Better Student Leaders with Josh Farr
by Josh Farr (Founder, Campus Consultancy)
Welcome to Better Student Leaders with Josh Farr. This podcast explores the fascinating world of student leadership with a focus on clubs, societies, colleges, mentoring and leadership programs. I’m your host, Josh. I’ll bring you leaders from across the student leadership sector and show you how they are realizing the potential of connected and empowered student communities. Expect to hear challenges, creative solutions, innovative uses of AI and case-studies of what works to move the needle and get results with students. Love the show? Connect via https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdfarr
Episodes
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#123 Nedd's Uncomfortable Challenge Explained (my on-stage pitch to 100+ students and leaders)
This episode is my live, on-stage pitch from the Sydney Student Leadership Summit. It’s the complete how-to guide for Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge (NUC) and our team mission to raise $122,000 for homelessness, one dollar for every person experiencing homelessness in Australia. You’ll hear: The...
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#122 How to Measure and Increase Student Belonging with UNSW’s Director of Engagement & Student Success, Natalie Nickson
What if student belonging isn’t just a feeling, but something universities can actually measure and improve? Natalie Nickson is the Director of Engagement & Student Success at UNSW and led a three-year belonging project that engaged around 70,000 students to understand what actually makes…
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#121 From Kenyan Student to Founder and LinkedIn Superstar - Alexis Ngunyi on Courageous Action, Resilience & Kindness
What does it take to arrive in a new country and start building your life, career and community from scratch? Alexis Ngunyi arrived in Australia from Kenya as an international student in 2023. From that very first day, she threw herself into student leadership, volunteering, building…
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#120 Making University Less Scary for Students AND Parents - Lisa Buchner & Tijana Ilic on First-in-Family Success + Students as 'Near-Peer Role Models'
What if the best person to show a high school student that university is possible… is another student who’s already done it? Lisa Buchner leads outreach at Monash University, while Tijana Ilic went from being an Access Monash mentee in high school to becoming a mentor and mentor leader herself....
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#119 From Refugee to 2026 Young Australian of The Year (Victoria) - Abraham Kuol on Why Belonging Could Change a Young Person’s Life
What if changing a young person’s life starts with simply making them feel like they belong? Abraham Kuol is the 2026 Victorian Young Australian of the Year, a criminology researcher, youth mentor and community leader whose family fled conflict in South Sudan before resettling in Australia. In…
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#118 Joo Kim: Why “Why?” Is the Key to Better Marketing, The 5x5 Strategy + GPA Method for Student Engagement
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Joo Kim, Communications Coordinator at the Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild, to unpack practical marketing strategies student leaders and university staff can use immediately to get more students to notice,...
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#117 Sophie Richardson: Team Principal (QUT Motorsport) on Leading 250 Students, Gratitude and "Starting Before You're Ready"
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr speaks with Sophie Richardson, Mechanical Engineering student and Team Principal of QUT Motorsport, one of the largest student-led engineering teams in Australia. “Do not wait until you feel ready. You will never feel ready.” – Sophie…
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#116 Professor Andrew Martin: The 6 Cs to Bounce Back Every Student Leader MUST HEAR
“If something good happens in your life, just hold onto it, enjoy the moment, ‘cause that’s the confidence booster moment.” Starting university brings deadlines, disappointing marks, competing priorities and inevitable setbacks. But according to Scientia Professor Andrew Martin (UNSW), the…
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#115 Alana Kilmartin: Why Your Career Is an Adventure, Not an Exam — Unserious Careers, Transferable Experiences and Giving Young People Hope
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Alana Kilmartin, Founder of Unserious Careers and author of the book by the same name, to explore why young people need a completely different way of thinking about careers. After visiting more than 300 schools across...
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#114 Natalia Hogan: Homeless at 15. Now Giving Hope to Thousands of Young People
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Natalia Hogan, youth advocate, speaker and founder of The Bridge Project, to hear one of the most powerful and courageous stories ever shared on the podcast. After experiencing foster care, homelessness, couch surfing and…
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#113 Tanvir Kaur Sohi: “I Was on the Verge of Giving Up” to Thriving Student Leader in Just 10 Weeks
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Tanvir Kaur Sohi, Bachelor of Psychological Science student at Deakin University, podcast host, VC Scholar and emerging student leader, to explore how one decision to say “yes” completely changed the trajectory of her…
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#112 An Interview with Josh Farr: Why Service is the Ultimate Business Strategy, and How Generosity + Relationships Drive Growth
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, the tables are turned as Josh Farr is interviewed by a group of university students about his entrepreneurial journey, the philosophy behind Campus Consultancy, and why the best businesses are built by serving people first. Rather than chasing...
