Ben Henry – Pinnacle alumnus

Tell us a little about your journey and how you became involved with The Pinnacle Foundation.

My name is Ben. I grew up in southern Victoria, in an area known as South Gippsland which is a very rural, isolated, and scenic area. Because of some of the beliefs in that area, it was difficult for me to come to terms with my sexual identity, which created a lot of angst for me growing up. I did not come out until much later when I was about 24, after I had moved to Melbourne for university.

I moved from South Gippsland to study a Bachelor of Arts at The University of Melbourne for my undergraduate studies and went on to study a Juris Doctor at Melbourne Law School. It was during this time when I really started to become involved within the LGBTQIA+ community and with fellow LGBTQIA+ students. It was in that university environment where I started to come into my own and realise who I was.

One of my good friends at law school was a Pinnacle scholar at the time and she was telling me about The Pinnacle Foundation, this fantastic scholarship that she had received and her wonderful mentor, and that was how I came to connect with The Pinnacle Foundation. Through her encouragement I applied and was awarded a scholarship supported by SHK. To say I was ecstatic when I was awarded my scholarship is an understatement. Applying for Pinnacle was the first time I was ever really open about my identity and having that vulnerability recognised and welcomed is something that I am very grateful for. It was a really validating experience to be accepted by the LGBTQIA+ community in that way. As a scholar, I was paired with my mentor, Rodney, who was brilliant in providing me with key guidance as I was preparing to graduate law school and join the corporate workforce. I first started as a graduate lawyer at MinterEllison, and then moved over to Deloitte to the Financial Services Risk and Regulation Advisory team. Recently, I have just moved over to an inhouse superannuation team at HostPlus.

In terms of my Pinnacle journey, shortly after I graduated from my course, Andrew Staite (The Pinnacle Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer) reached out to me and asked if I could provide some additional support to the then Company Secretary in a volunteer capacity. I joined Pinnacle then as a volunteer in 2019 and have been volunteering ever since, firstly as the Governance & Risk Manager and now as the Company Secretary.

What did you gain from being part of the Pinnacle scholarship program?

Being a part of The Pinnacle Foundation has been an interesting time of self-discovery, self-reflection, and growth. I did not come out until quite late, but Pinnacle has been a big part of that journey. Talking to my peers who grew up in metropolitan environments and even those who might not have had ideal coming out stories, there is a strong cultural difference between regional and metropolitan communities. There generally seems to be a lot more opportunities within metropolitan communities to interact and engage with people from different cultures, sexualities, genders, and backgrounds which influences certain views. Regional communities, whilst they are tight knit, mean you have limited exposure to a wider cross section of the community.Through The Pinnacle Foundation, I was able to connect with a much more diverse network of people This time was such a huge learning journey for me in coming to a place where I was comfortable with my identity. A big part of Pinnacle for me has been the opportunity to see successful, thriving, happy and out LGBTQIA+ people. A big worry when I was growing up was that I never saw anyone who was successful and out. I had heard a lot of horror stories from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s of people who had come out and then were discriminated against in the workplace, harassed because of their sexuality, or would simply be passed over for promotions which hindered their career success. At that time, I really did not see anyone who had benefitted in the long-term from coming out which influenced why I remained closeted for so long. During my time as a Pinnacle scholar, I was able to connect with so many people who were out and very successful in their professions, while being open about their LGBTQIA+ identities, which gave the me the encouragement I needed. Understanding that it is a viable option to be your authentic self and have a successful life was a key part of my Pinnacle journey.

The Pinnacle Foundation helped me immensely in many ways. University can be incredibly expensive, and one the biggest expenses in law school is purchasing textbooks. Being awarded a Pinnacle scholarship really took the worry out of being a student and improved my mental health. I come from a very middle-class family, and I was constantly worried about the financial aspect of university. Having that worry removed meant I could really focus on my studies.

I have found that the enduring connection I have maintained with The Pinnacle Foundation after my scholarship has been such an unexpected part of my Pinnacle journey. As an alumnus and volunteer, it has been incredibly valuable being able to engage with the Foundation in an area that really interested me and was directly related to my career aspirations. Becoming involved in the governance and risk role, and supporting the company secretary in that capacity, was a great opportunity to kick-start my career. So much of the work I have done with The Pinnacle Foundation has boosted my knowledge and capabilities in my working life which is not something I really expected. I went into the scholarship program thinking that the support would only last through university, but four and a half years since I graduated, I am still learning and engaging with the Foundation. I can only say that my journey with The Pinnacle Foundation has really been enduring and has continued to give and give. Last year, I was also awarded the first alumni scholarship for the LGBTQIA+ Executive Fellowship that is run in conjunction with The University of Sydney, which was such an amazing experience. Being able to contribute and give back to the Foundation has been incredibly rewarding.

What was your experience with your mentor like?

The mentorship, being paired so accurately with someone who can support your journey was outstanding. Being connected to someone who so generously provides you with insights and advice about the pitfalls that they had to overcome and that I can avoid as a recipient of that wisdom. My mentor, Rodney, was a great pairing for me. Rodney provided me with straight-down-the-line advice, had immense industry knowledge and would provide guidance on where I was in my career and where I was hoping to go. I remember we would sit down together and go through my CV and work through every single aspect of it in a really practical way. Rodney is a senior partner in a corporate law firm but is also a gay dad with a big family and has been a successful advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community for years. Seeing Rodney role model those successes and having that representation has really helped me have confidence in my own future.

What advice would you give to a young person who is thinking about applying for The Pinnacle Foundation scholarship program?

The bottom-line is you should absolutely apply. This scholarship is genuinely a life-changing experience. I have had so many opportunities through my Pinnacle scholarship for which I am so grateful for. Even if you have applied in the past and were not successful, the application process is an important learning experience of self-reflection. Looking back on my state of mind at the time when I was applying for my Pinnacle scholarship, I realise now that the application process made me reflect on where I wanted to go and what was holding me back. Ultimately it was a great opportunity for me to be honest about my goals and aspirations. I would absolutely encourage other LGBTQIA+ students to apply. This opportunity is life-changing and can have such an impact on your life and well-being.

Ben Henry – Pinnacle alumnus

Do you have any questions?

Links