Student Highlights
Becoming an Alumni Programs Officer
Alice is a proud Ngarabal woman, currently residing in Newcastle NSW on Awabakal country. Alice works as an Alumni Programs Officer as the dedicated College Liaison within the Alumni Team at the University of Newcastle, where she is passionate about identifying and fostering meaningful alumni connections.
What have you been up to since graduating?
Whilst completing her Bachelor of Development Studies, Alice was a Cadet in the Indigenous Cadetship Program. The cadetship not only supported Alice financially whilst she studied, but it also lead her down a pathway into a Graduate Development Program with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications after she graduated.
As part of the Cadetship, Alice had the opportunity to complete a three-month placement in Canberra with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Alice cannot speak highly enough of the Cadetship, and she encourages any Indigenous students to apply.
As Alice was supported by the Cadetship, she reflected that the application process for the Graduate Development Program involved culturally responsive recruitment. Alice was interviewed by other First Nations people. This process was incredibly important to Alice as she felt supported during the transition from university to the Graduate Development Program.
During the program Alice was placed on a three month rotation in various departmental divisions including Surface Transport Policy, then Infrastructure Investment, and then the Office of Northern Australia. As part of the Graduate Program Alice was also provided the opportunity to complete a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy and Administration at the University of Canberra.
Following the completion of her Graduate Development Program, Alice retained full time employment as a Project Officer. Alice assisted in the management of major road and infrastructure programs in the Northern Territory and Queensland. This involved Alice travelling to Queensland, for the Federal government and meeting with representatives from the state government to discuss strategic aspects of the projects. Alice was able to build many skills during this role such as stakeholder engagement and program management.
After her role as a Project Officer, Alice kept busy with raising her family and starting a Master of Social Change and Development.
Currently, Alice is working as an Alumni Programs Officer, as the dedicated College Liaison within the Office of Alumni and Philanthropy at the University of Newcastle.
Alice engages with internal stakeholders of the university to understand how they work with their alumni and to collaborate with them to boost and support this engagement. This can be achieved via activities such as mentoring, guest lectures and work integrated learning opportunities.
Alice works directly with internal stakeholders from the 13 schools at the university to advocate the importance of these alumni engagements and provide advice around achieving meaningful and sustained alumni involvement. A large part of Alice’s role is stakeholder engagement and programming and much of her previous experience and developed skills lends favourably to this role.
Another important part of Alice’s role is managing the Indigenous Alumni Program. Alice works with key stakeholders at the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Leadership and the Wollotuka Institute, aiming to nurture meaningful engagement opportunities for the university’s Indigenous alumni.
One strategy has been through the establishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Alumni Collective, a Facebook group for deadly alumni to join, connect, and it acts as a place for meaningful content to be curated and shared. Alice is incredibly motivated to find and enhance alumni engagement and believes alumni are universities best advocates.
How relevant has your degree been since you graduated?
The Bachelor of Development Studies had a wonderfully positive impact on Alice, in terms of leading her to a fulfilling career and her own personal development. The Indigenous content within the degree allowed her to consider the importance of culture, and its influences when developing sustainable and culturally responsive policies and programs.
The Wollotuka Institute was an important part of Alice’s undergraduate experience. It was a place for her to go, feel comfortable and engage with other Indigenous students. Returning years later to the University of Newcastle, Alice feels an even stronger welcoming and connection with the community.
During her undergraduate degree, Alice also engaged in many social justice focused volunteering opportunities with the Australian Red Cross, Greenpeace, and Wesley Mission.
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Alice Melmeth
Alice works as an Alumni Programs Officer as the dedicated College Liaison within the Alumni Team at the University of Newcastle, where she is passionate about identifying and fostering meaningful alumni connections.
When you’re passionate about something, you want to contribute where you can.
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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.