Top musician recalls USQ student days

Kev Carmody has fond recollections of his days as an Arts student at USQ.

'There was this amazing spread of music to choose from,' he said. 'The lecturers were so passionate and dedicated to fostering critical consciousness in students.'

The renowned singer/songwriter and University alumnus visited Toowoomba this week (Thursday, October 28), where he entertained close to 80 people during the much-anticipated launch of USQ’s Bachelor of Arts Program.

The redesigned program promotes flexible study over a wide range of skills and disciplines from within the University.

New areas of study have been introduced into the program with archaeology, Australian studies, popular culture, contemporary international studies and creative writing being offered for the first time.

'The Arts should question, challenge, confront, engage and empower,' Mr Carmody told the gathering. 'For us (the Aboriginal people), the Arts are utilised to transmit information from one generation to another.'

Mr Carmody said he remembered taking his guitar to his first USQ lecture, hoping to use his musical talents to provide a distraction from the fact that he couldn’t write.

'I was illiterate, I had never read a book,' he said. 'I spent a lot of time in the library, learning how to use it and how to write – there was even a spot in the library they called ‘Kev’s corner’.'

Mr Carmody invited the audience to join him in singing 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' – an award-winning composition he created with Paul Kelly in the 1990s.

In his early 30s Mr Carmody was given the opportunity to enrol in tertiary study and chose to attend USQ - then called the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education - where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honours. His degree allowed him to further his lifelong passion for music, storytelling, and history - interests which he credits to his early years spent listening to his grandparents, parents and extended family of Murri aunts, uncles and cousins.

He later undertook postgraduate studies and completed a Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland.

In 2008, Mr Carmody was presented an Honorary Degree of Doctor from USQ.

Faculty of Arts Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Goodall, described the Bachelor of Arts program as 'the original undergraduate degree' that would always have a special place in universities worldwide.