Love, Keegan

Kia ora my social impact studio lovelies,

It's your one and only Keegan Casey letting you know the Social Impact Studio was perhaps the most defining, wholesome and loved aspect of my time at the University of Otago. I studied a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Otago from 2016 through 2020. I loved my study in the way it tested, challenged, and grew my knowledge and skills as much as I loved the social life that comes with University life at Otago – despite this there was something missing, something leaving me feeling out of balance – this all changed when I found the studio.

I found the studio, or more it found me in early 2019 I  was privileged to be involved with the Social Impact Studio as a an Aspire Student Coordinator, Aspire Student Executive Member, a Reading Oasis reader, a O-Week Volunteer Coordinator, a Student Leadership Award participant and a Social Impact Lead (in short the studio became my happy place and if there was something on you can bet your boy was getting involved).

There’s no way I can articulate with words and do justice to the impact the Studio has had on my own journey; be it academic, personal or professional. I currently work as an Analyst Data and Insights with the Independent Children’s Monitor in Wellington. Our function is monitoring the Oranga Tamariki System and reporting on the experiences of those the system touches. I don’t credit my academic studies for my success, growth, and ability to undertake this role; I credit the lasting impact of the studio. In my time with the studio, I developed self-confidence, resilience, found effective time management skills, to navigate conflict in a positive and constructive way, to be reflective and comfortable with ideas being challenged, to be a leader in a way that was reflective of my own strengths and experiences and to be unafraid to have a voice. I believe that without the support of the studio, and especially people like Sze-En I wouldn’t be where or who I am today. It was their trust, belief and sometimes a kick (metaphorically!) in the right direction that I believe allowed me to reach my own potential.

The reason it is so hard to articulate how much the studio means to me and to our community is that this can’t simply be shown in the words written on this page it’s only truly realised in the conversations you need to have with those that make the Studio the unique place it is; the student buddy seeing the self-confidence they are imparting to their year 8 buddy at Aspire, the year 3 student at Reading Oasis feeling listened to and celebrated or in the social impact ‘bug’ my friend contracted after I dragged her along to a planting day – the studio brings light and positive change regardless if it's big or small to everything it touches.

I still talk fondly of the challenges, successes, and countless laughs we shared in that tightly packed ergonomically stunted office. I say Dunedin will always have my heart, but my Dunedin journey would be nothing without the Social Impact Studio and the Social Impact whanau I found there.

Love you forever and always,

Keegan Casey