The University of Western Australia has launched a new endowed Chair with the appointment of Michelle Scott OAM as the inaugural McCusker Chair in Citizenship. Ms Scott has more than 30 years’ experience leading and influencing government and community organisations to address and reduce complex social challenges and was WA’s first Commissioner for Children and Young People, from 2007 to 2013. Ms Scott takes on the new role after leading the McCusker Centre for Citizenship as Director since its establishment in late 2015. The Centre works closely with students and more than 500 partner organisations to provide students with a structured pathway to develop a sense of civic responsibility and hopefully a life long commitment to active citizenship.
UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma said the new Chair was a significant development for the Centre, which was established in 2015 with a generous donation from the McCusker Charitable Foundation and has expanded significantly since, with more than 3,600 internships now undertaken through its flagship internship program and students already contributing almost 400,000 hours in projects that directly benefit the community. “The formation of the McCusker Chair in Citizenship will enable the continued expansion of the McCusker Centre for Citizenship to meet growing student and community demand,” Professor Chakma said. “The Centre’s vision of creating and fostering community-minded thinkers and leaders reflects UWA’s commitment to advance the prosperity and welfare of all Western Australians and its desire to be deeply engaged with its communities locally, nationally, and globally.”
The launch of the Chair was attended by McCusker Charitable Foundation board members Malcolm McCusker AC CVO KC, Tonya McCusker AM and former Children’s Court president Judge Denis Reynolds AM, along with members of the Centre’s Student Advisory Committee.