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#111 Smita Maruti: What 1 Million Student Job Searches Reveal About Careers, Employability and Getting Hired
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Smita Maruti, Coordinator, Industry Engagement, Careers and Employability at the University of Melbourne, to unpack what more than one million student job search views reveal about career ambitions, employer expectations…
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#110 Lushomo Chinganya: UMSU President on Representation, Cost of Living and Building Communities Students Can See Themselves In
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Lushomo (Lushy) Chinganya, President of the University of Melbourne Student Union, Hansen Scholar and Biomedicine student, to explore what it means to represent 78,000+ students while studying, volunteering and leading...
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#109 Will Towart: How a Student Leader Sold $27,000 of Ball Tickets in 12 Seconds
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Will Towart, Ball and External Events Representative at Mannix College Student Society, to unpack the strategy, leadership and creativity behind the biggest and most successful Mannix Ball in recorded history. “We hit refresh,...
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#108 Casey Geaghan: Inside Student Retention Data and "The Success Monitor" at Federation University
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Casey Geaghan, Strategic Lead of Student Access and Retention at Federation University Australia. With more than a decade working across student engagement, partnerships and retention strategy, Casey shares how universities…
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#107 Zeecee Moskow: RMIT Online’s Student Success Manager on Why Universities Must Rethink the Modern Student Experience
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Zeecee Moskow, Student Success Manager at RMIT Online, to explore how universities must evolve to support a new generation of students balancing work, family, financial pressure and study. “Belonging doesn’t necessarily mean...
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#106 Mark Trevaskis: CEO of the University of Newcastle Students' Association on Campus Collaboration, DGR Status and Funding the Future of Student Organisations
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Mark Trevaskis, CEO of the University of Newcastle Students’ Association, to explore what it takes to build stronger student organisations through collaboration, culture and smarter funding models. Mark shares why he takes his...
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#105 Jessica Jayaswal: 1 Year Later - Multi-Award Winning 'Volunteer of the Year', 120 Hours of Volunteering + Paid Work Secured!
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Jessica Jayaswal, a student at the University of Wollongong, to unpack what can happen when a student leaves a workshop and actually takes action. “Don’t get intimidated by it. It’s okay to gradually grow and just take small...
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#104 Josh Farr Teaches Marketing 101: The ONLY 8 Ways To Market ANYTHING to ANYONE
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr teaches a live student audience the fundamentals of Marketing 101 and why great ideas only matter if the right people actually know about them. Drawing on lessons from recruitment, business, content creation and student engagement, Josh…
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#103 Michael Berkman: Greens MP on Power, Advocacy and Why Real Change Comes From Community
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with MP Michael Berkman, Member for Maiwar, to unpack what it really takes to create change in the real world. “A win doesn’t involve something coming out with a Green’s logo branded on it. It’s just seeing an actual outcome.” From...
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#102 Zoe Lewis: UOW Pulse Marketing Coordinator on the “B.E.S.T.” Marketing Strategy that Led to RECORD SETTING Follower Growth!
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Zoe Lewis, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at UOW Pulse, to unpack what actually works when it comes to engaging students in a crowded, noisy digital world. From her journey transitioning from student to staff member…
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#101 Kashish Saini: Attending Josh's Workshop Led to 4x Leadership Roles in Months!
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Kashish Saini, a student at the University of Auckland, to unpack what’s possible when you stop waiting and start showing up. After attending a student leadership summit, Kashish took immediate action, stepping into multiple...
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#100 Noah Yang: From KPMG to Raising $3.3m for Homelessness Support, Lessons in Leadership + Living with Purpose and Passion
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Noah Yang, Founder and CEO of We Are Mobilise, and Forbes 30 Under 30 Awardee, to explore his journey from Monash University student to KPMG Management Consultant to Youtube Influencer to building one of Australia’s most...
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#99 Donna Ballard: CEO of Taree Universities Campus on Regional Study, Local Jobs + Innovation Approaches to Student Support
On today’s episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Donna Ballard, CEO of Taree Universities Campus, to explore how regional university study hubs are changing what higher education can look like for students outside the major cities. Donna shares how TUC is helping students…
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#98 Claude Silver: VaynerX Chief Heart Officer on Why the Future of Leadership Is Human
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX and author of Be Yourself at Work. Claude has built one of the most influential leadership roles in modern business, focusing on trust, belonging, psychological safety and…
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#97 Mish Eastman: RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Vocational Education) and Vice-President - "It's not about study load, it's about work conditions"
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Mish Eastman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Vocational Education) and Vice-President at RMIT University, to explore RMIT’s entire College of Vocational Education, shaping industry partnerships, applied learning models and…
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#96 Megan Pozzi: Director (Student Life) UniSQ: Why Fun, Governance and “Failing Cheerfully” Are the Future of Higher Ed Leadership
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Megan Pozzi, Director (Student Life) at the University of Southern Queensland, to unpack leadership at scale across teams of 120+ staff touching every student in the university. From launching “The Long Night Against...
