In this episode of the Champions Coffee Podcast, Vygo Co-Founder & Co-CEO Joel Di Trapani sits down with Colette Slaviero, a student engagement leader at UNSW, to unpack what it really takes to scale peer mentoring in a modern university.
Joel and Colette explore what makes UNSW’s model distinctive. Rather than operating as a single centralised program, peer mentoring at UNSW has grown organically through student clubs and societies resulting in nearly 50 unique programs, many created and led by students themselves. From Women in Aviation to cross-faculty Digital Society initiatives and niche interest-based communities, the ecosystem reflects the diversity of student identity and ambition.
The episode closes with a powerful reflection on modern student life. In a world where students feel pressure to be “career-ready” before they graduate, Colette offers a different perspective: university should also be enjoyed. Beyond internships, leadership roles, and résumés, there is value in learning for its own sake and embracing the unique, fleeting experience of being a student.
