Activities – Stages Two and Three

Stage 2 refers to the second year of the Program, when the focus of the Program is to cultivate leadership skills and capabilities. In Stage 3, the third year of the Program, Scholars have the opportunity to create meaningful, impactful change through their Action Projects.

Core Program Activities

Stage 2 Adaptive leadership Intensive

In 2024, thew Program again delivered an Adaptive Leadership Intensive face-to-face by Harvard University-trained facilitators, included a session that challenged Scholars on their understanding of leadership and authority and the ever-changing dance between the two. The sessions were highly interactive and practical, with Scholars learning to identify strengths within themselves and their peers and exploring how they can create positive impact with new skills and discernment.

This workshop made me stop and think about how I can act in leadership in my current life and how to be more engaging within group activities. I felt a thorough shift in my mindset regarding preconceived ideas of what leadership looked like.

Stage 2 Scholar
Stage 3 Action Projects

The 2024 Action Projects provided Stage 3 Scholars with an experiential opportunity to be part of creating positive change in their area of study or a personal area passion, in a project that aligns with the Program values. The purpose was to provide an applied experience to build Scholars’ leadership experience and confidence. Scholars then undertook their own research, planning and implementation of Projects, showcasing them at the end of year Gala.

Elise Rourke

Elise Rourke

“While challenging, I definitely found the Action Project very rewarding, as I had been feeling a bit stagnant in the sense that I hadn't been acting on my values in many bigger picture ways. Everyone has been so supportive of my project, and while it is far from perfect, I feel really good about having laid down the foundations for something even bigger.”

Elise Rourke
2021 Ma & Morley Scholar
and Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science student

Tatjana's Action Project 1:58

Delta's Action Project 1:57

Stage 2 & 3 Cultural immersion on-country

Stage 2 & 3 Scholars met at the Yarning Circle at our Ourimbah Campus to explore Darkinjung Country and commenced with introductions and a smoking ceremony. The day was spent with Gavi Duncan, Senior Tourism Cultural Education Officer with the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Lands Council, exploring the rock carvings, water holes and stories of the local Aboriginal custodians. We also took the opportunity to draw on Scholars’ experience of the Program to explore their understanding of the terms ‘global awareness’ and ‘social consciousness’, which was vital input for the CEEHE research on the impact of the Program.

Stage 2 and 3 Scholars met at the Wollotuka Institute at the University’s Callaghan campus for a smoking ceremony before heading to Glenrock State Reserve. The group explored the Yuelarbah Track with Uncle Paul Gordon and Dave Newham, cultural educators who generously share their knowledge and culture with the Scholars.

Heading to Leichhardt’s Lookout, Scholars learned about bush tucker, the native plants and local stories and lore, before enjoying lunch in the natural surrounds and then heading to Swansea Heads, where the group learned more local stories and came to understand the significance of the location.

Dave then taught the group some traditional dance, as the wind blew and the tide came in. The day provided the opportunity to extend the Scholars’ understanding of Aboriginal culture and lore, while spending quality time with each other, before Semester 2 commenced the following week.

I felt more grounded and connected with Country and other scholars. I'm usually drained from spending time in big groups, but this day really filled my cup.

Stage 3 Scholar
Gala

The annual celebration of the Scholars’ journeys was a wonderful celebration of the year’s activities and achievements. Scholars and Ambassadors gathered in the Great Hall at the University with the many inspiring people with whom they have collaborated throughout the year, to reflect on their action and growth, and celebrate the progress they have made in their leadership journeys. Their stories and messages were shared with the rest of the Ma & Morley family, Program stakeholders and the University community through both the face-to-face event and online live streaming for those who were unable to join us.

Other Leadership Program Activities

The Scholars were also invited to take part across the year in various activities and learning opportunities, which were linked to the values of the Program, including AliExpo, the Hunter Insight Youth Panel, the Reconciliation Ball, speaking opportunities, volunteering at Open Days, the Alumni Excellence Awards, iLead events, the Ambassador Program event, Stage 3 Action Projects and joining Judy Morley at the Union of Australian Women and Hunter Workers Women’s Committee International Women’s Day Dinner.

A small number of Scholars were also invited to attend business leaders and members of industry at the joint-led Business Hunter/University Hunter Nexus black-tie dinner in February, featuring the Australian Prime Minister, The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, as well as being part of the investiture of the new Chancellor for the University, The Hon Patricia Forsythe AM, in March.

