership and developing myself, so when I found out about DYCE, I jumped at the opportunity to go to workshops every week and continue to improve myself, develop my skills and meet new people.
Why was it important for you to participate in your first year?
Being in my first year, I thought it was really important to dive right into the Curtin community and make the most of every opportunity I could get my hands on, and I thought DYCE was an amazing way to learn and develop my leadership skills, which is something I’m really passionate about. Because I signed up in my first year, I was able to apply the skills that I learned directly to my university studies, which made the transition from high school to uni a bit easier.
Did you sign up for any extra or co-curricular activities after attending the workshops?
One of the last workshops I attended in the DYCE program was a networking module, where I developed a connection with the people at Curtin Volunteers and from that, I was able to apply to be a program leader. This semester, I’m now a program leader for the South Lake Primary Literacy Program, which involves volunteers going to South Lake Primary School and working with struggling year 2s and 3s to improve their reading, writing and spelling.
What was your favourite workshop in the DYCE program?
I had two favourites. One was the Future of Work, which was a mind-opener because it forced me to think about whether my career path would be a viable option once I graduate and think about the steps I have to take to get there. The other one was Networking because not only did I learn the skills I needed to be able to have a meaningful conversation, I was then able to practice those skills in a safe environment with members of the Curtin community.
Do you feel more prepared for the future after completing the DYCE program?
I’m definitely more prepared for the future and also just the rest of my university studies because it’s given me the ability to think really critically about the things I’m learning and the opportunities that are offered to me. It’s just made me really excited to get into the workforce and be able to use these skills that I’ve learned in a workplace setting.
Find out more about student opportunities at Curtin Careers, Employment & Leadership.
