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Medal for Postgraduate Leadership
Commitment to community
This medal recognises visionary leadership, excellence, dedication and commitment to the University of Sydney, as well as involvement in initiatives or projects that enrich student experience or the community, beyond their course requirements.
To be eligible for the 2025 Alumni Awards, nominees must meet the following selection criteria:
- Nominees must have completed their degree requirements or conferred/graduated from a postgraduate degree in 2024 from the University of Sydney.
- Nominees must have achieved a minimum credit average (65-74 mark range) during their award course at the University (any qualifications with pass/fail criteria excepted).
- Nominees must demonstrate visionary leadership, excellence, dedication and commitment to the University of Sydney community.
2024 winner
Stella Rose Harris
Bachelor of Science '15, Doctor of Medicine '19, Master of Public Health '24
Stella Rose Harris is a doctor undertaking speciality training in obstetrics and gynaecology in South Western Sydney Local Health District.
As part of her Master of Public Health, Stella undertook a research project focused on maternal sleep position and risk of stillbirth in Bangladesh, with the goal of evaluating the utility of public health initiatives in developing countries. The degree has allowed her to seek new leadership opportunities to improve women’s health in Australia and globally. She is involved in the Public Health Association Australia Women’s Health Executive Committee, Results International Global Health Fellowship, and the International Red Cross Global Migration Hub.
Throughout her studies she was committed to improving the experience of her fellow students. She was a member of the Student Life Committee during her masters program, and as a medical student was involved in the University of Sydney Surgical Society, where she created numerous surgical education and skills-based sessions for students.
Put your hand up for every opportunity and seek out new experiences. It's the encounters and challenges along the way that shape who you become.
Stella Rose Harris
If I could give advice to my younger self, it would be to put your hand up for every opportunity and seek out new experiences. It's the encounters and challenges along the way that shape who you become. Each opportunity, whether it seems significant or not, contributes to your development and helps you build your professional skillset.
My fondest memory of my time at the University of Sydney is the lifelong friends I have made along the way. The people you meet at university truly shape your time there, and I was fortunate to meet clever and inspiring individuals who helped me grow both personally and professionally.
My next career goal is to complete a PhD in women's health. The ability to combine clinical practice and translational research is something which drew me to medicine as a profession. In the future, I hope to balance an academic role with my clinical practice, allowing me to continue to contribute to research in the field.