Today on Better Student Leaders, meet James Wilson, Clubs Manager at Arc UNSW and the architect behind the largest university clubs program in the entire Southern Hemisphere.

Under his leadership, Arc has grown to more than 413 clubs, grown to over 80,000 new memberships, overhauled governance and compliance, reinvented training for 850 club executives, and transformed campus culture through events like HobbyCon, Winter Wonderland, and the Start A New Club Campaign.

James shares why creativity beats tradition in the club world, reminding us that, “students are always more drawn to clubs that do things a little differently. Creativity wins.” He explains why having fun is not optional but essential to longevity as a leader, saying, “if you are not having fun, you are not doing it right. That is the big picture.” And he reflects on his own university journey and why building great clubs matters so much, telling us, “my whole motivation is letting students experience what I got at uni, because once you leave, life is busy. Clubs let you explore parts of yourself you might never discover elsewhere.”

What you will get out of this episode:

• How to build a thriving club from day one without burning out
• How to balance creativity, compliance, and culture to create unforgettable student experiences
• How to support and sustain student leaders so clubs survive and succeed year after year

In this episode, you will learn what actually matters versus what most students get wrong, how to design events and experiences that genuinely engage students, and how staff can create structures that help clubs flourish far beyond one term of leadership.

Want to see what a world-class clubs program looks like? Enjoy this episode with James Wilson!