Susan Wakil Fellowship
What have you done lately for the world?
The Susan Wakil Fellowship is an unparalleled student leadership program. The fellowship provides a nurturing platform for Jewish students to learn how to make an impact upon the issues that are being felt by their fellow students and fellow Australians.
The purpose of The Susan Wakil Fellowship is to empower a generation of Jewish leaders who want to make a positive impact on Australian society. What does that mean? How does that differ from other programs and initiatives available to our community’s youth?
Aimed at cultivating strong and innovative leaders, the program guides our Fellows through ideas, industries and concepts which are otherwise uncharted territory for most Australian university students. We not only want to inspire our Fellows with knowledge; we want to train them with useful skills. Leaders are those who act, and we provide our Fellows
skills. Leaders are those who act, and we provide our Fellows with the skills and the understanding to take action. These skills include project management, relationship building, media and communications strategies, speechwriting, design thinking principles, facilitation, managing your LinkedIn profile and more.
Over the course of the year, Fellows will apply and develop the skills they learn in the execution of social impact projects, which they develop in collaboration with other Fellows. During this time, Fellows will also be matched with one or two mentors determined by their interests, personality and needs. Mentors are professionals in the Jewish community working in industries relevant to the values of the Fellowship and range in age.
Underlying all of these offerings is a consistent theme of career development. We want our Fellows to know the opportunities that are out there for them. Do you want to contribute to positive change, but still earn a decent crust? The Fellowship is here to provide unparalleled guidance in this area. We are long-term stakeholders in the growth and progress of our Fellows, and the network we have nurtured over the years is there for them.
Who makes a good Fellow? Students who are passionate about improving the world on any scale, who like to talk to people, and want to know how they can turn the conversation into action.
Students who are excited about the prospect of building interest-based friendships with both Jewish and non-Jewish students; who are confident to challenge their assumptions and learn about new methods and career paths.
Mentors
Each Fellow is matched with a mentor to complement their personal social and political interests, as well as their professional ambitions.
Each mentor is an outstanding professional in the Jewish community, who we believe can offer an individual perspective on the ongoing development of each Fellow.
Fellows and mentors meet once a month for a structured 30-60 minute meeting, totalling 8-10 meetings in the year.
Fellows are free and encouraged to develop and sustain this professional relationship beyond the scope of the Fellowship program. Past mentors have included Federal and State Members of Parliament, NGO Executives, Public Relations and Communication Experts, Corporate Strategists, Law Firm Directors and Chiefs of Staff.
Projects
Projects are planned, developed, and executed in teams, and with the help of industry experts. Each project focuses on the individual interests and concerns of the project team, in consultation with, and with the support of the Fellowship Directors and the Fellowship Subcommittee.
Regional Tour
The Fellowship Regional Tour is an absolutely unparalleled experience. Nothing short of Power Trip, Fellows meet with an incredible line of politicians, lobbyists, policy analysts, academics, not-for-profit CEO’s, journalists and other media professionals, community leaders, social entrepreneurs and other inspiring Australians.
The Regional Tour visits Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, and provides the fellows with insights into career paths and opportunities they might not otherwise know about.
Alongside these experiences, Fellows also enjoy masterclasses on Design Thinking, Speechwriting, Facilitation and many other skills.
Contact us to become a Fellow
Express your interest here to become part of the Susan Wakil family
