2010 winners
(Please note: This is archival information and may not reflect current profiles)
Miss Arlou Arteta
2010 Student Leader of the Year
Arlou's contribution to QUT and the general community is extensive and varied. She has advocated for student interests on numerous QUT-wide faculty boards, committees and working parties while representing QUT and Australia at several conferences both domestically and overseas.
Since 2007 Arlou has made a significant contribution to the QUT community through serving as a peer mentor in the School of Humanities, Student Ambassador representing QUT at recruitment events and through both her roles as Women's Director and Academic Rights Director for the QUT Student Guild. As Academic Rights Director Arlou was involved in assisting students to understand and utilise their rights as a university student and also provided advice and assistance on academic advocacy issues. During the past two years, Arlou has also made an exceptional contribution to QUT's corporate and strategic goals as a student representative on several QUT boards and committees.
Her commitment to the wider community is evidenced by her volunteer work for Amnesty International from 2006 to 2007 and throughout 2010 at the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service. As a volunteer caseworker at the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service, Arlou assists disadvantaged clients to understand their legal rights and obligations whilst showing dedication to her studies, achieving a GPA of 5.9 for the double degree Bachelor of Arts (Human Rights and Ethics) and Bachelor of Laws.
Arlou Arteta 2010 Student Leader of the YearArlou's ultimate goal is to have an extensive law career, working in the fields of immigration law, industrial relations and human rights. She is well on her way to achieving this goal, through her current role as President of the QUT Student Guild United Nations Association. As President, and former secretary of the organisation, she facilitates Mini-Model United Nations Conferences for QUT students on campus, plus she organises education events centred on the works of the UN through informative film nights, topical roundtable discussions and coordinates events with other non-profit organisations.
One of seven students chosen to represent QUT at the inaugural Global Model United Nations Conference in Geneva in 2009, Arlou received the QUT Student Guild Clubs and Societies Outstanding Member Award for her efforts. Arlou founded the QUT Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Chapter in 2009, undertaking the role of Student Coordinator for the student branch.
With an excellent academic record, extensive involvement in volunteer opportunities at QUT and in the wider community, and a strong commitment to her personal and professional development, Arlou is one young lawyer to watch. She has an exciting career ahead of her and QUT is very proud of her achievements and our association with her.
Darren Cann
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
A Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Information Technology dual degree student, Darren represents his peers within the current Faculty of Science and Technology on various Faculty and QUT wide committees and student advisory groups. He also acts as an orientation facility and mentor to new students.
However, Darren's commitment to his peers extends beyond committee and board representation to his co-foundation of the IT Student Association where he helped create a Blackboard community site for IT students to communicate and share information.
For the wider community, Darren has volunteered to help save the former Marist College at Rosalie, is a member of the South West Progress Association and member of the Inala HUB Neighbourhood Centre. He has also volunteered as a Justice of the Peace both at the Brisbane Magistrates Court and at QUT.
Ashleigh Coome
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Studying a Bachelor of Pharmacy, Ashleigh was awarded the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (Qld Branch) Prize for student leadership in 2010. For the past four years, Ashleigh has guided and represented her peers and prospective students through her involvement with the QUT Student Pharmacy Association, first as its Student Representative, then as its Treasurer and President.
Ashleigh represented QUT and Australia at the International Pharmacy Students' Federation World Congress in Bali in 2009, and is a current student member of two peak pharmaceutical bodies: the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.
For the wider community, Ashleigh is the current Industrial Affairs Committee Chair for the National Australia Pharmacy Students Association, working tirelessly to promote awareness of the pharmacy profession. She has also organised fund-raising events for ill QUT Pharmacy students in 2009 and the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Anja Homburg
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Outstanding in both the practical and theoretical aspects of her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drama) course, Anja demonstrates a particular passion for and ability in theatre directing.
She is the General Manager of QUT's Student Theatre Company 'Vena Cava Productions', having volunteered for the Company since 2009.
With a focus on helping advance youth arts practice, Anja has volunteered as a tutor for aspiring young actors at Backbone Youth Arts, and for the Brisbane arts community by performing for the Globe Theatre, Front Row Community Theatre, and the Handful of Fragments Collective, a Brisbane based Creative Industries production team.
Anja has overcome significant challenges in her teenage years, to achieve not only an excellent academic record, but extensive volunteer involvement in the Brisbane contemporary arts scene, combined with a strong commitment to her personal and professional development.
Anja is a high academic achiever whose GPA of 6.5 reflects her dedication to her studies.
Lisa Kingsberry
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Lisa has made a significant contribution to the QUT community through both her guidance for new students and through her representation of QUT at the 2009 QUT China Journalism trip where she worked with the Chinese media. She has been a Senior Student Ambassador for the past two years inspiring new students to QUT to get involved throughout their degree, presenting numerous lectured about her time in Chain and work within the media industry.
