Leading Across Generations. Three Guild Presidents, One Enduring Vision
When three generations of student leaders from St Catherine’s and the UWA Guild met for afternoon tea at the College, the conversation moved easily between stories, questions and shared experiences.
Standing, left to right: Ashleigh Benadretti, Head of College, and Fiona Crowe, CEO. Seated: Sue Boyd, Geemal Jayawickrama and Oliver Barrett.
Dr Sue Boyd AM (Fr 1966), Geemal Jayawickrama (Fr 2021) and Oliver Barrett (Fr 2022) brought a powerful mix of perspective to the table, sharing stories that traced the evolution of campus life, student politics and the enduring influence of the Guild.
Sue, the first woman to serve as UWA Guild President in 1969, recalled a time when simply being heard as a student required strategic effort and conviction. Her legacy includes UWA’s first underpass and the long-contested Tavern liquor licence. But what she reflects on most is the shift she helped seed: students being taken seriously as partners in the university’s future. “So much of what we started was about giving students a stronger voice,” she said. And while the causes have changed, the ethos has not. Sue’s reflections also touched on the challenge of navigating power structures, winning trust and pushing through systemic resistance, a theme familiar to her successors.
“You don’t have to get everything done. But you do have to open the door for the next person.”
For Geemal, Guild President in 2023, it was clear how seeds planted in one term grow across years. He spoke about passing the redevelopment plan for Guild Village and digital initiatives whose benefits students are only now beginning to see. “Sometimes the work you do doesn’t bear fruit immediately, but you can feel its legacy in the hands of those who follow,” he said.
One of those hands now belongs to Oliver, who was just days into his 2026 Guild Presidency when the three met. Amid the conversation, Oliver reflected on the weight of the role and the rare privilege of stepping into a legacy. “It’s surreal sitting between people who changed things I’ve taken for granted,” he said. With Senate meetings on his calendar and a 713-page agenda already in hand, he is entering a year focused on accessibility, academic equity and improving the student experience. He spoke particularly about the need to expand access to practice exams, noting that transparency in assessment is a small but significant form of justice for students.
What unfolded around the table was not a formal discussion, but a lively exchange across generations. Stories moved easily from student activism in the 70s to the logistical puzzles of planning an O-Day party, from safeguarding club spaces to the stubborn challenge of making heritage buildings accessible. There were memories of missing cutlery, hidden Guild safes, abandoned goldfish in common rooms and, in Sue’s case, the promise and delivery of soft toilet paper in every campus bathroom.
Amid the humour and history, a clear pattern emerged. Good ideas often take longer than a single term to take hold. Whether it was Sue securing Guild representation on Senate, Geemal advancing the Guild masterplan, or Oliver continuing the fight for a lift in Cameron Hall, each president inherited unfinished business, shaped it further and left something behind for others to build upon.
This continuity is what makes the Guild’s work not just political, but personal. As Sue reminded the group, leadership is not about perfection but persistence. “You don’t have to get everything done. But you do have to open the door for the next person.”
The conversation ranged widely, from AI in higher education to potential university mergers and the realities of student life in an era shaped by apps, surveillance and algorithms. But through it all, some things held steady: the camaraderie of College and the pride of representing one’s peers.
Bringing three Guild Presidents together was more than symbolic. It was a reminder that leadership is not simply about holding office. It is about showing up and making space for those who come next.
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