In conjunction with the Alumni Excellence Awards, Scholars studying in health fields were offered the opportunity to spend a morning in September at the University Gallery with Dr Geordan Shannon, recipient of the 2024 International Leadership Award. Geordan graduated with her Bachelor of Medicine in 2008 and is now a medical doctor and Lecturer in Global Health at University College London (UCL). She has worked as a medic in remote indigenous Australia, post-Tsunami Sri Lanka, the Peruvian Amazon, and rural Kenya.  She currently leads large-scale health policy initiatives with UN partners, national governments, and other key stakeholders. Geordan has also used her experience to co-launch a number of start-ups at the intersection of health, climate, and web3 including stema.org, planet.health, and unexia.org. Alongside her clinical and research work, Geordan is passionate about enabling communities to implement more effective and sustainable health interventions, utilising and transforming existing local resources. Her work is innovative and interdisciplinary, encompassing medicine, tech, arts and science. Scholars were inspired by her journey and relished the opportunity to connect and ask questions.

China immersion experience

27 Ma & Morley Scholars travelled to China on a 12-day cultural immersion across June and July, to broaden their global awareness, develop a deeper understanding and gain an appreciation of life in China and to connect with the origins of the Program and each other. Visiting Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing, Scholars engaged with Chinese students, academics and the general populace, staff from Alibaba and the Jack Ma Foundation and alumni living and working in China, building their knowledge, bridges of friendship between Australia and China, as well as expanding their career and life aspirations.

The group was joined by Advisory Committee members Maggie Zhou (Senior Advisor, Jack Ma Foundation) in Shanghai and Hangzhou and Rebecca Hazell (Executive Director, Advancement) in Hangzhou.

I gained the desire to make my own ambitions in life bigger and across a global scale thanks to seeing what Alibaba is doing across the world. I also gained a massive appreciation for Chinese culture and the people. The trip also made me want to talk to more people and strangers, as you never know who you might meet.

2023 Ma & Morley Scholar
Video

Scholars' first impressions 1:15

After visiting China on the 2024 Ma & Morley China immersion, Scholars consider how their preconceived ideas of China have been challenged.

Video

Impact on Career 0:58

Ma & Morley Scholars visit China on a cultural immersion and reflect on how this experience will impact and enhance their careers

Mentoring Program

The Program was established to honour and celebrate the enduring and life-changing friendship between Jack Ma and Ken Morley. Ken was a lifelong mentor to Jack, however learnt so much from the relationship himself.

One of the key principles of the Program is to build a community of Ma & Morley Scholars and Ambassadors, based on the common values that characterise and distinguish the Program’s unique identity. When the life-changing philanthropic contribution to the University was agreed, one of the key elements was to provide Scholars with a mentoring opportunity.

Phase 1 of the mentoring program continued in 2024, involving current Scholars mentoring all new 2024 Scholars. This provided mentors with the opportunity to amplify the Scholarship Program experience for new Scholars, by sharing their learnings from the Program, university life and their personal journey with the values. It also demonstrated reciprocity in action: allowing mentors to be open to learn from the mentee and their lived experience.

Mentoring continued in Phase 2 for the Ambassadors, linking those interested in undertaking further mentorship with alumni of the University and industry leaders from across the globe.

Peer-led Program delivery

Scholars were able to hone their leadership and facilitation skills by delivering key elements of the incoming Scholars’ Welcome Program and Leadership Workshops.

Ambassador Program

The Ma & Morley Ambassador Program continues the leadership journey of Scholars in becoming globally aware and socially conscious leaders, once they have graduated from the University of Newcastle. The Ambassador Program enables graduated Scholars to remain connected to, and also give back to, the Program post-their studies, with all activities continuing to be aligned to the values of the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program. The 2024 Ambassador event was titled ‘A Peace Agenda: In Conversation with Entrepreneur and Philanthropist Mr Steve Killelea AM’.

Steve is a philanthropist, focused on peace and sustainable development, with an extensive background in international business development and entrepreneurship, high technology and global peacefulness. He established the Institute for Economics and Peace, as well as the Global Peace Index.

The event began with a networking lunch, then Steve presented on and spoke with Director of Entrepreneurship at the University, Siobhan Curran, about the state of global peace, as well as his experience with high-tech investments and philanthropy. He also shared his insights on the factors that create peace and what qualities make a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Steve travels the world promoting his view that business, governments and educational institutions need to focus more on peacefulness and the structures that create it, giving rise to his mantra “Peace is good for business”. Ambassador, Vanessa McDonald, Bachelor of Business (Hons), offered the Vote of Thanks and presented Steve with an artwork to thank him for his thought-provoking contribution to the event.