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 across campus.“Be bold in the way that you want to approach things!”From becoming the second Black woman ever elected UMSU President through to championing student voice, cultural celebration, cost-of-living support and student-led advocacy, Lushomo shares how representation, listening and community-building can help students feel seen, supported and powerful.3 Topics we have NEVER discussed on this podcast before, including:1. What it means to be the second Black woman elected UMSU President, and why representation changes what students believe is possible2. How cost-of-living pressure is reshaping student engagement, with students missing campus life because they are working more hours just to get through uni3. Why cultural celebration, collectives and student-led spaces like Africa Day can build belonging, pride and real advocacy across a massive university communityStay in touch with Lushy and let her know what you thought of the podcast. Connect here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lushomo-chinganya-06709a2b5/To speak with Josh about supporting your leaders, connect with him here https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshdfarr/ or visit https://www.campusconsultancy.org/ to find out how he can help you.Did you love this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and hit SUBSCRIBE before you go anywhere!

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, and we do $27,000 of sales in 12 seconds.”From booking a major DJ act and building viral hype campaigns through to leading a volunteer team and generating record-breaking ticket sales, Will shares what it actually takes to create an event students cannot stop talking about.3 Reasons to Listen / 3 Topics we have NEVER discussed on this podcast before, including:How Will and his team generated $27,000 in ticket sales within 12 seconds and sold more tickets in 3 minutes than the previous year sold in total ($80,000+!!!)Why teasing, mystery and “there’s no way” moments became the key marketing strategy behind making the event feel unmissableHow stepping back from micromanaging and empowering volunteers helped transform “my event” into a shared mission for the whole committeeDid you love this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and hit SUBSCRIBE before you go anywhere!

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 are increasingly shifting to data-informed decision making, and why the future of student success depends on understanding what actually keeps students enrolled, progressing and connected.3 Reasons to Listen / 3 Topics we have NEVER discussed on this podcast before, including:How universities are using retention, progression and engagement data to identify which students are most at risk of disengaging before they drop outWhy student engagement teams must evolve beyond running events and start proving measurable impact through strategy, systems and success monitoringWhat universities are learning from the intersection of access, equity, wellbeing and retention data, and how that could reshape student support over the next decadeTo learn more about our work, visit www.campusconsultancy.org

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 being in person next to someone anymore.” 3 Reasons to Listen + 3 Topics we have NEVER discussed on this podcast before, including:Why universities are still “lifting and shifting” old learning models online instead of intentionally designing experiences for modern students balancing work, caregiving and study The hidden equity challenge facing online students, including why many pay student fees but still feel invisible to clubs, careers services and campus culture Why the future of university may be a fully flexible hybrid model where students move between online, asynchronous and on-campus learning depending on what’s happening in their lives Be sure to connect and follow Zeecee on LinkedIn, here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeecee/

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 team across the country to learn from other campuses, how UNSA is integrating clubs, events and student experience to create bigger impact with less friction, and why student associations should have access to DGR status to better fund welfare, wellbeing and support services for students.“We should have automatic DGR status.”Three reasons to listenLearn why visiting other campuses and building sector relationships can spark better ideas, stronger teams and more collaborative student organisationsHear how UNSA is scaling student impact by connecting clubs, events, wellbeing and university teams in creative, low-cost waysUnderstand why DGR status could unlock new funding opportunities for student associations supporting food security, cost of living and student welfareBe sure to connect and follow Mark on LinkedIn here!

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 steps.”After attending ULead, Jess turned one goal, to get more engaged at uni, into 120+ hours of volunteering, multiple leadership roles, paid opportunities on campus, experience in the Wollongong Courthouse, and major recognition including Outstanding New Volunteer of the Year and Young Person Environmentalist of the Year. This is a brilliant example of how small, consistent steps can snowball into real confidence, skills, impact and opportunity.Three reasons to listen today:Hear a real example of what happens when a student turns goal setting into action and follows through over timeLearn how volunteering and leadership can build practical skills like communication, teamwork and time management that employers actually valueTake away a reassuring message that you do not need to do something huge straight away, you just need to start and keep growing

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 breaks down the classic marketing funnel, top of funnel, middle of funnel and bottom of funnel, and shows students how to move people from awareness to trust to action. Three reasons to listenLearn a simple, practical marketing framework you can use for your project, job search, events or personal brandUnderstand the difference between awareness, trust and action, and why all three matter if you want people to engageTake away 8 clear ways to market an idea using one-to-one, one-to-many, digital and in-person strategies“This is super important to understand. Marketing 101 is about people knowing who you are and what you do. No one can engage with you - or hire you - if they don't know you exist!”

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 his journey as an environmental lawyer into politics, Michael shares why facts alone aren’t enough, how power actually works, and why building community and collective action is the key to shifting outcomes. This episode is a powerful look at advocacy, civic engagement, and how student leaders can move from frustration to real impact.Three reasons to listen:Understand why having the “right ideas” isn’t enough and how real-world change actually happensLearn how students can build collective power and influence decisions beyond just votingHear why big ideas and community pressure can shift what’s politically possible

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 at the University of Wollongong, Zoe shares how creativity, consistency and strategy combine to drive real outcomes, and breaks down her “B.E.S.T.” framework for creating content that builds trust and gets action.Three reasons to listen:Learn a simple but powerful framework (B.E.S.T.: Bond, Educate, Showcase, Tell) to create content that actually drives engagementUnderstand how to cut through the noise and prioritise messaging when everything feels important on campusHear why experimenting, staying consistent and showing real people is the key to building trust with student audiences

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 roles across events, marketing, PR and leadership in a matter of months. This episode is a powerful reminder that opportunities are rarely far away, but they do require presence, initiative and the courage to put yourself in the room.Three reasons to listen:Learn why “just showing up” is one of the most underrated but powerful strategies for student successUnderstand how small actions like starting conversations can unlock leadership roles and hidden opportunitiesTake away a simple mindset shift around documenting your journey so others can see your value“I believe that no matter what, just show up because showing up in itself creates a lot of opportunities for you.”