Cr Sam Choudhury’s election as Deputy Mayor of Stonnington didn’t happen by chance. It was the culmination of early dinner table conversations, a career in city-making and a University-led program that gave her the confidence to run.
When the Masters of Development Studies alum decided to apply for Pathways to Politics for Women at the University of Melbourne, she saw it as an opportunity to gain some clarity on her future political career.
“At that point, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do in politics, but I figured the program would help me understand,” said Sam.
She was right – the program encouraged Sam to reflect on her broader purpose. “All the micro skills around campaigning and working with parties, we certainly got that out of the program, too,” she said.
The program’s leadership was crucial to Sam’s experience. She reflected on how National Co-Convenor and Victorian Program Director Dr Meredith Martin fostered a space where women of all political leanings felt welcome.
“You can’t talk about Pathways without talking about Meredith. Mem was amazing in her ability to create a safe and empowering space for all of us,” said Sam.
“I felt that over the six weeks, we were very well supported and had the chance to be mentored by lots of people in politics, including current politicians.”
For Sam, the impact of this program on her cohort, and on Australia’s political landscape more broadly, can’t be understated.
“I think that if more women knew about this program or had access to this information, more of us would run in politics,” she said.
Read the full story on the University of Melbourne website.
