Student Reflection: Interest Project
Steele from Bamba class recently explored Australian politics through his interest project, taking his research further by interviewing professionals working in government and public service. Below, he shares his reflections on the experience and the valuable insights he gained from speaking with experts in the field.
“Exhibitions are vital to the overall learning experience. A facet of exhibitions is interest projects. This term, I have decided to research Australian politics and campaign runs. When I was considering how to take my interest project to the next level, I thought about expert interviews, a part of interest projects that is commonly neglected.
On the fourth of June, I interviewed Robert Schmidt, the current deputy mayor and state councillor. I found my interview to be an enlightening experience; I learned a lot about government and Rockingham as a whole. It was an amazing opportunity to have Robert on campus and interview him in person.
Robert Schmidt isn’t the only expert on my topic who I interviewed. Georgia Tree is an author, speechwriter, and advisor for Madeline King, Minister for Resources. I was lucky that both of my interview candidates were willing to participate; however, I was only able to conduct a video call interview with Georgia. Despite this small hiccup, I found our interview educational and slightly different from interviewing Robert Schmidt.
It was fascinating to learn about the different experiences and roles within government.”
Steele's initiative in seeking out expert perspectives demonstrates the depth of inquiry encouraged through interest projects. By connecting his research with real-world experiences, he gained valuable insights into the workings of government while developing his confidence as a researcher and interviewer. We thank Robert Schmidt and Georgia Tree for generously sharing their time and expertise, and we congratulate Steele on his thoughtful and engaging exploration of Australian politics.
