Leading alumni bring clout to degree

In a first of its kind in the Australian higher education sector, Charles Sturt University has appointed four alumni as Adjunct Lecturers to help develop and deliver the new Bachelor of Communication.

Updated with strategic communication, news and media, and design and content creation specialisations, it’s designed to keep our graduates at the front of the pack. And with alumni dedicated to shaping the future of the industry, it’s sure to be a winner.

Growing up in Armidale, Stephanie Hunt wanted to be a journalist and see the world. She was able to carve out an impressive career in broadcast journalism, working her way through the ranks in Australia before moving to London and working for the BBC and then onto Al Jazeera in Doha. In 2016, Stephanie joined Storyful, the first social media newswire created to break the news faster, sourcing and verifying content for news organisations like The Wall Street Journal and New York Times. She credits her career success to a step-by-step increase in confidence and experience, starting at Charles Sturt in Bathurst.

THRIVE: Why did you choose to study journalism at Charles Sturt? Stephanie: I always loved English and Geography and I loved people. It was my Mum who suggested journalism because she knew they were my passions and my strengths. I had an cousin in the industry and he said, ‘You’ve got to study at Charles Sturt. It’s the university to go to if you want to be a journalist.’ From then on, that’s where I wanted to go.

I was impressed that it was such a hands-on degree. If you studied comms at Charles Sturt, you were a great asset to a newsroom. You could just crack on with the job.

THRIVE: Tell us about your work today at Storyful. Stephanie: One of the biggest challenges journalism faces at the moment is that it’s evolving and transforming quickly with technological advances, and journalists have to know how to digitally fact check, how to work out information from misinformation and disinformation tactics. Storyful was created to help find and verify video content and share it with global newsrooms. We discover and verify incredible, compelling video that people shoot on their phones. Whatever the biggest, breaking global story is, that’s what we chase.

THRIVE: Why did you want to be involved in developing and delivering the new Bachelor of Communication degree? Stephanie: I think it’s a real honour to tell someone’s story and be the person standing up, questioning authority. We need journalism to keep finding the truth in society and it concerns me if the role of journalism is diminished.

I’ve had a wonderful career, and I’m passionate about supporting future journalists. I’m excited to be involved to help equip future journalists to meet those demands. Plus, it’s a lovely way to reconnect with the university.

It was a love of photography that initially brought James Wells to Charles Sturt but he got a taste for print journalism and that quickly became his passion. When not hanging out in the university dark room printing photos, James worked on student newspaper, Interpolator, and began honing his skills as an editor. Apart from a stint as a professional photographer during the Sydney Olympics, James has worked in publishing for 25 years producing specialist magazines, a line of work he got a taste for during a university internship.

THRIVE: How would you describe your experiences at Charles Sturt in Bathurst? James: I grew socially and academically. I got an appreciation for very different parts of the media and how they all worked together. The university has a commitment to push the envelope and challenge students to try new things, and experiment with technology in a safe environment. We took risks and made mistakes in a safe environment before we were released out into the real world.

I got some work on the student newspaper and that was intoxicating. I became the editor in 1997 and feel as though I’m still perfecting the craft I started back then.

THRIVE: How did you get into specialist publications? James: I attended a lunchtime guest lecture about trade publishing and thought, that’s exactly where I want to be.

I did internships at a metro newspaper, a country newspaper, with AAP Sydney Bureau and at Yaffa publishing. The network and contacts of our lecturers allowed us an enormous spectrum of internship opportunities and it really cemented that business publishing was for me. It was an integral part of my education and I still take Charles Sturt students for internships, I think it does help figure out your direction in life.

THRIVE: Why did you decide to give back to the university as an Adjunct Lecturer? James: I want to keep the fires burning at Charles Sturt and to ensure that those students are receiving another form of professional development from someone who’s working in the field. Half an hour of my time is nothing if it turns on a lightbulb for somebody.

It’s also beneficial for our industry. I want to ensure that the journalism students we’ll be hiring in the weeks, months and years to come have the best skills and outlook. I want them all to be the best they can be and challenge us for our jobs in the years to come.

Denise Driver had tried on a few creative pursuits in her working life before finding her way to Charles Sturt. From initial studies in Visual Arts after school and Graphic Design at TAFE, Denise worked in television on programs like The Biggest Loser and So You Think You Can Dance before moving into broadcast graphics at Nine Entertainment Co. Never afraid of being thrown “in the deep end”, Denise learned quickly on the job but knew she wanted to extend her existing skills so added study to her already full work and home life. She credits studying a Bachelor degree from Charles Sturt with broadening her creative landscape.

THRIVE: How challenging was study and full-time work?

Denise: During my studies, we moved house twice and we fell pregnant. I already had a two-year-old, so it was busy and challenging. The flexibility Charles Sturt offered me was so helpful. I deferred for six months and when I needed extensions on assignments, they were so happy to help. It meant I could study through all of life’s challenges. My job is all about making that visual connection to community not only the facts but the feelings, too. I found that study improved my creative process. I just had a lot more options to draw on. It really helped.

THRIVE: How would you describe your current role?

Denise: Our world is made up of enormous requests and tight deadlines and praying that technology doesn’t crash. In amongst that there’s lots of job satisfaction and pride. For example, the Black Saturday Bushfires in 2009 was my first real national disaster and it was so devastating to see all the footage coming in and then trying to convey the emotion and enormity of that in graphics. Everyone in the newsroom was working together towards the same goal of conveying real stories that really matter. That’s when you bond with your colleagues. It’s high pressure but satisfying.

THRIVE: Why did you want to contribute to the new Bachelor of Communication curriculum?

Denise: I know that without all the people I’ve met who have taught and inspired me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

The inspiration and desire to learn that was imparted on me from the practical creative and insightful faculty at Charles Sturt really helped me along my path. I love what I do and it’s time for me to give back, to give students as much help as I can so they realise their potential, their passions and their path and we have highly skilled graduates in our industry who are clued in and ready to work.