UQ staff, students, and their guests recently gathered under the mango tree at Hillstone St Lucia for the annual end-of-year Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sashing Ceremony, to celebrate chapters closing and new beginnings approaching.
This year saw an incredibly high-calibre group of graduates take to the stage, all with impressive goals, aiming to create change.
Kamilaroi (Kam-ill-uh-roy) man, Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Science graduate, and ceremony Student Speaker, Angus Loft delivered an inspiring address, reminding his fellow graduates of their unfailing power and determination.
“One thing we all have in common as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at The University of Queensland is that we strive for excellence,” he said.
“We don't allow adversities or roadblocks in our journey to dictate the remainder of our pathways. Instead, we are flexible, persevering, and as evidenced by all the scholars in front of me, a secret to our success is that we never give up.”
Mardigan/Kamilaroi woman, and Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) graduate, Jasmine Gardner-Allwood mirrored these sentiments, expressing her gratitude for getting this far and proudly looking to the future.
“My experience at UQ was definitely worth it, even with struggles and hardships that I faced,” she said.
“Eventually I would like to return to my community and work alongside Indigenous youth; helping them achieve their goals and supporting them to do that.”
Aboriginal man from Iningai (Yn-n-guy) country and PhD graduate, Dr Andrew Goodman also expressed his appreciation, recognising the support he received to continue his Post-doctoral Fellowship at CSIRO’s Australian eHealth Research Centre (AEHRC), exploring ways to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health.
“The University of Queensland provided me with a really safe and supportive environment to allow me to upskill in the research skills and knowledge that I needed,” he said.
These students are just a few examples of the many bright scholars who are graduating this year and stepping into their future careers with tenacity and resolve.
One thing is for certain … no matter where they are headed, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduating class of 2023 will persevere.
In the words of Angus Loft, “although we will all be moving on from this chapter of our lives, remember, the key to our success is that we never give up.”