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Kaela: From basic skills to building her career on campus
Kaela dreamed of pursuing her creative passions but was keen to also broaden her knowledge and skills to safeguard her future. With the support of a scholarship, leadership schemes and a mindset of giving everything a go, she’s already carving out a media career while studying for her degree.
Kaela grew up in Sydney, spending her final school years at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Studying in isolation wasn’t easy but it also fuelled her creativity.
“I was bored during lockdown and wanted a creative outlet. So, I started a youth-focussed podcast and interviewed Olympians and personalities like Sam Frost – and that nurtured my love for media. Then I thought about bolstering those skills and had heard that the University of Sydney had a really good media program.
Her parents who both have creative backgrounds suggested that she also study a course that would help to futureproof her creative endeavours.
She applied for a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws and a scholarship, and couldn’t believe that she was successful.
She was also accepted into the Future Leaders Scheme, and the Dalyell Scholars stream which offers enrichment opportunities to high-achieving students, including access to accelerated learning options, interdisciplinary units of study, mentoring and professional skills development.
“I was actually a bit scared of going to the University of Sydney because it seemed such a big place, far away, where I didn’t know anyone,” Kaela says. “But I was a huge Hogwarts fan (the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter books), which looks like the University and I had always dreamed of going there,” Kaela laughs.
“We were allowed back on campus after COVID,” she says. “And I threw myself into university life because I had missed out at school.
“I got a lot of enjoyment out of being the Law Society’s first-year representative – fostering the cohort and getting people together was really exciting to me so I could meet people.”
Kaela meeting NSW Governor Margaret Beazley at a function for school captains at Government House.
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Now in third year, Kaela is getting hands-on media experience via a casual role on the University of Sydney’s social media team. She has also volunteered for the University of Sydney Union and for TedxSydney.
“I'm really grateful for these unique opportunities. The scholarship has eased the financial pressure and enabled me to buy a laptop, while helping me to find time for extracurricular activities,” Kaela says.
“Majoring in media, I also really enjoy the practical, hands-on component of my course, and that we have podcasting and TV studios and radio booths. And it's really inspiring to see powerful, intelligent women in Law – which I've found in my tutors and peers – especially when I struggle a bit with some of the content. They have been really supportive, and always make an extra effort to help students individually.”
Kaela would like to combine her degrees in future to work on the intersection of media and the law.
"I’m interested in the rise of AI and its implications for creatives and media professionals. Or I might practice media law to protect people from being exploited, with the rise of digital technologies,” she says. “It's more important than ever for people to be able to protect their intellectual property.”
