Diverse journeys converge on 'bridge' to higher aspirations
Published on 11 March, 2010
Maria Jones, Krystal Dullahide and Lionel Baars have taken very different paths and are at different stages of their lives. Their journeys converged recently at a celebration to mark the completion of their Tertiary Entry Program (TEP), providing a bridge into degree-level studies at CQUniversity.
TEP is coordinated by the Nulloo Yumbah Indigenous Learning, Spirituality & Research Centre so former resident of the Philippines Maria Jones was pleasantly surprised to find she was welcome in the program.
As a younger woman back in her home country, Maria had initially wanted to become a nurse "but with 3 girls in our family and all wanting to do nursing my mother said you have to pick another course because money was tight".
She subsequently graduated as an industrial engineer and worked for Pepsi-Cola International as a personal clerk before marrying and migrating to Australia.
"I first worked as a lollypop lady and then stopped because my husband retired," Maria said. "I had been volunteering for the Red Cross but I also wanted to do something constructive for myself so I was encouraged to enrol in TEP.
"I always wanted to help in regards to health and so I'm doing a Bachelor of Health Promotion with electives in Indigenous Health, with a view to work in Indigenous Health." Maria is now based in Rockhampton.
Krystal Dullahide has (so far) had a shorter journey. She grew up in Moura and moved to boarding school in Rockhampton but left before completing senior. Krystal is now based at Blackbutt in the South Burnett region.
"I've been doing TEP full-time with 2 jobs. It was really good. The study guides are really well set out and the lecturers help all the time; even with me sending 10,000 emails they were just happy to help and really supportive. I'm enrolled in Biomedical Science."
"Hopefully I will do medicine but because I did not finish school I have to go the long way. Along the way I might find something else for a career."
After spending half his childhood in an orphanage, it's no surprise Lionel Baars had a few "psychological barriers" against achieving in society.
Nowadays, thanks to encouragement from his wife and success in the TEP program, the Bundaberg resident is "going forward in leaps and bounds".
LINK HERE to find out more about Lionel's journey .