Lily Hardy
[These courses] don't just sit in the classroom… they shape the way I think, the way I work, and the conversations I have every day.
From bushwalks on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country to research trips in Vietnam’s Long Xuyen district, Lily Hardy’s academic journey is grounded in place, people, and purpose. Now in her final semester at ANU, the CASS Student Ambassador is completing a double degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) and Arts, majoring in Australian Indigenous Studies and Anthropology.
Originally from Western Australia, Lily chose ANU for its strong interdisciplinary programs and the opportunity to be part of a diverse academic and social community—but it’s been the conversations, connections, and challenges outside the classroom that have left the deepest mark.
“Courses like Living with Colonialism, Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management, and Game Theory and the Social Sciences don't just sit in the classroom,” she says. “They shape the way I think, the way I work, and the conversations I have every day.”
In 2024, Lily was awarded a DFAT New Colombo Plan Mobility Scholarship, enabling her to conduct field research with ethnic minority communities in Vietnam and present her findings at An Giang University. Her 10,000-word report draws thoughtful comparisons between the role of missions in rural Vietnam and Indigenous Australia during the 20th century.
Lily’s passion for equity and learning has also taken her into consulting, policy, and leadership. In 2023, she interned with Deloitte’s Workplace Transformations and Indigenous Services Group and previously completed a policy internship with the NSW Government. At ANU, she served as Women’s Educator at Burton and Garran Hall, leading workshops on consent, safety, and advocacy for more than 550 students.
Whether she’s presenting research, shaping safer student spaces, or hiking local trails, Lily returns to a core belief: “in creating space for voices often unheard, and in the value of real-world learning through engagement with community.”
Her advice to incoming students? “Let yourself be challenged—by people, by experiences, by things that make you rethink what you thought you knew. That’s where the growth is. And also: take an Australian Indigenous Studies class—it is the best thing I have ever done.”
After graduating, Lily hopes to continue working in policy, research, or consulting—with a focus on social equity and Indigenous affairs.
