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���������¼�'s Indigenous Spring Forum is an opportunity for Indigenous non-school leavers who are keen to explore��university life is like, meet faculty members and connect with ���������¼�'s Indigenous community.

Whether you're exploring your next step or returning to study after time away, the 4-day Spring Forum gives participants the chance to build connections and get a taste of what it’s like to study at ���������¼�.

Ahead of the 2025 to be held on 3 – 5 September, the ���������¼� Business School EDI team caught up with , a proud Wiradjuri woman from Wellington, First Nations Strategies Lead at Gilbert + Tobin and Director at First Nations Response.

As one of the participants from the 2011 Spring Forum, Kimberley’s experience will be coming full circle in 2025 and will be joining this year’s participants to share her career journey and why these students should take advantage of every opportunity offered to them.����

“The Spring forum is where is all began for me, and I’m very happy to share how the forum shaped my experiences,” she said.

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Today, Kimberley is the First Nations Strategies Lead at and leads the development and implementation of their Reconciliation Action Plan; embedding accountability, community consultation, and long-term impact. She also advises on First Nations initiatives, opportunities and programs, strengthen business-wide cultural engagement, and champion inclusive recruitment and retention.

Kimberley is also the Director at , and has a strong focus on food security. Drawing on lived experience to guide their vision, First Nations Response leads with integrity, and delivers programs that provide immediate support, like weekly food relief, and create long-term pathways in health, education, and employment.

“At the heart of all my work is a commitment to empowering First Nations women and youth, dismantling systemic barriers, and ensuring our voices are not only heard, but lead the way.”

Kimberley shared her reflections on what it was like to be a participant at the with the ���������¼� Business School EDI team and how the program has shaped her career journey so far.��

In 2011, I walked into the not knowing that it would be the starting point of a life-changing journey. One that would eventually shape my career, my education, and my purpose.

At the time, I was a mature-aged First Nations student, curious but unsure about where I wanted to go. I had an early interest in business, but no real roadmap.

The Spring Forum was my first real taste of university life. It opened my eyes to the wealth of opportunities available through higher education, especially through Nura Gili’s pre-programs and the Indigenous Admission Scheme (IAS). More than just academic access, it was a space where I saw the value of First Nations voices in leadership, community, and innovation.

I attended alongside other First Nations mature-aged students, many of whom I am still in touch with today. That sense of connection and community is what made the experience so powerful. We were learning, growing, and imagining a future not just for ourselves but for our families, our communities, and the generations to come.

From Curiosity to Purpose

Funnily enough, although I arrived at the Forum interested in business, I ultimately completed a Bachelor of Arts. Life has a way of coming full circle. Today, I am back at ���������¼� studying a��Graduate Certificate in Social Impact, which is exactly the kind of business and community leadership I was drawn to back in 2011.

Between then and now, a lot has happened.

I have had the privilege of working at����for almost 5 years, currently as the First Nations Strategy Lead, a role I absolutely love. It is a space that constantly challenges and inspires me to think bigger, lead with purpose, and turn strategy into impact.

Continuing the Work

Everything I do is grounded in where I come from, where I have been, and what I want for our people.

I work hard so my children can have the opportunities I was not afforded. And I am actively breaking the cycle within my own family and working so those cycles can be broken across all of our First Nations communities.

Reflecting on where I started, the Spring Forum was more than just an introduction to university. It was an invitation to dream bigger, to lead boldly, and to stay grounded in who I am.

If you are a First Nations person considering the Spring Forum, my advice to you would be take the leap! You never know where it will lead you. I can’t tell you where you will end up, but what I can tell you is it is these types of early-start programs that open every career door on your horizon.

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is designed to empower non-school leavers to build confidence and gain a deeper understanding of university life while connecting with ���������¼� and Nura Gili communities.

The forum highlights the tools and services available to guide students to succeed, offering opportunities to meet faculty members, explore study pathways, and feel confident knowing there's a strong network available to assist you to achieve your goals on campus.

The program is completely fee free—we cover the cost of accommodation, travel and catering over the 4 days.

For more information about Spring Forum please contact Nura Gili at nuragili@unsw.edu.au