Meet our 2025 ANU Alumni Awards Finalists

Each year, the ANU Alumni Awards recognise the real impact of our students out in the community by celebrating their volunteer activities. This year, our 2025 Student Volunteer of the Year award finalists are making a difference in areas from mental health to women empowerment. Through education, innovation and learning to listen, they continue to shape the future into a positive direction in their respective areas.

Jemma Rule (BIntR, LLB (Hons)) - current student

Jemma Rule is a passionate advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights and youth empowerment. As ANUSA Queer* Social Officer and a leader in the ANU Queer* Department, Jemma has fostered a safer, more inclusive university environment through events like the ANU Queer* Ball and Wear it Purple Day. Beyond ANU, Jemma serves as a Board Director for the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition and Co-Chair of the University of Melbourne’s A-Part of the Crowd Lived Experience Advisory Group. They also provide critical insights on national policy as part of the Australian Government’s Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Youth Advisory Group. Jemma’s extensive volunteering and advocacy inspire transformative change on local and national levels.

Rashna Farrukh (BMECAsSt '19, BPPhEc '19, PhD) - current student

Rashna Farrukh is an award-winning journalist and producer, who has transformed the ANU student landscape through nearly a decade of advocacy and innovation. As the founder and inaugural Editor-in-Chief of Bossy magazine, Rashna created a platform empowering women-identifying students in media, fostering a supportive and enriching community. She co-founded the University’s BIPOC Department, providing advocacy and connection for BIPOC students, and helped launch the Women’s Revue, spotlighting diverse talent. 

Currently collaborating on a feminist archive project with the ANU Women’s Department, Rashna continues to build pathways for knowledge and career growth for women students. Her commitment to inclusivity, creativity and representation leaves a lasting legacy at ANU.

Sonali Varma (BA / BSc'24)

Sonali Varma is a dedicated ANU student and community volunteer who has transformed her lived experience with mental health challenges into impactful advocacy and research. An accredited Lifeline Telephone Crisis Supporter and ReachOut peer mentor, she provides critical support to vulnerable Australians. Her contributions extend to advisory roles with the Matilda Centre, Headspace, and the ACT Government, shaping mental health initiatives through her unique perspective. 

At ANU, Sonali fosters inclusivity as a Peer Educator and a member of the Mental Health Review Taskforce. Pursuing Honours in mental health research, her academic and volunteer efforts have garnered recognition, including the Love Prize at ANU, and other accolades for her leadership.