Alumni Give

From working ringside as a freelance floor manager in boxing to liaising with Kensington Palace to organise a press conference for Prince Harry, Susan Redden Makatoa has done it all.

Studying TV and sound production at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga, Susan still uses the skills she learned in visual storytelling in her role at global communications firm, Edelman’s where she oversees corporate communications, employee engagement, public affairs and crisis communications for clients across the Asia-Pacific including names like Microsoft PayPal and Rio Tinto.

THRIVE: Why did you want to study at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga? Susan: I transferred from the University of Canberra, which was very theory based. I was attracted to Charles Sturt’s reputation for practicality. The content skills and the visualisation it gave me, I still use to this day. And I always look out for Charles Sturt graduates when I’m hiring as they come out with a complete set of skills – strong writing, strong ideas of how a story should be formed and presented. They just hit the ground running.

THRIVE: How would you describe your feelings about Charles Sturt University? Susan: I’m an incredible fan of Charles Sturt. The way it approaches things. The reputation of its graduates. To be part of it is such a privilege. It’s a university that punches above its weight in many ways. As someone who absolutely advocates for regional and rural Australia, I’m so proud of the important work it does in the regions. Plus, my Dad was an academic at Charles Sturt. I think he feels I’ve finally arrived now I’m an Adjunct Lecturer!

THRIVE: Why did you want to contribute to the new Bachelor of Communication curriculum? Susan: Helping others find their success is my own personal mantra.

Charles Sturt turns out graduates who are capable, wellformed, hungry, curious. If I can have even a little role in helping graduates find their success by making sure the next iteration of the course evolves then that’s a win to me.

THRIVE: What would you say to other alumni thinking about giving back to the university?

Susan: I know people tend to be very proud of being at Charles Sturt and still call themselves the Mitchell Mafia in industry. To them I would say, the door is open and there are many opportunities to get involved. The other thing is, diversity is important – diversity of thought, diversity of background and diversity of interest. We need people from all walks of life involved. We need your voice around the table.

If you’re interested in giving back, there are many opportunities and we would love to hear from you. Check out our Alumni Give program at alumni.csu.edu.au/alumni-give