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#95 Yolanda Saiz: CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW on Supporting 225,000 Lives and Leadership That Walks With People
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Yolanda Saiz, CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, an organisation with more than 12,500 members and volunteers, 226 retail shops, close to 100 programs and services, and over $15 million delivered annually in financial and...
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#94 SENCON Best Newcomers: Kim, Jamie & Victoria on Scaling Student Experience for Success
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by SENCON Best Newcomer Award Nominees Kim White, Jamie Chambers, and Victoria Turner to unpack what truly drives student belonging and success inside modern universities. Drawing on their leadership across policy, program design, and...
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#93 Saving Students $5m Annually: Gabriel Boyd on Power, Policy, and Student Voice at Scale
In this sharp and outcomes-focused episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Gabriel Boyd, 2025 President of the Auckland University Students’ Association, to unpack how student leadership can drive real policy change at scale. “I spent a lot of time walking around campus holding…
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#92 Kelly Linden: “The Problem Really Is Us!" CSU Sub Dean Retention + ACSES Equity Fellow on What Universities Get Wrong About Retention and How to Fix It
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Kelly Linden, Sub-Dean of Student Retention at Charles Sturt University and 2025 ACSES Equity Fellow, to unpack what actually works when it comes to student success and retention. “If we just have our subjects clear, accessible…
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#91 Oliver Oh: The Student Who Flew Across the Country to Create His Own Internship - “Don’t Take No as the Final Answer.”
In this inspiring episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Oliver Oh, an Economics and Finance undergraduate at James Cook University, whose story shows what happens when students stop waiting for permission and start taking initiative. " The one way you actually build the skills...
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#90 Ann Sherry AO - Chancellor of QUT: Why Curiosity, Flexibility and Context Are the Real Work of Leadership
On this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Ann Sherry AO (Chancellor of QUT) to reflect on leadership across banking, government, universities, and some of Australia’s most complex institutions. Drawing on her experience as Chancellor of QUT and board leadership spanning...
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#89 Thisath Senevirathne "Coming To Your Event... Best Decision of The Year" ~ Volunteering, Networking, and The Power of Decisions That Shape Your Life!
In this energising episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Thisath Senevirathne, President of the La Trobe Engineering Society, to explore how small decisions can completely change a student’s trajectory. Arriving in Australia as an international student, Thisath shares how…
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#88 Amelia Hands: 500+ Gen Z Students on Pathways, Pre-University Pressure and "They Think It's Over!"
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Amelia Hands, Head of Senior School at Varsity College and author of Pathways in Queensland: SET Plan Success, to unpack what she sees working with over 500 Gen Z students every year. “They feel like if they get it wrong before…
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#87 James Schlunke: Inside Australia’s #1 Graduate Programs and Why What You Do Outside Class Matters Most For Career Skills + Readiness
In this practical and straight-talking episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by James Schlunke, Head of Early Careers at Capgemini AUNZ, to unpack what actually drives employability in 2026. “I would challenge every student to have at least one customer-facing job, because that’s...
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#86 Dale Leszczynski: Head of AI Education @ RMIT on Being Human in an AI World and 'Not Making Things Worse'
In this timely and thought-provoking episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Dale Leszczynski, Head of AI Education at RMIT University, to unpack what it really means to learn, lead, and stay human in an AI-enabled world. Dale cuts through hype and fear to explore how students,...
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#85 Colm Gannon: From Counter-Terrorism to Child Protection; Purpose-Driven Leadership and Passionate Team Building
In this powerful episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Colm Gannon, CEO of ICMEC Australia, to explore what purpose-driven leadership looks like when the work is emotionally heavy and morally urgent. Drawing on his journey from counter-terrorism and victim identification to...
