March 16, 2026
Meet Jackson Howard, Campus Manager at Sydney CBD Campus UOW
Jackson Howard is the Campus Manager at the UOW Sydney CBD Campus. He supports both students and staff, helping to create a welcoming and productive environment. With a passion for student engagement and university life, Jackson works to ensure the campus is a place where people feel comfortable learning, growing, and connecting.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at the Sydney CBD Campus
My name is Jackson Howard and for now I’m the Campus Manager at the Sydney CBD Campus. My role is to look after the campus in a way that supports both staff and students. That might mean working with different teams to improve how the campus runs, helping organise events, or simply making sure students and staff feel welcome when they come out of our elevator doors each day. In many ways, my job is about creating a place where people feel comfortable learning and growing, so that you complete your study here, want to return and want to bring other people along on the journey with you.
What inspired you to take on a leadership role here, and what do you enjoy most about working with students?
The University of Wollongong is world-class and it is a privilege when you get opportunities like this. Leadership is really just an opportunity to listen to people and it grants you the responsibility to try to make things a little better for everyone, acting on their feedback. Students are the life of a university, in my opinion. They are full of hope, ambition, curiosity, and the occasional deadline-induced panic, and I am in a position to empathise with and support that.
How do you support inclusion and belonging in a culturally diverse campus environment?
The campus exists because of the people who choose to come and study on it, and they all bring their own stories and future plans. Let’s listen and share our stories and plans, around the campus, in the Student Lounge and in our classes. When we run cultural events like Ramadan or our Holi event, it is a chance to be introduced to new language and new ideas, and for us to embrace something familiar or try something different.
What advice would you give students on making the most of their time here for personal and academic growth?
Talk to people — you will have more in common than you think. My first year at university was lonely because I just went to class and went home, and at first I didn’t feel like I belonged. But once I got to know a few people, everything changed. Studying became easier with friends, and as those friendships grew stronger, so did my grades. Start conversations with your classmates, share ideas, and ask questions. You don’t just learn from your tutor — you learn a lot from each other.
What do you find most rewarding about your role as Campus Manager, especially in supporting students?
With staff it is the opportunity for them to learn new skills, have their voices heard, celebrate with them and have their hard work recognised. With students, it is about seeing them grow. The person who arrives here and doesn’t know anyone then makes friends to study with (and explore with, if they are on campus), and over time you see a truer version of that person emerge. To get there, you have to endure some difficulty, so I am looking forward to our students finishing their Trimesters and enjoying that sense of accomplishment.
What resources or support services do you think students should use more to help them succeed academically?
Well, that would be our Peer Academic Coach, Safiye Caferoglu (also a valued Sydney CBD staff member, UOW tutor and UOW HDR candidate). She supports students by sharing study strategies, guidance, and practical advice to help them succeed in their studies. Otherwise, the MyUOW app. The app consolidates UOWMail, SOLS, and Moodle in one place, making it much quicker to access these vital tools than on your browser. Thanks to another Sydney CBD staff member (and former student), Nikhil, for this recommendation.
What key skills or qualities do you believe are essential for building a successful career?
Be kind to others and yourself. Be punctual. Work hard. Make opportunities – work for free in the field you’re interested in and reach out to the people you aspire to be like. Then, be ready when the opportunities come your way. Also, ask for help from someone and communicate to anyone affected if you’re having trouble doing any of the above.
What tips can you share with students about making the most of their time at CBD Campus?
We’re better together. I’m confident that if you need help and ask for it, you’ll get it here, be it from classmates, your teachers, our CBD campus staff, or the support staff in our university.