USQ Celebrates Indigenous Success Stories

USQ recently celebrated the success of the Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges (CAIK) at the launch of its integration with the University's Faculty of Arts.

CAIK Director, Associate Professor John Williams-Mozley, said he was very proud of the work being done at USQ and the integration with the Faculty would enable even more to be achieved.

'We're looking forward to more regular contact with staff throughout the Faculty because as we mingle together we will learn more about each other and open up opportunities for collaboration,' he said. 'Working together as a team will be good for our students as well.'

Lecturer at CAIK, Maree Toombs, is herself an example of the success CAIK is achieving.

Maree worked as a cleaner for some time but felt there was more to life. She enrolled in USQ's Indigenous Higher Education Pathways Program (IHEPP) which is a bridging program designed to give Indigenous students the necessary skills to succeed in undergraduate programs offered by USQ.

She then enrolled in the Bachelor of Education and graduated as a teacher. She taught in schools around the Toowoomba district before joining USQ. Maree is currently articulating her Masters into a PhD.

CAIK is located across USQ's three campuses (Toowoomba, Fraser Coast and Springfield). It offers support to Indigenous students prior to, and throughout, their university studies. The main purpose of the centre is to encourage and assist the further education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. CAIK has a continuing commitment to, and involvement in, the Indigenous community of the region.

Queensland has the second largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in Australia with several thousand Indigenous people living in Toowoomba and the surrounding districts. The Indigenous community is comprised of traditional owners, Indigenous people from throughout Queensland, the Torres Strait and Australia

For further information contact Ally Martell on +61 7 4631 2092.