The buzz in Sancta’s Lower Common Room last week was unlike a usual Tuesday in the middle of semester. Instead of Palladian rehearsals or students tackling their looming assignment deadlines, the room was filled with conversations about internships, career pathways, and the realities of working in media and communications.
The occasion was the first Intercollegiate Media and Communications (MECO) Networking Evening, which brought together students from across the University of Sydney colleges with alumni and professionals now working across television, journalism, broadcasting, brand strategy, communications, consulting, digital media, and more.
The idea behind the event began with alumna Simone Whetton (FR 1987) and third-year resident Siena Fagan (FR 2023), who shared an observation at a Sancta event earlier in the year that media and comms is a relationship-driven industry, and those relationships should be built while students are still at university.
Within months, their conversation had become a reality and we were thrilled to welcome a room full of industry professionals all there to meet the next generation of MECO professionals.
One alumna who attended offered advice to students navigating the competitive media field:
- Internships remain essential. Every placement provides experience, networks, and insight into what you do or don’t want to pursue.
- Use LinkedIn actively. Follow companies, connect with people in your areas of interest, and monitor postings that often appear before they reach other platforms.
- Reach out. A simple message or coffee request can create lasting connections and open unexpected opportunities.
Students described the evening as a rare chance to hear directly from alumni who had once been in their position and to understand the practical steps that can help shape a career in media and communications.
We are so grateful to the following alumni and friends who joined us in support of the next generation of MECO professionals:
- Serafina Angeli (FR 2021)
- Rose Baker (FR 2022)
- Dr Georgia Carroll (FR 2013)
- Liz Hannan (FR 1984)
- Neve Hawkins (FR 2020)
- Ally Henville
- Nikyah Hutchings (FR 2019)
- Sarah King (FR 2021)
- Hannah McCarthy (FR 2021)
- Molly Morgan (FR 2016)
- Maggie Sarkissian (FR 2016)
- Simone Whetton (FR 1987)
Anyone interested in supporting future professional networking opportunities for students at Sancta is welcome to contact Hayden Edwards, Director of Community Engagement.