Young Alumnus of the Year

When trailblazing young diplomat Emily Williams learned she had been named the 2025 Southern Cross University Young Alumnus of the Year, her first reaction was disbelief.

“I was honestly quite shocked,” she laughed. “In my line of work, I’m surrounded by incredible people doing incredible things every day, so I just thought, ‘Surely not me!’ But when I hung up the phone, I had this moment of reflection and I realised I’ve actually lived a pretty extraordinary life.”

Extraordinary is an understatement. At just 28, Emily, a proud Torres Strait Islander woman, serves as Consul at the Australian Consulate-General in Nouméa, representing Australia in one of the Pacific’s most strategically important regions. She has already faced challenges most diplomats might encounter once in a career, including coordinating emergency assisted departures during the 2024 civil unrest in New Caledonia, where her leadership helped more than 500 Australians and foreign nationals return home safely. “It was a really intense period,” Emily recalled. “I had just arrived in the country and was still trying to set up my phone and find where I was living and suddenly, I was coordinating flights out of a crisis zone.”

Emily’s composure on the world stage is grounded in her cultural identity and the strong sense of community that shaped her early life. “I grew up on Bundjalung Country, in Tweed Heads,” she said. “On my dad’s side, I’m Torres Strait Islander, and my connection to culture has always been really central to who I am. Growing up by the coast, with big family gatherings, made me proud of my heritage and gave me a different worldview.”

Through her work, Emily has connected with First Nations communities across the Pacific, and represented Australia at the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

“It was the first time I’d been to the United States,” she said, “and I remember looking around thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’ But once I started talking to other Torres Strait and Aboriginal delegates, and hearing stories from Indigenous people around the world, I thought, ‘No, I’m supposed to be here. I have something unique to offer.’”

Emily’s road to diplomacy began unexpectedly at Southern Cross University, where she completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Social Science in 2020.

“My life as a diplomat came about quite organically,” she explained. “It wasn’t something I grew up imagining I’d do. In fact, I originally wanted to be a marine biologist. But at Southern Cross, I was exposed to so many opportunities that changed my path.”

In her fourth year, a study abroad program became the turning point. “We visited the United Nations in Vienna, and I remember standing there surrounded by all these flags and thinking, ‘This would be a really cool job.’ I went back to Southern Cross, talked to my professors, and together we came up with a plan to make it happen.”

What followed was a series of scholarships and overseas programs - from the New Colombo Plan in Sumatra to studying Japanese in Tokyo - all supported and encouraged by her lecturers.

“At Southern Cross, I always felt seen,” Emily said. “Because the classes were smaller, you got that personal connection with your lecturers. I could just drop into their office and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this crazy idea. What do you think?’ and they would actually help me make it real.”

She credits her professors for helping her craft a standout application for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) graduate program. “They read through my essays, gave me feedback, and genuinely wanted me to succeed. That kind of care is what sets Southern Cross apart. It’s not just about academics, it’s about growing as a person.”

Emily’s diplomatic career has since taken her from Canberra to crisis zones, and from United Nations halls to remote Pacific islands. As part of her work in New Caledonia, she oversees consular services, manages Australia’s Direct Aid Program, and supports community projects, including funding a women’s refuge in Wallis and Futuna.

“It was so special to meet the women at that shelter and see how Australian aid had helped build it from the ground up,” she said. “I got to listen to their stories and see first-hand how diplomacy can create real, positive change. Those are the moments that stay with you.”

Emily has had a constant source of strength by her side, her partner Josh, whom she met on their very first day of law school at Southern Cross.

“Josh has been my rock,” she said warmly. “We studied together, we graduated together, and we were even admitted to the Supreme Court of the ACT together. Every step of my career, he’s been there, cheering me on, helping me stay grounded, and reminding me to celebrate the little things.”

“When you live overseas, it can be isolating,” she admitted. “There are long hours and high-pressure situations. But I always think of my family back in Tweed Heads, how proud they are, how they’re cheering me on from home. That’s what keeps me going.”

For Emily, the Young Alumnus of the Year Award is an opportunity to give back. “This award is for my community, for my parents, grandparents and everyone who has supported me. But I also hope it inspires other young people, especially Indigenous students, to dream big.”

"I was the first in my family to go to uni. The first time I moved out of home was when I joined DFAT and moved to Canberra. It was scary, but it was also the best thing I ever did" 

She encourages students to embrace the unexpected. “You might start studying one thing and end up somewhere completely different, and that’s okay. Be open to opportunities. Study abroad if you can. Talk to your lecturers. Take that leap.”

Looking ahead, Emily plans to continue her career in diplomacy, working across the Asia-Pacific and beyond. But wherever her path leads, she carries the lessons of home, and higher education.

Her story embodies the values of curiosity and connection that Southern Cross University strives to instil in all its graduates.

“I want to live a life that I can look back on and feel proud of,” she said. “I want to keep blazing a trail, not just for myself, but for the next generation of Torres Strait Islander women who’ll come after me. Southern Cross gave me the foundation to do that.”

_{*All views, comments and suggestions expressed in testimony by Emily are made in a strict personal capacity.}