Rate My Professor Sze-En Watts

Watts earned a Masters in Tourism from the University of Otago, specializing in volunteer tourism. Her extensive volunteer background includes eradicating cane toads and small mammals in outback Australia and working as a Panda Habitat Conservation Officer in a remote mountain village in China. Prior to her university career, she worked briefly in the youth travel industry. Under her leadership, the Social Impact Studio manages prominent programs such as the University of Otago Student Leadership Awards (UOSLA), which recognize compassionate and motivated student leaders through workshops, reflection journals, mentoring, and ceremonies attended by university executives. She also oversees the Global Impact Scholars program, where students complete at least 20 hours of community volunteering, culminating in graduations for cohorts starting in 2026. Watts co-facilitates the Emerging Leaders Programme for Master's and Doctoral candidates alongside Professor Rachel Spronken-Smith and serves as Co-President for professional staff in the Staff Women's Caucus. She has organized events including the Social Impact Festival sponsored by Canon New Zealand with diverse speakers, season of giving collections for Foster Hope, International Women's Day breakfasts, and collaborations like the Year 13 ChangeMaker Leadership Day. For her contributions, Watts received the University of Otago Award for Exceptional Performance by Professional Staff.