Big move to the big smoke

Name: Ms Chelsea Trimble

Department: The Office of Student Life

Theme: Growth

Hi, I’m Chelsea. A newcomer to the USYD community, I started my journey as a Student Life Coordinator within the Office of Student Life in the midst of lockdown in August. Newcastle born and bred, I had spent the first 30 years of my life surrounded by family and friends in the beachside town. Working in Higher Education wasn’t really on my radar as I navigated high school. Unlike both of my sisters, I had no idea what I wanted to do when I ’grew up’. Education was always important to me, along with continuously striving towards the ‘next thing’, which was most likely built into my DNA after spending many years as a child athlete. After trying 4 different degrees, there was finally a graduation in the area of Business/Human Resources. What I didn’t know at the time was that my casual 4hr per week position in the University of Newcastle Enquiry Centre would be the launchpad for a career that I love.

The beauty of a career within Higher Education is the incredible diversity and opportunity that comes along with it. I found myself jumping between student-facing roles and even trying out my degree taking a secondment in HR in the university setting. What became clear to me fairly quickly, was that working with students and enhancing their journey through education was my true passion. The area in particular that stole my heart was that of the Pathways and Academic Learning Support Centre at The University of Newcastle. Assisting a diverse range of students to pursue their dream of attending further learning in a higher education setting was extremely rewarding and taught me the importance and need for strong support for all students, to aid in both success and a sense of belonging in an institution.

I had reached my dream role of Team Leader in this area and although my passion for this team was incredibly strong, a tragedy in the family in late 2020 changed my course once again. A reminder that life is fleeting and that there is no better time than now to take on a new challenge or opportunity. The University of Sydney to me was something to aspire to within the realms of higher education in Australia.

The change to progress my career amongst the history, esteem and pure beauty of the campus was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I feel incredibly lucky to have landed in a line of work that feels like home. The ability to be inspired each day by not only the professional and academic staff that work alongside me but most importantly the students who truly make logging in at 9am each day worthwhile. I am excited to see where my career in higher education can take me supported by the amazing USYD community.