ALUMNI FOCUS

2018 Macquarie University Alumni Awards – Jennifer Star and Shaun Star

CATEGORY: RISING STARS

Distinguished alumni Jennifer (Jen) and Shaun Star, who met at Macquarie, are a force for good in the world. They are often reverently referred to as a ‘powerhouse couple’ but ‘rising stars’ reflects their alumni award, their surname and their aspirations to help others.

Jen lives in Delhi, India, and runs Tara.Ed, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes quality education in rural and remote areas of India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan through teacher training and capacity building, infrastructure development and resource distribution.

Jen says, “Seeing the Tara.Ed model – which was once just a 21-year-old’s dream – become a success and make a sustainable impact on the lives of vulnerable kids in India is really special. To date, we have changed the lives of over 17,500 students.”

Jen has dedicated her life and career to women and girls who have not had the same freedoms and privileges she has enjoyed, and she has received many awards for her work in this space. Yet, she says a Macquarie alumni award means a great deal to her: “The continued support and recognition from Macquarie University for all my pursuits is greatly appreciated.”

Shaun agrees that “being part of the Macquarie community has been an extremely rewarding experience and provided great value to both our lives.”

He, too, has found his calling. His focus has been on building connections and strengthening people-to-people links between India and Australia through the Australia India Youth Dialogue, which he co-founded; and between Indian and Australian lawyers through the publication of a comparative legal volume. He is the director and founder of the Centre for India Australia Studies.

Over the past year, he has hosted immersion programs for Australian students and has found it gratifying to witness firsthand the impact international exposure has had on their lives.

Their belief in the power of compassion and altruism is inspirational. We wish Jen and Shaun continued success with their important global work that impacts the lives of others so positively.

Jennifer Star is the founding director of Tara.Ed and is currently the Manager, Professional Learning (India), Australian Council for Educational Research.

Shaun Star is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean at the Jindal Global Law School.
Jennifer Star has represented Macquarie University and Australia in Judo.

Star graduated from Macquarie with a Bachelor of Arts (2009) and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (2010).
Shaun Star graduated from Macquarie with a Bachelor of Commerce with Bachelor of Laws (2011).

 

View other 2018 Macquarie University Alumni Awards winners here

Alumni Awards

Macquarie University is extremely proud of every one of its 184,000 graduates – their achievements and their contributions in our local and global communities. Our alumni are a source of pride and motivation, and they embody the University’s association with excellence.

The Macquarie University Alumni Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of alumni. The awards provide a platform for sharing their inspirational stories with other alumni, staff, students and the wider community. We are now accepting nominations in the following award categories:

• Arts and Culture
• Education
• Environment
• Innovation and Enterprise
• International Achievement
• Medicine and Health
• Public and Community Service
• Rising Star (aged 30 years under)
• Science and Technology
• Sport

Nominations close 31 October 2018. Nomination forms and details are available at mq.edu.au/alumni/awards