Important dates
- Applications open: Monday, 6 August 2018
- Applications close: 9am Monday, 10 September 2018
- Awards ceremony: Wednesday, 19 September 2018
The Student Leadership Awards recognise and celebrate students across Victoria University for their leadership roles and outstanding achievements in co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
If you play a significant leadership role and improve the quality of the student experience within or beyond Victoria University, you are an ideal candidate.
Application writing assistance
The Student Leadership team is available for one-on-one appointments to assist you with writing and submitting your application.
Please email slawards@vu.edu.au with any questions or to make an appointment at Footscray Park or over the phone.
Eligibility & advice
Eligibility
All students enrolled in any unit of study during the 2018 calendar year at Victoria University and Victoria University Polytechnic (VU) are eligible to apply for a Student Leadership Award.
The Student Leadership Awards do not cover sporting achievements, please refer to the VU Sport Awards.
Applicants must be prepared to give evidence that:
- they have been or are currently enrolled during 2018
- they have not been the subject of any misconduct claims.
Previous award winners cannot apply for the same award category in subsequent years.
Application advice
When answering the Selection Criteria it is recommended that you apply the STAR Technique:
The STAR technique provides a framework for presenting information in response to Key Selection Criteria. It’s a way of providing clear examples or evidence of your skills, knowledge and approach to work. For each criterion, use the following elements to structure your answers:
Situation
Describe the situation/environment you were in.
Task
What did you need to accomplish to deal with the situation? What was your role concerning the problem, issue or assignment?
Action
What did you do? Set out the steps you took to resolve the situation. Be detailed.
Result
What was the outcome? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? Promote yourself and your achievements.
Individual awards
Raj Kannan Leadership Scholarship
Mr Raj Kannan is one of Victoria University’s distinguished 90 Legends. He graduated from Footscray Institute of Technology in 1988 with a Bachelor of Engineering. He was President of the Overseas Student Association and Co-President of the Student Representative Council and involved in other student leadership activities. Mr Kannan believes that the leadership experience he gained at FIT was invaluable to his later career and as such he is passionate about giving back to the University.
As a result Mr Kannan has established a scholarship that will support and encourage students to undertake leadership activities at VU. This prestigious award comes with a prize in the form of a $5,000 scholarship.
Additional eligibility criteria
- Must be a student enrolled full time at Victoria University and not in the first or final year of study
- Must have participated in at least one VU Leadership Activity (e.g. Lead2Change, Student Leadership Council, Clubs Executive, VU Academy, VU Hanger etc.)
Selection criteria
- Provide evidence of when you have demonstrated leadership that benefited your fellow students and the VU community;
- Provide evidence of participation in causes that champion social inclusion, cultural diversity, and equity;
- How do you take responsibility for your professional self-development?
- Articulate how you would use this scholarship for your personal/professional development or to further your education.
Optional additional information
- Provide supporting testimonials from peers to demonstrate why you are deserving of this award.
Recipient obligations
Within 12 months of receiving the Raj Kannan Leadership Scholarship, the recipient is required to provide a report to Student Life & Leadership and the donor showcasing their activities and impact of receiving the award.
Moondani Balluk Aboriginal Student Award
This award recognises a current Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander VU student for their contribution to Victoria University and to the wider Aboriginal community.
Additional Eligibility Criteria
Must be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student.
