In today’s spotlight, we introduce Danielle Liu, a bubbly third-year Commerce/Law student who joined 180DC UNSW as a Project Consultant in PC1 of 2022. With a myriad of experiences under her belt, Danielle is keen to share her tips and tricks for becoming a successful consultant at 180DC.
Why 180 DC?
Personally, I was interested in gaining consulting experience when I first applied to 180DC. More specifically, the social impact side of 180DC really differentiated the organisation from other consulting societies because I want to look back on my project cycle and be proud of what my team and I achieved. I would say the tangible impact of being part of a global consulting organisation is also a welcoming change from case competitions where you are given a hypothetical scenario and then tasked to propose a hypothetical solution. Whereas in 180DC, you are always in the driving seat of change and the work you put in will eventually show for itself in the future.
How are you finding your current project cycle with the Seaweed Project?
Currently, my team and I are still in the preliminary stages of the project cycle. But to explain the idea of the Seaweed Project in Layman’s terms, we are working to harness the environmental benefits of seaweed to absorb carbon dioxide in the ocean to counteract the effects of climate change. Fun fact, seaweed is a stronger absorbent of carbon dioxide than the Amazon Rainforest so there is a quite a bit of potential with this project. In terms of how my team is contributing to the project, we are looking for ways to start a profit arm to fund the amazing work being done with the Seaweed Project.
On a more personal note, I think the skills that I’m learning from this project will be extremely useful to what I want to do in the future. Though I see myself working in finance, I believe that the program teaches you to use a consulting framework of thinking, which will have numerous benefits no matter what field of work you work in. And to anyone who is interested in joining, my biggest advice is to keep an open mind set on everything that comes your way. Staying curious and dedicated will take you very far if this is a career path that you are willing to pursue.
What do you like to do in your spare time outside of university and your project cycle?
I would consider myself a big fan of taking film photos. So, whenever I’m out, I take on the designated role of photographer, much to the amusement of my friends (who will probably have something to say in the comments). But to be honest, I like taking photos just so we can have something to look back on in the future. It’s nice to keep your memories stored somewhere.
I’m also play sports regularly. Currently, I play Oz tag and basketball socially with my friends. For me, the reason for playing is mostly to find a time to hang out with friends that we otherwise don’t get to meet outside of our busy university schedules. I would also say that playing basketball in a mixed competition is quite interesting. Because of the tournament rules, teams with girls who come from a strong basketball background generally have a huge advantage over other teams who are just starting out. But hey, I don't make the rules.