After falling in love with detective thrillers, including the popular Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew series, Kamilaroi woman Jasmine Gulwell, then 10 years old, knew she wanted to study law.
Her fascination with all things law grew as she learned more about how the legal system worked and how it is impacted by society. When Year 10 work placements opened up, Jasmine grabbed the opportunity to apply to a local solicitor’s office where she learned first-hand how local courts operated. This experience was “so cool” Jasmine promptly chose the degree she wanted to study, which in turn determined her subject choices for Years 11 and 12.
Alongside this fascination with the law, Jasmine has a passion for languages and by the time she graduated from high school in 2021, she had studied Indonesian, French and German. She also loves Russian music and regularly makes time to connect with her sister with whom she practices speaking French despite coming from an English-only background.
Driven by her love of law and languages, Jasmine talks about working in the international embassies across Europe as either an ambassador or as a member of the diplomatic corps.
“I remember as a kid my parents explained to me that those careers combine a knowledge of law, languages and being paid to travel – it ticked all my boxes! Ever since, I’ve been studying with this career goal in mind.”
Finding a university that would accommodate Jasmine’s twin loves wasn’t easy either.
“UNE was the only university in Australia that allowed me to do a double major in Arts, with French and German as subjects, as well as a Bachelor of Law. I had applied for other universities as backup options knowing if I didn’t get into UNE but got an early entry into a backup option, I would switch across when I could. However, I received an early entry straight into UNE and moved to Armidale to take up my university studies last year.”
UNE was the only university in Australia that allowed me to do a double major in Arts, with French and German as subjects, as well as a Bachelor of Law.
It’s hard work but now in her second year of full time study, Jasmine is a Student Ambassador at UNE’s Oorala Aboriginal Centre, a role she excels in. After a few months of mentoring fellow students, and learning much about available supports, Jasmine realised she too could receive scholarships. “I applied for both the Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship and the Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship and with a little leg work received both scholarships straight away. "
UNE Oorala Aboriginal Centre
The Accommodation scholarship is to help cover the costs of moving to Armidale for the purpose of studying and it continues for your entire degree to help cover living costs.
The Education scholarship helps cover the cost of textbooks and tuition which has helped a lot as Law constantly requires brand new textbooks which as Jasmine says “can get really expensive as you have to buy a new textbook essentially every trimester.”
Applying for these scholarships was also easier than Jasmine expected. “I remember filling out a two page form, sending it off and then forgetting about it. Then when they emailed me asking for all my proof of relocating, financial disadvantage documents and Confirmation of Aboriginality I realised I might have a chance.”
“I had some difficulties with producing a Confirmation of Aboriginality (COA) due to my family’s history and because of our constant moving. Dad was in the Royal Australia Air Force and as a kid we moved around Australia a lot, even after he left the military. I believe I had lived in around 18 different houses by the time I was 18 years old. Because I was constantly changing schools and communities it was hard to prove I had been in a single Indigenous community long enough for them to remember who I was and how I was involved with community activities.”
I believe I had lived in around 18 different houses by the time I was 18 years old.
“Thankfully, my sister who had stayed with mother after our parents split, was involved in her Indigenous Community for most of high school. She participates in all the local Indigenous events and enters local art competitions. She is recognised for her artistic skills and drew a realistic portrait of her local Elder (with permission). This Elder was very impressed and with her help my sister was given her COA. It was not long after this that I needed mine and, after sharing some more stories, the community agreed to give me my COA.
“I received both scholarships in the third trimester of my first year at university and it really helped me to recover some money, which meant I could go home for Christmas.
“I had had to move out of my dad’s home and into college by myself. I had worked throughout Year 12 to save money in anticipation of moving into college and to give me a few months while I searched for a job.”
After two trimesters working and studying full time, and with the help of the scholarships, Jasmine was able to move out of her college and into rental accommodation in Armidale. This is a giant leap towards her independence as it means that she has officially moved out of home.
Jasmine, who was not a typical high school graduate having been to five different high schools and having had COVID interrupt her Year 11 studies, was also previously home-schooled for part of her time at primary school. Her varied schooling made it easy to switch to online education and her Year 12 studies wasn’t affected by constant lockdowns that occurred throughout 2020 and 2021. Jasmine finally graduated from high school at the end of 2021 via ZOOM.
Her unusual schooling and personal life have had a lasting impact on Jasmine who “really wants to encourage other Indigenous students who had to move out of home and aren’t receiving much or any financial help from their family, to apply for as many scholarships that are applicable as they really help relieve some of the stress so you can focus better on studying.”