She has volunteered her skills for the benefit of the wider community as a news journalist for Brisbane's 4ZZZ community radio station, as media assistant for the Youth Enterprise Trust, and in raising funds for Camp Quality. Lisa's commitment to her studies is reflected in her high GPA of 6.2, which earned her acceptance into the Golden Key Honour Society, and a Dean's Honour List recipient for 2008 for the Faculty of Creative Industries.
Karen Lewis
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
For the past three years, Karen has helped guide new students to QUT though her role as Peer Mentor, and involvement with QUT Orientation days at the Caboolture campus of QUT.
A Bachelor of Education (Primary) student, Karen has also volunteered her time to help fellow students develop ICT skills and confidence to embrace their university studies. Karen has tutored students in the Computers for Nervous Beginners program helping adults in the community become familiar with computers, and has been the Secretary of the Minnesota State University social committee, hosting students at the Caboolture campus. Also for students of the QUT community, Karen has been involved with the Teacher Education Done Differently (TEDD) project, presented the LEGO league to students interested in robotics, supported students with learning difficulties, and participated in the Building Bridges research project at Grace Lutheran College.
Having overcome many personal challenges to manage and balance all aspects of her life, Karen is a positive role model to all students at the Caboolture campus.
Naleesha Niranjan
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
As a library peer advisor, tutor and lab demonstrator, Naleesha has contributed greatly to the QUT community through her guidance and mentorship of new students to QUT. During her Bachelor of Engineering (Medical) course, Naleesha has mentored students both as a peer advisor for the library helping to build academic skills in new students, plus guiding first year electrical engineering students as a tutor and lab demonstrator.
Naleesha was selected by QUT and Engineers without Borders in 2008 for a Dean's Scholarship for the Developing World where she undertook work experience for two years at the Christian Medial College in Tamil Nadu, India. During this time, she used her medical engineering skills to help this developing community to design low-cost medical devices, including a foetal heart rate monitor, an inflatable, pressurized sleeve to control oedema in amputees, and a pillbox. Overcoming a number of design barriers, including cultural acceptance, technical accessibility, suitability to the demands of the local environment, and the availability of local materials and manufacturing, Naleesha is now mentoring others in this student-lead project.
An excellent GPA of 6.2 reflects Naleesha's commitment to her studies.
Stephanie Parkin
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
A Bachelor of Justice and Bachelor of Laws dual degree student, Stephanie provides guidance and support for her Indigenous peers within the Faculty of Law through her involvement in a number of programs. She was the Peer Mentor for Torts A in 2007, while for the past three years she has taken leading roles in the Faculty of Law's Pre-Law Program for Indigenous Law and Justice Students, and the Torts Peer Mentor Program.
Stephanie's volunteer work helping her peers was recognised with the Minna Deadly award from the QUT Student Guild in 2009, while she received the Oodgeroo Noonuccal scholarship for undergraduate students in 2008.
For the wider community, Stephanie has shown leadership in her local North Stradbroke Island community through participation in the Jandawal Action Group and the Quandamooka Native Title Claim, as a traditional owner.
Benjamin Schostakowski
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Benjamin is currently undertaking his Honours in Drama, having completed his Bachelor of Arts (Drama) in 2009.
His significant contribution to QUT varies from his sustained and committed involvement in the Vena Cava Production Company to leadership on committees, peer support, sporting activities, and professional development. Elected Vena Cava Artistic Director for 2009, his involvement with the student theatre group began in 2007 with a range of roles, including front-of-house usher, office bearer, and actor.
Outside of QUT, Benjamin has volunteered for the Queensland Theatre Company's Hype Team, Dead Puppet Society Theatre Company, and for the State Library's The Edge program. In 2008 Benjamin co-created and presented Little Grey Wolf with Dead Puppet Society at the Under The Radar Festival, while in 2009 Benjamin worked with the company for a production of Victor Blott: A Desire to Rot which won Best Comedy Script, People's Choice and the Best Overall Production awards as part of the Short + Sweet festival at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
He was on the Deans List of Academic Excellence in Semester 1, 2008 and Semester 2, 2009.
Daniel Townson
2010 Student Leadership Excellence Award Winner
Through his foundation of the Student Paramedic Undergraduate group, Daniel has made an outstanding contribution to both the QUT community and fellow students. His initiative earned the group the 2009 Student Guild New Club award.
A Bachelor of Health Sciences (Paramedics) student, Daniel has volunteered to assist the course coordinator with orientation week activities for the past two years, while he has taken on the role of a QUT Peer Mentor and has been involved with the QUT Student Guild since January 2009.
His extensive contribution to helping paramedic students in the wider community includes his role as student and Queensland representative on the Queensland State Branch of the Australian College of Ambulance professionals, and the Australian College of Ambulance Professionals Student Paramedic Association, where he represented all universities in Queensland with paramedic programs.
