There are times when you haven't slept in days, study and family pressures are crushing and the Coke machine chews your last $2 that you really feel like giving it all up!

But sometimes you just need a buddy or group of supporters to pull you through.

Lisa Jefferis talks from the heart

That was a message that participants in CQUniversity's STEPS preparatory program heard during their graduation ceremony recently (October 9).

The crowd at the ceremony

Former STEPS student, learning management degree graduate and now Yeppoon-based primary teacher Lisa Jefferis kept the graduation audience alert with her tales of adversity and redemption.

A common theme throughout the evening was the tendancy for STEPS students to create a support network, not only for the duration of their program but also throughout their future studies.

Lisa explained that before she enrolled in STEPS she "managed hotels, was a teacher-aide, worked at Woolies ... I was everywhere".

"But it just wasn't enough for me. It wasn't what I had dreamt my life would be like.

"I was married, I was divorced and for a time I was a single mother ... my parents helped me with child-minding so I could earn enough money."

Lisa said that the advance knowledge gained by STEPS students meant they were literally a step ahead of other students entering degree studies and the STEPS office was a continuing resource where they could knock on the door for help.

Olympian Kylie Cronk also spoke to inspire the STEPS audience

She explained to the audience that her own study challenges included having to deal with episodes of epilepsy, child rearing and work commitments, commuting to campus and a general lack of sleep.

"As you can well imagine I was an absolute pleasure to be around," she said.

Lisa explained that part of her coping was to drink large amounts of Diet Coke for the caffeine, so it was a shock when the campus vending machine chewed up her last $2 without spitting out the can.

She said she spent 15 minutes on the mobile phone convincing the lady at Coke HQ that she "had impacted my life" before one of her STEPS buddies convinced her to give up and go to class. However, she eventually did get $5 and a letter of apology.

"You're also going to fall," she said to the STEPS graduates. "But you won't fall far enough that you can't pick yourself up and dust yourself off or there's going to be someone there to help you."

"The networks and partnerships that you will create at university will go with you for the rest of your life.

Lisa Jefferis

"You make snap judgements about people but you work out that everyone is in the same boat and that everyone you study with will have something of use to you."