One piece at a time
For years, First Nations woman Jessamy Casey doubted whether she was smart enough to go to university.
Now, the proud Ngemba woman is studying a Bachelor of Nursing at CQUniversity and achieving excellent results – and she hopes her journey will inspire others who have wondered whether higher education is really for them.
Jessamy, who lives in Port Lincoln, South Australia, where she is studying remotely said her journey to university had not been straightforward.
“I became a mum at 17 which took me down a different life path, but I have always admired people who had received university degrees and worked as professionals and had well-paying jobs,” the 49-year-old single mum explained.
After completing a Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) four years ago, Jessamy said a spark was ignited for a long-held dream of studying at university and so began her journey towards it.
“I enrolled in STEPS (Skills for Tertiary Education Preparatory Studies) and was blown away by the amount of encouragement and inclusivity of the lecturers, support lecturers and unit coordinators,” Jessamy said.
“No matter what our background or level of competency that we believed we had as a person returning to study, or our family or work commitments, we were told and shown that it was achievable if we were willing to do the work.”
Choosing the right university
Jessamy chose CQUniversity because it was one of only two universities offering her the opportunity to study online from Port Lincoln, while also giving her the flexibility to continue her studies if she eventually relocated to Queensland, where her parents live.
She completed STEPS in Term 1 and has now progressed into undergraduate study.
She said completing STEPS helped transform her confidence and make university feel achievable.
“It made me realise that every graduate once stood where I stood, right at the beginning and had all the fears and reservations we all have when trying something new,” she said.
“I believe the choice that I made to study at CQUniversity has been one of the life-altering experiences of my life and I look forward to my future with excitement.”
Help along the way
As she prepared to begin her university journey, Jessamy was also provided with a CQU Be Ready Equity Pack – a practical collection of resources designed to help students experiencing barriers to education get off to a strong start.
The pack included stationery, a computer mouse, headphones and, most importantly for Jessamy, a reconditioned laptop.
“This equity pack helped me launch my studies and definitely hit the ground running,” she said.
“I wouldn’t be as efficient if I didn’t receive this Be Ready pack.”
The laptop has allowed Jessamy to study wherever and whenever she can – including while waiting in the car during her daughter’s sporting activities.
She also uses her evenings to chip away at readings and study questions, helping her manage the demands of university alongside parenting and work.
Single parenting juggles
As a single mum, Jessamy works just one or two days a week and studies while her daughter is at school, relying on her support network to balance her responsibilities.
The practical support provided through Be Ready has been matched by the academic and personal support she has received from CQU.
Jessamy said she was particularly impressed by the accessibility of university support services, including Indigenous support, wellbeing services, PASS and academic assistance.
“If I don’t know something or how to approach a task, I have about six people who have offered to show me the way,” she said.
“It was a validating feeling.”
Upon completing STEPS, Jessamy progressed straight into the Bachelor of Nursing degree, which she said was a natural choice for her.
Overcoming barriers
“I have battled addiction, I fought cancer – I have seen all the darkness life can bring. Now I want to give back to the community and help other people where I can and most importantly be a role model for my daughter,” she said.
At 45, Jessamy was diagnosed with stage two tonsil cancer and underwent surgery and radiation therapy.
She credits the support of a head and neck cancer nurse with helping make an incredibly difficult experience less frightening.
“Her kind professional guidance is something I will always remember,” she said.
Currently working in aged care, Jessamy said she had always been interested in the clinical side of healthcare and hopes to eventually work in primary healthcare within Aboriginal communities, while also considering areas including surgical and perioperative nursing.
“I want to become the kind of nurse who listens, communicates effectively and provides care without bias or judgement,” she explained.
“I want to learn more about my own culture and being able to help with community-based primary healthcare is the starting point in assisting people to form good health habits to utilise throughout their lifespan.”
But perhaps her biggest motivation is closer to home.
Jessamy wants her daughter to see that education and opportunity are possible, regardless of where life begins.
“If I can do it at 49, then she can too,” she said.
Her family is already incredibly proud of her achievement. Her parents did not finish high school, while her sister attended university but did not complete her degree.
“My dad tells me every chance he gets that he is so proud of me,” Jessamy said.
If I can, you can
Jessamy hopes sharing her story will encourage other people who may be held back by their own self-doubt.
“I battled addiction, I fought cancer, I am a single mum, I didn’t finish high school, I live on a tight budget, but I know I can be more than what my self-doubt tells me I am,” she said.
Her advice is simple: ask for help, take things one step at a time and, most importantly, make a start.
“I hope they will see that university is for everyone,” Jessamy said.
“It just doesn’t educate you academically, it enables you to grow mentally and emotionally. It will reward you in ways you didn’t think possible.”
And when the workload feels overwhelming, Jessamy said she had her own way of thinking about it.
“Almost everyone loves cake, but you can’t eat a whole cake in one sitting,” she said.
“It will take multiple sittings and a piece at a time, but the whole cake CAN be eaten.”
For Jessamy, every completed assessment is another piece of that cake – and another step towards the nursing career she once doubted was possible.
“I reward myself each time I complete an assessment, and that cake tastes so much better every time I chip off one more part of my degree.”
