Distance no match for Jennifer’s dedication to study social impact
Growing up in the tropical rainforests of Far North Queensland, Jennifer King was fascinated from an early age by the environment and sustainability.
“From crocodiles in the estuaries and snakes in backyard pools, it was clear to see the impact that people were having on the natural environment,” she says.
Years later, while working in financial services, Jennifer was drawn back to her social and environmental interests as she sought a career change to a role with greater social impact.
“The impacts of climate change are going to amplify environmental and social challenges across the board,” she says. “I want to help communities build social resilience to face this. Studying with the Centre of Social Impact has been invaluable to increase my skill set to help face these issues.”
AN INSPIRING COMMITMENT TO FURTHER STUDY SOCIAL IMPACT
Jennifer enrolled in the Master in Social Impact at Swinburne University after completing a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact at the University of Western Australia.
For Jennifer, who travels interstate between Canberra and Melbourne to complete her degree, receiving a Centre for Social Impact Scholarship of $10,000 has provided welcome extra support to pursue further study alongside being a parent and her existing career.
“The scholarship has made the difference between me being able to study and not being able to study,” she says.
“I’m forever grateful to the Centre for this gift and I hope to do them proud with where I land in the future.”
Initially, Jennifer chose to study social change to help her cultivate more purpose and impact in her existing field of business development.
“At the time, the royal commission into banking and financial services was occurring, I wanted to understand how corporations could create a deliberate, positive impact in their communities, their clients and their employees,” explains Jennifer. “One of my colleagues had studied a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact at UWA, and it sounded like the perfect next step for me.”
Through her studies and her most recent role as a Senior Sustainability and Climate Change Analyst at Deloitte , Jennifer has found her passion for applying systems-thinking to sustainability and social impact.
“When I started my studies, I was more interested in the corporate sector but now I am more interested in how government drives change at the systems level.”
For Jennifer, the breadth and depth of her postgraduate subjects has been invaluable to her development as a systems thinker and social-change leader.
“I’ve really enjoyed the corporate social responsibility class because it’s given me a new lens. Now I understand the theories behind how and why corporations make social responsibility decisions.
“The leadership class has also been very formative as it taught me about my own, and others’ personal drivers, and how to harness them effectively in a team setting.”
Apply for a social impact scholarship
BUILDING A CAREER WITH SOCIAL PURPOSE
Jennifer began her career in financial services, working at various high-profile institutions for a little over a decade. In 2016, as she was seeking work with a social purpose, Jennifer took a position with the City of Perth. She went on to hold business development roles at AIA Insurance, WA Health and Western Australian Country Health Services.
Since completing her Graduate Certificate in Social Impact in 2022, Jennifer worked for Deloitte, initially in Perth and now in the Sustainability and Climate Change team in Canberra.
“At Deloitte, I mainly focussed on issues around climate change and adaptation and from a Canberra team perspective that meant working with the Federal Government,” explains Jennifer.
Since meeting her husband, who works in the army, Jennifer frequently moves interstate, which has given her a unique vantage point for creating social impact in Australia.
“Moving around has given me insight into the beauty of each area in Australia, as well as the different subcultures and personalities of each state and city.”
A UNIQUE OUTLOOK FOR DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE
This broad life experience, as well as her career in business development and her studies in social change, give Jennifer a unique outlook for driving social impact. Jennifer’s next steps will see her apply this outlook to influencing system-level change.
“I am hoping to continue my career journey where I can drive social resilience within Australia and create positive social and environmental impact,” she says.
As she looks forward to her upcoming graduation ceremony, Jennifer hopes to encourage anyone with a dream of further study.
“I'd like to tell people to follow their heart, and if there’s something on your mind that you’d like to study, then do it. The worst thing you can do is not try.”
Find out more about a postgraduate degree in social impact here .
