Noni Hawkins wanted the entire ‘uni’ experience. ‘I wanted to live away from home, leave the nest – I wanted the whole thing’, she said. Noni enrolled to study at the University of New England, Armidale (UNE). Relocating from her hometown of Port Macquarie, Noni says it would not have been possible without the Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship. ‘I would probably still be completing my degree if not for the scholarship, I would’ve had to find time for work for money. It took the pressure off and helped me to be more independent, to live and study and not rely on my parents so much’. The scholarship allowed Noni to undertake study and have a social life, without the burden of looking for extra work. The Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship gives ongoing support throughout the length of the degree. It is designed to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to relocate for tertiary education and study on-campus.
At the beginning of her university journey, Noni enrolled as an online student in TRACKS, a tertiary preparation program, run through the Oorala Aboriginal Centre. TRACKS enables students to select an undergraduate degree to go into once they have completed it. Although she fondly remembers visiting UNE for the pre-orientation day which involved lots of walking, talking and meeting her new peers, it was through TRACKS that she learnt how to complete assignments, referencing, academic writing, the ins and outs of using Moodle and how to stay on top of her study load.
Noni grew up in the Biripi country but is originally Yuin from Moruya, she moved to the Armidale campus to begin her Bachelor of Criminology and found that connective family-like environment at the Oorala Centre. With late night study sessions necessary, Noni found the support from the Oorala Centre was right there. ‘Not only did they know the circumstances I was coming from, they were able to help me get through those circumstances by giving me the support, they would give me a friendly nudge, a boost through the rest of the Trimester’. With the scholarship in hand, Noni first moved into Mary White College, a UNE residential college, and by her third year of study, she and some friends shifted into apartment living at Wright Village. Noni became a Resident Fellow – a senior student who offers pastoral care to other students – and made lifelong friends. She said, ‘It was really easy being an on-campus in college student. I think there were a lot of opportunities available to on-campus students, like sport, mentorship and events, and eventually I got a job at UNE. I it think was because of the contacts I made along the way.’
Having completed her Bachelor of Criminology in 2018, Noni is currently studying for a Bachelor of Laws. Whilst leaning towards a career in Legal Aid, currently her compassionate nature is used to help other students here at UNE, where she has worked full-time at UNE Student Success and more recently as a Project Officer at the Oorala Aboriginal Centre.
There are numerous scholarships, including an Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship, that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieve a University degree. When applying for a placement be sure to check if you are eligible for a scholarship. To read more about the scholarships available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, follow this link: https://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/indigenous-scholarships
The Oorala Experience Team is available to help you with your scholarship needs, whether it’s filling out the form or clarifying that you meet the requirements. To contact Oorala, call 1800 622 384 / 6773 3034 or email ooralasupport@une.edu.au.