Background info
Describe your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander family and/or community connections.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe any activities you have undertaken that have benefited the VU and/or Aboriginal community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's Values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 3
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities. Choose one from each of the following three categories:
- Critical thinking / problem solving, creativity
- Communication, collaboration
- Persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness
International Student Award
This award recognises a current International Victoria University student who demonstrates outstanding leadership and dedication to engagement activities at Victoria University.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be an International student studying on a Victorian VU campus.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader international student community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 3
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities. Choose one from each of the following three categories:
- Critical thinking / problem solving, creativity
- Communication, collaboration
- Persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness
Postgraduate Student Award
This award recognises the outstanding contribution of a current VU postgraduate student to the VU community; this student embraces the true meaning on what it means to be a postgraduate student at Victoria University.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be postgraduate student.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader international student community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's Values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 3
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities. Choose one from each of the following three categories:
- Critical thinking / problem solving, creativity
- Communication, collaboration
- Persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness
Victoria University Polytechnic Student Award
This award recognises outstanding leadership in academic, co-curricular, and/or extracurricular activities and involvements of a Victoria Polytechnic student.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must be Victoria Polytechnic student.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader international student community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities align with one or more VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 3
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities. Choose one from each of the following three categories:
- Critical thinking / problem solving, creativity
- Communication, collaboration
- Persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness
Students as Staff Award
This award recognises an outstanding Student as Staff (SaS) employee for their outstanding work performance or service to the University.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must have worked in a Student as Staff role at VU in 2018.
Background info
Describe your role within VU as a Student as Staff.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe how your activities have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of the student experience within and/or beyond VU.
Assessment criteria 2
Describe a situation(s) where you have implemented positive change through your role as a Student as Staff.
Assessment criteria 3
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 4
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities. Choose one from each of the following three categories:
- Critical thinking / problem solving, creativity
- Communication, collaboration
- Persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness
Additional evidence
Must supply a written reference from current VU Supervisor or provide details for us to complete a reference check.
VU Spirit Award
This award recognises students who have gone above and beyond in their leadership and engagement activities at Victoria University.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe what you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 3
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities (e.g. employability skills, such as communication).
VU Vollies Award
This award recognises the outstanding contribution of a current Victoria University student to the Victoria University community through volunteering; this award recognises the achievements of our most dedicated Vollie. The applicant must have volunteered on a regular basis with the VU Vollies.
Additional eligibility criteria
Must have completed vollies training in 2018
Must have contributed hours to the vollies program in 2018
Assessment criteria 1
Describe what volunteering you have done to benefit the VU and/or broader community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 3
Reflect on the skills you have developed through these activities. Choose one from each of the following three categories:
- Critical thinking / problem solving, creativity
- Communication, collaboration
- Persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness
Team awards
Best New Club 2018
A new award in 2018, the Best New Club award recognises the outstanding achievements of a student group that was established this year and has benefited its members and the wider VU community.
Additional eligibility criteria
- Must be a student group that newly affiliated in 2018
- Must have had no breaches of clubs policy
- Must have hosted 2+ events in 2018
- Must have passed 2018 clubs audit
Assessment criteria 1
Describe the mission/purpose of your club and how your activities this year have served this mission.
Assessment criteria 2
Describe how your club’s activities have benefited your members this year.
Assessment criteria 3
Describe how your club has benefited the VU community and/or broader in 2018 and tell us about the impact this has had.
Assessment criteria 4
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 5
Provide examples of how your executive committee has worked well as a team this year.
Club of the Year 2018
New to 2018, the Club of the Year award recognises outstanding student groups for their achievements and success in meeting their clubs mission.
Additional eligibility criteria
- Must have had no breaches of the leadership & representation policy
- Must have hosted 2+ events in 2018
- Must have passed 2018 clubs audit
Assessment criteria 1
Describe your club mission/purpose and how your activities have served this mission.
Assessment criteria 2
Tell us how your activities have benefited your members this year.
Assessment criteria 3
Describe how your club has benefited the VU and/or broader community in 2018.
Assessment criteria 4
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 5
Provide examples of how your executive committee has worked well as a team this year.
VU Innovation Award
This award recognises a group of current Victoria University students for their engagement and innovative contributions to VU.
Assessment criteria 1
Describe how your team’s activities have benefited the VU community and/or broader community and tell us what the impact was.
Assessment criteria 2
Describe how your team’s developments have resulted in learning for your team and/or others.
Assessment criteria 3
Tell us how your activities align with one or more of VU's values of diversity and multiculturalism, accessibility and belonging, and respect for others and the natural environment.
Assessment criteria 4
Describe what problem your project aimed to solve and how it addressed that problem in an innovative way.
Apply
Applications for the 2018 Student Leadership Award are now closed.
