Samantha Hayhoe first discovered digital media as a volunteer with her kids’ football club – now, thanks to CQUniversity, her newfound skills are helping deliver big projects for her community.
It comes as CQU’s Bachelor of Digital Media is preparing to providing fresh support for not-for-profit projects through its pro bono design and production consultancy program in 2025.
For the past decade, the annual program has assigned students to work directly with community clients, to deliver creative and design projects across web, social media, print, tv and audio.
Samantha, who began Digital Media in 2021, this year worked with three other students to deliver the Bundy Street Law website for the homeless persons’ legal aid service.
“The course had covered web design, so I had some foundational skills – but this was the first time I’d been working on a project to go live, so it was exciting to really push myself,” she said.
“Being in a team was reassuring though, through developing the plan, to delivering the final project, we all had each other’s back, and bring our own skills.”
Students work on their projects over two terms (24 weeks), and Digital Media Lecturer and the project supervisor Regina John Luan said the Bundy Street Law project was a big achievement for the local community.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see our students bring their ideas to life in their final projects,” Ms Luan said.
“For Bundy Street Law, the team’s professionalism and teamwork, working with a real client and to benefit Bundaberg’s community, it really showed how our students are prepared for the real world.”
Set to graduate in July next year, Samantha’s already putting her skills to more use, for the Waves Football Club, and for Bundaberg AFL 9s.
“That’s where it all started: my husband and my sons play footy, and I don’t like just sitting here, so I started to volunteer, and those roles made me realise I had a passion and talent for digital media,” she said.
With more than 20 years of experience in retail, CQU was Samantha’s first experience of university, and she began with the Skills for Tertiary Entrance Preparation Studies (STEPS) pathway program.
“It was a shock to the system, report writing and referencing – although my two oldest children were in high school at the time, and saying, ‘oh it’s easy mum!’” she laughed.
“Well, it was more like a foreign language to me, but I was so thankful I did STEPS, it made it make sense, and it’s the reason I’m getting such good results now.”
“Now I’m on the final stretch, and this experience creating a website to this standard – I know now this is what I want to do!”
For 2025 pro bono design and production consultancy program , Digital Media Lecturer Regina John Luanis inviting the community to apply for free support and development of digital media projects like educational videos, documentaries, promotional materials, public information campaigns, 2D or 3D animations, photography, graphic design, and interactive experiences like websites and games.
To register your interest, or for more information about the project, email Regina John Luan via r.johnluan@cqu.edu.au by 2 December 2024.
Explore the Bachelor of Digital Media, available flexibly online or in Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Cairns, Mackay and Brisbane, via CQU’s course information page.
