Better Student Leaders with Josh Farr

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 wom...

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 campa...

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 depen...

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...

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 stude...

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 vo...

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 s...

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,...

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...

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 re...

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 exciting social impact organisations. You may have heard of We Are Mobilise from the Netflix special &#39...

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 stay local, study with support, connect with employers, access placements, and build real pathways int...

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 human-centered leadership across thousands of employees worldwide. Drawing on decades of experience developing hig...

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 future-focused education pathways that support thousands of learners across multiple sectors Three reasons to liste...

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 Procrastination” to serving as Captain Starlight in children’s hospitals, Megan blends strategy, evidence, imagina...

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 material aid. In New South Wales alone, the Society supported around 225,000 people last year, including...

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 student engagement, they challenge outdated assumptions and explore how clarity, communication, and...

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 a sign above my head, saying, 'What would you like to see at the university? What would improve your un...

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, and easy to navigate, it has the most impact on student success.” Drawing on large-scale data, lived te...

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 is just by doing it. Just doing more of the actual thing you want to get better at." From participat...

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 superannuation, airports, and global organisations, Ann unpacks why modern leadership is no longer about...

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 saying yes to volunteering, committing to Toastmasters, and leaning into networking unlocked leadership r...

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 they leave school, it’s all over.” Amelia brings a rare pre-university lens, sharing what students reall...

In this practical and straight-talking episode of Better Student Leaders , Josh Farr is joined by J ames 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 where real employability is built.” Drawing on a decade building one of Australia’s top-ranked grad...

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, educators, and leaders can use AI responsibly without losing identity, ethics, or community. "St...