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#84 Corey Tutt OAM: CEO of DeadlyScience, Young Australian of The Year Finalist and Proud Kamilaroi Man on Leadership, Life and Learning from Dirt Roads to F1 Cars
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr sits down with Corey Tutt, Founder and CEO of DeadlyScience, to unpack what ethical, community-led leadership really looks like when the stakes are real. “Every day is an opportunity to make tomorrow better.” From a childhood shaped by trauma…
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#83 Tayla Naicker: Former IG and Magazine Model asks, “Why do you want to be an influencer?” The Dark Side of Modelling and Online Fame + Hope Through Service For Young People As Future Leaders
Today, on Better Student Leaders, I’m joined by Tayla Naicker. Tayla spent a decade in the modelling industry after being discovered at just 12 years old, working across Australia, Singapore, London, Milan and Los Angeles, signing with major agencies and building a large online following. From…
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#82 Davy Roe: Founder, UNSA Run Club: Why A Run Club Is One of the Most Powerful Student Communities on Campus
Today on Better Student Leaders, I’m joined by Davy Roe, Events Officer at the University of Newcastle Students Association and the creator of UNSA Run Club. What started as a simple idea turned into a weekly ritual where students build friendships, confidence, and belonging through movement. No...
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#81 Sahel Mohammed: Club of The Year President Shares What It ACTUALLY TAKES plus BIG Mistakes To Avoid Being A Leader at UTS
Today, on Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Sahel Mohammed, recipient of the UTS Student Life Medallion, the highest recognition the university awards for student leadership and legacy. From joining clubs in his very first week at university to leading award-winning programs…
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#80 Paris Mordecai: How Indigenous STEM Outreach Changes Lives, Identity, and Creates Pathways That Actually Work
Today, on Better Student Leaders, I’m joined by Paris Mordecai. Paris is a proud Widjabul woman, born and raised on Bundjalung Country. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies and Criminology from the University of Melbourne and is currently the Senior Coordinator, STEM Outreach…
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#79 Jared Tippets: How the ASCEND Model Lifts Retention in 6 Steps
Today on Better Student Leaders, I’m joined by Jared Tippets, Vice President for Student Affairs at Southern Utah University and co-author of Ascend to Higher Retention Rates. With more than two decades in student success, Jared shares how the ASCEND framework has helped lift retention by...
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#78 AI CEO Ada Guan Shares 10 Years of Lessons: Why Curiosity Is Key For The Future Every Student and Leader Is Entering
Today on Better Student Leaders, RDC.AI CEO Ada Guan reflects on a decade at the front edge of artificial intelligence and what that journey reveals about the future students and leaders are stepping into right now. From building AI before it was mainstream to helping organisations unlock…
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#77 Australia in 2100: MP Leon Rebello on Housing, Hope and Why Young Australians Still Matter More Than Ever!
Today, on Better Student Leaders, we’re joined by Leon Rebello MP, the youngest member of the coalition in the Australian Parliament and the Federal Member for McPherson. From starting his career in the parliamentary basement mailroom to delivering his maiden speech in the House of…
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#76 From Invisible to In-Demand: Fabiola Campbell on The Social Capital Gap Facing Migrant Women, The D.A.R.E. Framework and Why Women MUST Reclaim Power in Australia
In this powerful episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Fabiola Campbell, founder of Professional Migrant Women and bestselling author of Own It, to unpack the hidden reality facing professional migrant women in Australia. Fabiola shares what happens when highly capable women...
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#75 Fed Uni Vice-Chancellor & President Duncan Bentley on Leadership, the Future of Regional Universities, and Responding After the Tragedy at Bondi Beach
In this episode of Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Professor Duncan Bentley, Vice-Chancellor and President of Federation University Australia, for a wide-ranging and deeply human conversation about leadership, community, and the future of higher education. Duncan reflects on his...
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#74 The CEO of Netflix said, “Get Out!” - Nitzan Pelman on Social Capital (Former Entrepreneur-In-Residence at LinkedIn and CEO of Climb Together) + Why 70% of Jobs Come From WHO You Know
Today on Better Student Leaders, Josh Farr is joined by Nitzan Pelman, four-time social entrepreneur, Presidential Leadership Scholar, Aspen Fellow, former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at LinkedIn, and now CEO and Founder of Climb Together. In this actionable and insightful episode, Nitzan breaks…
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About this show
Welcome to Better Student Leaders with Josh Farr. This podcast explores the fascinating world of student leadership with a focus on clubs, societies, colleges, mentoring and leadership programs. I’m your host, Josh. I’ll bring you leaders from across the student leadership sector and show you how they are realizing the potential of connected and empowered student communities. Expect to hear challenges, creative solutions, innovative uses of AI and case-studies of what works to move the needle and get results with students. Love the show? Connect via https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdfarr
Hosted by
Josh Farr (Founder, Campus Consultancy)
Categories