From Nissan internship to improving the lives of families in need: The student journey of our 2023 Tony Palmer Award winner

01 June 2023

2023 Tony Palmer Award winner Hannah Scholes.

With her growing passion for social impact, and a willingness to learn that inspired her to undertake three internships during her university journey, Hannah Scholes is the winner of the 2023 Tony Palmer Award for Marketing.

Graduating with a double degree (Bachelor of Marketing and Bachelor of Business), Ms Scholes was among more than 350 graduates who completed a Monash marketing degree last year.

While knowing little about marketing when she entered university, it’s now become a passion that Ms Scholes is confident will define her working life. “I went into my degree with very little knowledge of what marketing really was beyond just advertising and sales,” she said.

“But throughout my studies at Monash, I have developed a real interest in marketing and an aspiration to not just contribute to commercial success, but also make a real and tangible difference through positive social impact.”

Through the tertiary student consulting firm 180 Degrees Consulting, she took up volunteering roles with a Rwandan social enterprise, helping them strengthen their social impact and support for farmers by developing a marketing strategy for their new offering, and an Australian not-for-profit.

In the latter position, she worked with a national charity who support families impacted by the death of a baby or child. “It was a really fulfilling project to work within a team to assess the attractiveness and feasibility of an identified opportunity for the charity to diversify revenue streams and extend their reach to these families in need”, Ms Scholes said.

Ms Scholes said she had loved her internships with three diverse organisations, spanning the automotive (Nissan), advisory and market research industries.

Not only that, Ms Scholes participated in multiple challenge projects and competitions, and the Monash Business School Industry and Alumni Mentoring Program, during her undergraduate years.

She said continued support from Monash teaching staff and her fellow classmates had been integral to her achievements. “I’m so thankful to all my tutors, lecturers, and unit coordinators for their commitment to not just teaching marketing frameworks and theories, but also encouraging me to continuously challenge my own ideas and think more critically about the role and application of marketing,” Ms Scholes said.

“I was very excited to win this award - it was a massive honour.”

Now in its 14th year, the Tony Palmer Award in Marketing gives recipients a cash prize and 12 months of mentoring by Tony Palmer (Operating Partner, One Rock Capital Partners; a Fortune 500 company board member, a lead independent director, former CMO of Kimberly-Clark and Monash Marketing alum.)

The Department of Marketing Industry Advisory Board Chair John Rizzo (Director of Accelerated Growth, BUPA, and Monash Marketing alum) said the panel had unanimously selected Ms Scholes as this year’s recipient, for more than her academic excellence.

“She demonstrated a balance between confidence in her capabilities and the humility of knowing the ever-evolving marketing world demands continuous learning,” Mr Rizzo said.

Ms Scholes is now in her first full-time graduate role with market research firm Fiftyfive5.