Volunteers recognised at Hearts & Hands

UNSW celebrates generosity, innovation and community impact.

Published on the 03 October 2025

Three Student Volunteers Recognised at Inaugural UNSW Hearts & Hands Event

This Hearts & Hands event was the brainchild of the Belonging & Onboarding Team, part of the Student Experience Program, and was developed to honour the remarkable contributions of our on-campus student volunteers and peer mentors. The celebration doubled as an awards night where three students were recognised for their outstanding work in our student community.

Over 60 students were nominated by their peers from a range of diverse volunteer programs, including faculty clubs & societies, international student mentoring, wellbeing ambassadors and peer mentoring.

Congratulations to the winners – Mengying Zhang (Generosity in Action), William Nguyen (Impact Through Innovation), and Zili Chen (Community Champion Award).

Each awardee received a UNSW Employability Professional Development Package valued at over $2,000, including personalised career coaching, access to leadership training, participation in the Career Discovery Mentoring Program and exclusive employability opportunities.

Read on for more info about why these students won in each category:

Awarded for demonstrating empathy, compassion and a commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowering student community.

Mengying’s nomination described her as the embodiment of kindness through empathy, warmth and lived experience. She has worked incredibly hard to find her own confidence and voice, and has returned many times as a peer mentor to support others. Over two terms, she mentored 25 international students, helping them build their confidence in English and form lasting friendships. “She cares – not just for mentees – for anyone in need and many of her mentees have since become mentors themselves.”
Recognised for pioneering creative initiatives that strengthen student connections and enhance volunteer and mentoring programs.

William received two nominations in this category for demonstrating outstanding innovation, collaboration and leadership. He led the founding of the UNSW International Students Association (ISA), growing it to over 500 members in just 6 months; coordinated a team of 10 volunteers to deliver the Friend-Making Picnic, creating connections for over 1000 students; and is credited with increasing student belonging by creating low-pressure, inclusive spaces that helped thousands of students build friendships and confidence.
Honoured for consistent, hands-on contributions that make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Zili received an outstanding 10 nominations for this award and has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership in his time as a cultural mentor, guiding international students through the academic and social transition to uni. He is the founding member of the Students with Disability Leadership Collective, the co-organiser of the Diversity Festival booth on neurodiversity awareness, a student representative with UNSW EDI and is recognised for his dedication as a volunteer and advocate for the UNSW student community.