Starting tertiary study can be daunting but three sets of Indigenous twins are chasing their dreams at The University of Queensland, inspired by programs they joined while at high school.
The six students launched into their UQ journeys with friends on campus, plenty of information to guide their study choices and ongoing support.
Stacey and Renee Edwards, Ngadjon and Yindinji women from Kaban in Far North Queensland, participated in InspireU while in years 9 and 10 – joining other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students for week-long residential camps at UQ.
“Coming from such a rural town you think the options for university are limited but going on the InspireU camp made me realise I had more options and I also completely fell in love with the campus,” Stacey recalls about the program run by UQ’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit (ATSISU).
“It was quite scary coming so far to Brisbane for the first time, but it was also a fun experience and we made friends,” Bachelor of Laws student Renee said.
“We learned how university works and what’s on offer and we’re still in contact with people we met.”
Nearing the end of a Bachelor of Architectural Design, Stacey is keen for other regional Indigenous students to take up the opportunity of tertiary study.
“Moving away from our home, our family and the farm to start university in 2022 was a huge thing so it was a bonus having a sibling to do it with,” Stacey said.
“A big shock was having to cook all the time and realising all the small things that your parents do for you every day.
“There were times when I was overwhelmed and upset or homesick, but I just persisted knowing I had the ATSISU to turn to if I was struggling and everything got easier with a bit of time.”
Also leaving home to attend UQ were brothers Kai and Ethan Badger who decided on a UQ student residence for their first year in 2024 after a gap year.
With strong ties to the Mingaletta Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on the New South Wales Central Coast and family on the Sunshine Coast, Ethan says it was important for the brothers to stay together.
“It took a little while to settle in, but we like that we can just walk over to class and there’s a calendar of activities and events to join in,” he said.
The brothers were to attend to InspireU in 2020 but COVID-19 interruptions meant they instead went to Sydney for an Indigenous Australian Engineering School program.
“The program is run by EngineeringAid Australia and we met lots of other students from years 10 to 12 and visited different companies and projects around the city,” Kai said.
“It was a great opportunity and really opened our eyes to what a career could be, helping us decide what we wanted to do.”
Kai is in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) program while Ethan is studying for a Bachelor of Computer Science/Master of Data Science, and both have Rio Tinto Indigenous scholarships.
“The scholarships have been a game changer for us, they reduce the burden of needing to work and mean we can focus on our studies,” Kai said.
“The support offered by ATSISU clearly has made a major difference in the lives of many indigenous students and I am extremely grateful for what is offered.
“The social gatherings make the transition to university life so much easier.”
Ethan is keen to encourage other Indigenous students to consider university.
“It’s important to follow your dreams, whether it be for study or personal growth even if you face significant uncertainty from financial stress or general scepticism, university provides dedicated support to help you thrive,” Ethan said.
“There’s help to make connections and friends and find new interests.
“I was nervous and unsure about my future too, now without any regret I can say that the community and environment university provides has been invaluable.”
Nunukul students Jacob and Zachary Williams are in their second year studying a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and have been able to stay with their family in Brisbane’s northern suburbs while studying UQ.
“Our mum was the one who found out about InspireU at UQ while we were at school and then a teacher also suggested it, so we came along to a STEM camp and a health program,” Zach said.
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“We met staff and students and went on campus tours and had explanations about the different schools and visited places in the private sector and this connection made the university the number one preference for me.
“I’ve been in contact with the ATSIS unit since grade 9 and it helped me transition from high school and introduced me to other Indigenous students at UQ.
“I would strongly encourage students to attend InspireU if possible.”
Both Jacob and Zach are considering continuing their studies into medicine or psychology with the ATSISU as part of their journey.
“There is always an ATSISU event to look forward to throughout the year with my favourite being the InspireU alumni events,” Jacob said.
“The unit also provides a free tutoring program that has helped me reach my full academic potential.”
Established in 1984, the ATSISU recognises the enormous contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make to UQ. It provides support to students, teaches about and researches Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and engages with the community to further Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander success.
Images above left: Top, Renee and Stacey Edwards. Middle, Kai and Ethan Badger. Bottom, Zachary and Jacob Williams.
Media contact
UQ Communications
communications@uq.edu.au
+61 429 056 139.
