Prize: $AUD1000

The Club Cultural Impact Award celebrates a club that makes all students feel welcome and included, by creating fun, meaningful, and accessible programs that celebrate cultural diversity and bring people together.

The winner of the 2025 Club Cultural Impact Award is the INDONESIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The Indonesian Student Association fosters a vibrant, inclusive community where international and local students can connect through culture, wellbeing, and shared experiences. From welcome events and weekly sports to the iconic Indonesian Night Market and the multi-day ICON conference, their programs celebrate diversity and support student life at every level. With thousands of attendees each year, their impact is both wide-reaching and deeply meaningful.

Prize: $AUD1000

The Club Creative Impact Award recognises a club that’s made a real difference through creativity, using creative expression to make a positive impact and bring people together.

The winner of the Club Creative Impact Award is the DRAWING SOCIETY

DrawSoc is a welcoming and creative student club that brings people together through weekly drawing sessions, online art jams, and fun workshops. Members bond over shared interests and collaborate on projects like zines, competitions, and cross-club events. It’s a lively space where students can express themselves, make friends, and grow their artistic skills.

Prize: $AUD1000

The Club Contribution to Student Wellness award celebrates a club that’s made a positive impact on student wellbeing at UNSW, having helped others feel better, connect, and thrive.

The winner of the Club Contribution to Student Wellness Award is UNSW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

The UNSW International Students’ Association is in its first year, and has built a vibrant, welcoming community that helps students overcome loneliness and feel at home. ISA creates safe spaces for friendship, creativity, and support through inclusive events like picnics, wellbeing workshops, and their flagship Connection Series, making a lasting impact on student wellbeing and belonging. Their ‘International Students Got Talent’ event was supported by Medibank, and captured an enormous audience in person and online around the world.

Prize: $AUD1000

The Religious Community Club Impact Award is a new award this year, to recognise a faith-based club that has made a positive difference in the lives of UNSW students, through community support, inclusive programs, and creating a welcoming space for spiritual connection.

The winner of the 2025 Religious Community Club Impact Award is ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF UNSW

Islamic Society of UNSW has built a vibrant, inclusive community that celebrates cultural diversity and supports international students through meaningful, accessible programming. Signature events like Eid Festivals and Ramadan Iftars bring together over 1,000 attendees, while initiatives like Cultural Nights and Meet & Greets help new students feel welcomed and connected. ISOC’s commitment to ethnocultural expression and belonging makes it a standout force for student wellbeing and engagement.

Prize: $AUD1500 shared between collaborating clubs

The final award is the Collaborative Cultural Impact Club award. It is presented to two or more clubs that teamed up to deliver something amazing for the UNSW community, and celebrates creative and inclusive cultural programs that had a bigger impact thanks to great collaboration.

The winners of the 2025 Collaborative Cultural Impact Club Award are CHINESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION & CHINESE MUSICIAN SOCIETY 

The UNSW Chinese Students Association and Chinese Musician Society joined forces to deliver one of the most impactful cultural events for the campus community — the 2025 Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Sydney Town Hall. With over 1,500 in-person attendees and over 10,000 online viewers, the event showcased traditional and contemporary Chinese performances, coordinated by Chinese Student Association and artistically directed by Chinese Musician Society. Their collaboration brought together students from across universities and backgrounds, creating a powerful celebration of culture, community, and connection.

Prize: $AUD500

The Student Community Impact Award celebrates a student who has made a real difference on campus and beyond by bringing people together, sparking positive change, and making sure everyone felt included along the way.

The winner of the 2025 Student Community Impact Award is ADA CHOI

Ada is undertaking a PhD in Marketing, a is a dedicated student leader whose work has made a real difference for international and postgraduate students at UNSW. She’s led impactful initiatives like the Scam Awareness and Health Information Sessions in Mandarin, supported by Medibank, and created the UNSW Information Handbook to make key resources more accessible. Through her leadership in CSA and the Postgraduate Council, Ada has helped build a more inclusive, connected campus community where students feel supported and empowered.

Prize: $AUD500

The Student Cultural Impact Award recognises a student who’s helped celebrate and support cultural diversity at UNSW by leading the way in connecting students from all backgrounds and making campus a more vibrant, inclusive place.

The winner of the 2025 Student Cultural Impact Award is JASON LAO

Jason is a third year Commerce and Economics student, and President of the Australia-China Youth Association UNSW. He has led with purpose and inclusivity, expanding cultural engagement across a 1,500-member community. He launched the Asia-Australia Careers Exposition, connecting students with industry opportunities across the region, and made ACYA’s events more accessible to both domestic and international audiences. Under his leadership, students from diverse backgrounds have come together to celebrate Chinese and Australian culture in a welcoming and empowering environment.

Prize: $AUD500

The Student Creative Impact Award celebrates a student who’s used creativity to make a positive impact at UNSW, by inspiring others, bringing people together, and showing leadership through their creative talents.

The winner of the Student Creative Impact Award is OLIVER BRUNSDON

Oliver is undertaking Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Music and Bachelor of Engineering. He has made an outstanding creative impact in UNSW’s performing arts, especially through his leadership in Vocallective. His original compositions and arrangements have shaped the ensemble’s success and enriched the university’s artistic community.

Prize: $AUD500

The International Student Impact Award celebrates an international student who’s made a real difference on campus through leadership, organising events, or helping others get involved in the UNSW community.

The winner of the 2025 International Student Impact Award is WILLIAM NGUYEN

William is a third student of Education and Fine Arts, who is a passionate international student leader who founded the UNSW International Students’ Association to create an inclusive space beyond nationality-based clubs. Under his leadership, ISA grew to over 500 members in six months and won Arc’s ‘New Club of the Year’ award. He was instrumental in forging partnership with Medibank to launch UNSW’s first ‘International Students Got Talent’, and lead wellbeing and career events for thousands of students.  William’s initiatives have strengthened connection, confidence, and community across campus.

Prize: $500

The Student Above and Beyond Award goes to a student who’s always stepping up to make campus better for others. Through extra effort, kindness, or support, they consistently go the extra mile to help fellow UNSW students thrive.

The winner of the Student Above and Beyond Award is JOSEPH LEE

Joseph is a student of Mechatronic Engineering and Computer Science, and is a standout Cultural Director at UNSW Hall, known for his thoughtful leadership and dedication to building inclusive, meaningful student experiences. From organising a vibrant Multicultural Night to driving complex initiatives with care and precision, Joe’s behind-the-scenes efforts have created lasting connections and a stronger sense of belonging within the Hall community.

Prize: $AUD500

The Chaplaincy Community Contribution Award recognises a student who has shown strong leadership and made a real difference in bringing people together through faith-based programs, events, and community-building. Nominations for this award were made by the Chaplains of the UNSW Religious Centre.

The winner of the Chaplaincy Community Contribution Award is OMAR KHURSHEED

Omar has made a lasting impact on the UNSW community through four years of dedicated service with the Islamic Society. From coordinating weekly Friday Prayers and Ramadan programs for hundreds of students to leading interfaith dialogues and launching digital outreach initiatives, Omar’s leadership has fostered connection, wellbeing, and inclusivity across campus. His efforts have touched over a thousand individuals, making him a truly deserving winner of the Chaplaincy Community Contribution Award.