DUSA Intern Profile: Anisha

Each year, DUSA recruits Student Engagement and Student Welfare interns to work at our Burwood and Geelong campuses. A DUSA internship is a great chance to gain professional experience, build confidence, develop skills, and help deliver programs and services that make a positive difference to students.

Curious about what it’s like to be a DUSA intern? We asked Anisha David (current Welfare Intern at Burwood campus) to share her thoughts on what the role involves, what she’s learned, and what she’s gained from her time working at DUSA.

What attracted you to apply for a DUSA internship?

Initially, I was drawn to the incredible work DUSA does to support student wellbeing. As an international student myself, I’ve personally benefited from DUSA’s initiatives, which had a meaningful impact on my student experience. I also really value how DUSA creates opportunities for students to volunteer, get involved in events, and connect with support services.

Studying Nutrition and Population Health, I was particularly excited about the internship’s focus on tackling food insecurity and promoting student welfare, values that strongly resonate with me. I wanted to be part of a team that makes a genuine difference in students’ lives, just as DUSA has done for me.

What sort of tasks are involved in your role?

One of the most important parts of my role involves supporting students through various DUSA assistance programs such as the Survival Centre, Transport Assistance, and the Work & Development Permit Scheme. This includes managing student cases, booking appointments, understanding their challenges, offering guidance, and providing appropriate referrals to ensure they receive the right support.

Another key aspect of my role is coordinating the Free Breakfast Program every Wednesday (during study weeks) ordering supplies, setting up, serving, and packing up afterwards. During my term, I also introduced themed breakfasts, where we collaborated with key support teams to engage with students and raise awareness about wellbeing and available services.

In addition, I assist with maintaining the Survival Centre, including stocktaking and organising the Food Pantry to ensure students have consistent access to essential items. I’m also involved in brainstorming and organising meaningful activations during themed weeks and working with the team on social media content to promote DUSA’s services and events to reach more students.

Overall, my role is about creating a welcoming and supportive space where students feel heard, cared for, and connected.

What does an average week look like for you juggling studies, your internship and life in general?

During this internship, I was also completing my placement, studying full time, and volunteering as a Peer Mentor, so my weeks were definitely busy. But I managed everything well because the DUSA team was very supportive and the flexible hours really helped me balance it all.

My week usually included student appointments, team meetings, working on projects, updating files, and ordering or stocktaking for the Survival Centre. There were also fun and engaging days like setting up for the Free Breakfast, chatting with students, playing music as our “DJ,” or creating social media content.

One of my favourites and most memorable experiences was organising the Wellbeing Mingle event. Seeing it all come together and watching students connect and enjoy themselves was such a rewarding feeling that reminded me why I love being part of this work.

Overall, even though it was a busy schedule, it was incredibly fulfilling and helped me gain perspective on my career goals while building so many practical and interpersonal skills.

What have been some highlights of your internship?

The biggest highlight for me was definitely the Wellbeing Mingle event, which I proposed and organised in collaboration with several Deakin support teams including DeakinTALENT and Deakin Medical. We set up a fun and welcoming space with tea, coffee, snacks, popcorn, and a photobooth for students to enjoy. The feedback we received was amazing, and seeing everyone come together made it such a rewarding experience.

Another major highlight was getting to contribute to DUSA Budget Bites. As a Nutrition student, I loved creating recipe cards and videos to help students with affordable meal prep ideas. It was a great way to combine my passion for nutrition with student wellbeing.

Apart from these projects, this being my first professional experience made every moment special. I’ve developed so many valuable skills in organisation, leadership, communication, and teamwork, all of which I’m truly grateful for.

What do you wish you’d known before you started?

To be fair, I didn’t know a lot before starting, as this was my first professional working experience. Looking back, the main thing I wish I’d known was to be more confident when presenting ideas and speaking up in meetings. I also wish I’d known a few more organisational hacks earlier on, which I’ve picked up along the way.

Overall, every challenge became a learning opportunity, and I’m proud of how much I’ve grown both personally and professionally through this internship.

What advice would you give to anyone interested in a DUSA Internship?

My advice would be to just be yourself and approach everything with kindness and enthusiasm. Help every student to the best of your ability and don’t be afraid to bring your personality into what you do. Take initiative, be open to learning new skills that resonate with you and never hesitate to ask questions. Be confident as you have an amazing team that will support you every step of the way.

Most importantly, enjoy the experience. It’s such a rewarding opportunity to grow, connect with others, and make a real difference in students’ lives.