2013 USQ Faculty of Education Alumnus of the Year
If you were asked to reflect back on your interests and activities as a child, what would they reveal about your future? For Rachael Jacobs, winner of this year’s USQ Faculty of Education Alumnus of the Year Award, childhood activities were all about acting, drama and music. Her present is all about….acting, teaching and lecturing in the Creative Arts Department at the Australian Catholic University…her future…well read on?
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| 2013 USQ Faculty of Education Alumnus of the Year: Rachael Jacobs |
Rachel completed a Master of Education at USQ in 2007. Her research experience and interests surround creative arts education, performance assessment and assessment in higher education. Rachael is an accomplished writer with many publications and conference presentation papers to her name. Ms Jacobs is currently a Lecturer in Creative Arts Education at Australian Catholic University and as part of her role has been successful in attaining a number of grants relating to arts education and alternative assessment practices. Since 2008, she has also received several awards for excellence in teaching and innovative approaches to assessment.
1. What did you dream of doing as a career when you were a child?
I wanted to be a teacher or an actor. I guess, as a Drama teacher, I turned out to be both!
2. What subjects did you study in high school? Were you academically driven, sporting, arts etc?
I studied modern history, legal studies, drama and music. I was right into arts - drama and music, and picked up dance later. I was also school captain and was also focused on community and leadership.
3. What was your first degree/course? Did you stick to this career path or interest? Why or why not?
I completed a Bachelor of Education at Sydney University. I became a teacher and stuck to that path, ending up lecturing in Education at the Australian Catholic University. Teaching and schools have always been my passion and I'm committed to quality education in both schools and higher education. It sounds funny, but I also love being around adolescents - they make me laugh and cry, sometimes in the space of 15 minutes, so being a secondary teacher was a natural calling for me.
4. Why did you choose to study at USQ?
The online aspect really appealed to me. I also heard that USQ does distance education really well. A friend recommended USQ and I'm very proud to be a graduate.
5. What was the next step for you after graduation? Did you have a plan or fall into something?
After my Master of Education at USQ, I kept on lecturing and then started my PhD in Drama Education. It's nearly finished (hopefully)!
6. What do you consider is the key to success?
An environment conducive to success - that means the ability to make your own choices, a degree of social mobility and a supportive environment. Some luck, and then pure hard work and determination are the keys. I would have loved to throw the towel in a million times, but then I wouldn't be as happy as I am now.
7. Why do you think you were nominated for an Alumnus of the Year Award?
My colleagues at work are very proud of me and feel I bring them creativity and vitality in what can tend to be a traditional and conventional field. I think they wanted to reward me for that.
8. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
My father was a workaholic and I largely followed in his footsteps. I don't really know how to stop working, even for a minute, or how not to give it my all, and I guess I owe that to him. I also realise that has its downsides and I'm trying to learn from that too.
9. What advice do you have for others in your Faculty about how to attain success in your chosen work field?
Imagine the life your dream of and then go about crafting that life. Keeping a journal is a good idea too, seven years ago I wrote down all the things I wanted from a job, and now I have them.
10. Do you think that you have found your ideal job and what you were born to do or is there still some searching to do?
I love what I do, but I always want to keep growing and learning, but most importantly, contributing in different fields. I've got my sights set on politics or international development as some other areas where I can make a difference.
11. What are your plans for the future career wise and personally?
In the immediate future I'm planning on finishing my PhD, writing another edition of my book, then taking some time out to work on aid or development projects overseas. In my personal life I'm politically active and a freelance writer - I'd like to make more inroads into either or both of those fields.
