August 2021
Jessica Hooper, TRACKS, Bachelor of Psychological Science Student at UNE
Just give it a go, you may surprise yourself!” Jess Hooper happily encourages.
A proud Ngarabal woman, Jess hadn’t studied since high school and wanted to do something meaningful outside of the home after her son started kindergarten. With aspirations to study speech pathology, she recognised there were skills she needed to develop to be successful in higher education.
Because of family commitments, Jess searched for a flexible and supportive study environment. A mother to an autistic son with unpredictable special support needs, she needed to be able to adapt her study schedule.
Online research motivated Jess to enrol in Oorala’s TRACKS program, a tertiary preparation program for Aboriginal students at the University of New England, “that allows us to learn in a culturally safe and supported environment.” Says Jess WHY?? Online study was the only way to go for Jess expressing that “throughout your studies, life will happen. You will encounter difficulties but there is always help available to you. If you reach out for assistance and guidance, no task will be insurmountable, and you will find a way to achieve your study goals.”
Jess found that once she began her study she discovered that she was enjoying studying for its own sake, rather than just as a means to an end and says that this allowed her to “become more flexible with my goals and future career aspirations.” Currently in the first trimester of her Bachelor of Psychological Science Jess continues to benefit from the support of the Oorala Centre. She affirms that she relies “heavily upon my tutor, provided by Oorala, to complete my assessments on time and to a high standard alongside the practical support from staff about everything from enrolling or withdrawing in units, how to structure my degree, applying for extensions etc.”
TRACKS bridged the gap of time away from any study and Jess found that she developed skills which “have been beneficial for my current studies. It gave me a solid understanding of the mechanics of tertiary study and terminology. These things can be overwhelming if you don’t have any prior experience with higher education. Furthermore, the academic literacy skills are invaluable.”
Memorably Jess received 100% for some of her assignments in the TRACKS program. These results continue to resonate with her, as she reveals it “increased my confidence and enabled me to believe in myself. Seeing those tangible positive outcomes reinforced that I do have the ability to be successful in higher education.
With a new sense of self confidence following her new found success and love of learning, she has “been awarded the Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship. I have also won the Oorala Merit Prize and the HEPPP Retention and Support Bursary.” With the financial support that these provide she is able to fulfill her role as a mother while submitting works of a high standard but with much less stress.
The success Jess found in the TRACKS Program gave her real career aspirations and enabled her to make informed decisions about her education. Now studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science, majoring in counselling. Jess’ main goal for the future is to affect tangible positive outcomes for her community. “I hope that upon the completion of my degree I will have the necessary skills and tools to make that aspiration a reality.”
