Talk about diversity! The United Nations, Curtin, and a chat show called The Couch

Psychology and Business (2005) graduate Neesha Seth.

Neesha Seth enjoyed the good times as a uni student, but she also took her studies seriously – and has a flourishing career to show for it.

“Thinking back to my time at Curtin, I loved the learning environment overall. The culture on campus, the events, lunches at the Tavern after our lectures and tutes … we had a lot of fun,” Neesha says.

While it might sound like a typical student life, Neesha’s uni years were packed with diverse activities – including a volunteer role with the United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) and presenting on a local TV chat show.

But she was always focused on studying for her double degree in psychology and business.

“People are the energy that drive life. It’s also important to understanding business and the systems in which humans operate, to have the full picture,” she explains.

“At Curtin, I also gained really important foundational skills for my career – time management, interpersonal skills, diplomacy, for example. Uni was a very comfortable and safe environment to develop these.”

She says it was easy to channel her passion and energy into her studies and the UNAA, because both were about helping people and contributing.

The UNAA works to inform, inspire and engage Australians on the work, goals, and values of the United Nations to create a safer, fairer, more sustainable world. Neesha’s diverse cultural heritage – Greek, Albanian, Indian and Dutch! – added to her passion for the role, and, after 14 years of involvement, she is now president of the organisation’s WA arm of the Young Professionals Network.

Neesha speaking at a UNAA event.

“It’s a privilege to work with inclusive thought-leaders to progress the greater good. It’s important to acknowledge that humanity lives in a global village and we must face the large challenges together,” she says.

She also has her own consultancy in organisational psychology, working with individuals, teams and organisations to build psychological capital, and to identify and manage psychosocial risk in the workplace.

She also fosters the value of flexibility and diversity, but her focus goes beyond the usual representations and promotes deeper benefits.

“Respect for diversity is integral to humanity progressing. Diversity is multi-layered – race, gender, generational, to name a few – and young people need to leverage the different perspectives that diversity offers, to see different solutions to world challenges.

“Flexibility enables us to deal with our personal challenges. The traditional approach – what I call the ‘single lane’ approach – is dangerous in a world where there is constant change. But if you have a several areas of focus in your life, when one fails you have others to support you.

“We need to support diversity within ourselves as well as outward to the world.”

Oh, and the chat show?

“I’ve actually been a presenter for 14 years on The Couch! It is produced locally and airs on Foxtel, and has a range of segments, from entertainment news and reviews to live music and political debates.

“It’s been a great opportunity to meet exceptional community leaders and to help build social capital.”

Neesha on the set of The Couch.