Rebecca Dean says her 30th birthday was a turning point which set her on the path towards higher education, thanks to CQUniversity's renowned STEPS preparatory program.

Now her study journey has been further supported thanks to winning the Zonta Club of Rockhampton 2012 STEPS Award, which included a $500 book voucher. Zonta is a worldwide organisation of executives in business and the professions working together to advance the status of women worldwide.

Zonta Club of Rockhampton rep Jan Landsberg (right) with Rebecca Dean

A few years ago, Rebecca's long-term relationship with her children's father failed and she was working part-time as a single mother, "living pay cheque to pay cheque".

"My 30th birthday was a turning point for me," she says.

"Self reflection hit me hard and I realised that I did not want to work in retail or hospitality jobs for the remainder of my life. I also discovered that the education my children needed was unattainable on the wage I was receiving.

"My extended family helped to guide me to STEPS at CQUniversity and I had heard fantastic reports from past 'Steppies' that encouraged me to make that phone call."

Rebecca says she was ecstatic when she heard the Business degree was offering double majors without extra time requirements.

"Since the beginning of my university journey, I have had another failed relationship, a custody battle and recently became homeless due to the severe weather a week before exam week. And that has been in six months! Life happens.

"You can never prepare for everything so instead build your resilience, study hard and embrace being a student. If you don't laugh, you will cry. It's always best to laugh.

Rebecca is now entering her second term of degree studies and will be running the Library Cafe on Rockhampton Campus with another past STEPS student.

She says she has always been a bit of an activist at heart and cares deeply for the environment.

"At the same time, I am very much a people person; I enjoy helping people, talking over and nutting out problems together, team/group work and making a difference to those around me.

"I would like to be either a HR Manager or a Sustainability Consultant in both business and environmental practices. These choices have enabled me to keep my options open and maintain my interest in the degree."

Rebecca gained the Zonta prize thanks to remarkable GPA results in her STEPS program, including a 100% result in Information Technology.

She says STEPS offers face-to-face contact, well-designed subjects and study guides, a supportive environment and the opportunity to make life-long friends.