News Archive

Sophie Coffin, 1st year JD student and Arts graduate, won Miss NAIDOC 2018 last weekend.  She competed with nine other amazing young women.

Sophie commenced study at UWA after completing Year 12 at Geraldton’s Nagle Catholic College in 2013.  Following a gap year while working at a primary school in Geraldlton. Sophie moved to Perth in 2015, enrolling in the Bachelor of Arts majoring in Law and Society and Indigenous Knowledge, History and Heritage. During her undergraduate studies, Sophie has won several academic awards including the Jack and Eleanor Bendat Scholarship, Dr Sudhaker Rao Award, Indigenous Academic Excellence Award and the UWA Indigenous Reward Scholarship.  She has also shown a strong interest in cultural and social issues and represented UWA at the 7th International Scholars Leadership Symposium in Vietnam in 2016, presented at the World Indigenous People’s Conference on Education in Toronto and participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program: Indigenous Leadership Exchange in USA in 2017. Recently Sophie completed the Yorga Djenna Bidi, Aboriginal Women’s leadership program recently. As well as this Sophie has been an active member of WASAC (West Australian Student Aboriginal Corporation) and is a keen swimmer and water polo player and participated in the Rottnest Channel Swim in a team with her cousin, Tyson McEwan, this year. She is a great all rounder and is very worthy of the awards.  Congratulations Sophie!

Media references

Gabrielle Garratt (UWA School of Indigenous Studies)  (+61 8) 6488 2467