Healing, heritage, and higher learning: Sharyn McDonogh’s UOW journey

A resilient woman’s pursuit of healing and knowledge is inspiring others at UOW Eurobodalla.

November 8, 2024

At 60, Sharyn McDonogh is proof that it’s never too late to rewrite your story. A survivor, scholar, and First Nations advocate, Sharyn’s healing through “academic grounding” inspires all who meet her.

Nestled in the peaceful, coastal setting of UOW Eurobodalla in Batemans Bay, the blend of instant warmth and unapologetic frankness in Sharyn McDonogh is impossible to ignore.

Sharyn is currently pursuing her Master of Indigenous Health, Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Trauma and Recovery Practice, a fitting chapter in a life marked by resilience, growth, and unshakable determination.

“I am a Yorta Yorta woman who has resided here in Batemans Bay on Yuin land for just over 31 years,” Sharyn explains. As a proud descendant of respected Indigenous elder and rights activist William Cooper from Cummeragunja near the Murray River in southwestern NSW, Sharyn has carried his legacy with profound duty and pride.

“As a First Nations student, my enthusiasm is directly linked to my lived experiences, and my passion comes from wanting to improve the lives of my family – as my great, great grandfather did.”

Leadership in learning

While she maintains a signature humility, Sharyn’s educational journey is undeniably inspiring. In her 40s, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, becoming the first Indigenous woman to graduate with Honours from UOW Eurobodalla at the time, and the first in her family to earn a university degree.

Reflecting on her achievements, Sharyn said, “My degree has changed me. It’s improved my life, my ability to engage with others outside of who I would normally be impacted by.” For Sharyn, education became both a form of empowerment and a bridge to new opportunities.

But her story delves far deeper than academic pursuits. Behind the achievements is a personal history marked by hardship and healing. Leaving an abusive situation, she relocated to Batemans Bay to rebuild her life and create a stable foundation for her sons. “It has taken 30 years to heal from the trauma of my first 30 years,” Sharyn candidly shares, highlighting the depth of her resilience.

“I wanted peace and calm, a nurturing environment away from violence, so that I could heal and raise my sons away from that toxicity.”

Sharyn’s sanctuary in Batemans Bay and the community at UOW Eurobodalla became a safe space to rediscover herself. The support she’s received has proven invaluable, and she is quick to credit her campus and the strong network she’s found.

“Coming to this campus for me at this point in time has definitely been an advantage with that community… to know that my skill set was transferable into marks and the grades,” she explains.

Sharyn McDonogh “My degree has changed me. Its improved my life and my ability to engage with others.” Photo: Michael Gray.

From trauma to triumph

For Sharyn, the pursuit of the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Trauma and Recovery Practice is as personal as it is academic. The program not only aligns with her heritage but resonates with her journey toward healing.

Sharyn shares the intrinsic value of learning from First Nations educators, saying, “With the trauma recovery [classes], every single person who presented was a First Nations academic or educator. So that for me was one of the big things that impressed me with the subject itself.”

Her commitment to First Nations communities is unwavering. Sharyn is passionate about creating safe spaces and sharing resources to help others heal. In her words, “It’s good to know that those voices are getting heard now and that there’s more of us in.” Her work, both in her studies and in her life as an intuitive healer, seeks to make a meaningful impact, especially on those who may feel left behind.

“Showing what is possible through determination and self-accountability – highlighting these parts of my core self – is what propels me to want to make changes for the future generations of my people just like William did.”

What’s next for Sharyn? With 35,000 words of her life story already written, she’s considering expanding her narrative into a full memoir. And as she looks ahead, Sharyn isn’t guided by a predetermined plan but instead an openness to whatever lies beyond. “I might write, I might do a PhD, or maybe I’ll just keep helping others heal,” she says with a smile.

“We’ll see what the universe throws at me!”

My name is Sharyn McDonogh and I am a Yorta Yorta woman who has resided here on Yuin land for just over 31 years.

I am a returning student to the Eurobodalla campus here. I was the first Indigenous student to actually graduate with Honours from this campus.

When I completed it, because of the grades and the marks,then I was encouraged to continue on and do the master's, which is what I'm doing now.

The role of regional campuses is very, very important for students and families to support those who are unable to access or move away to larger campuses. My lifestyle is a single mom, finances are very limited. I did not have options to travel in other distances or other places. I also chose this area to raise my children. But what I found is most crucial for me is to have the access to the campus. And we have 24 hour access here. Those services and abilities that help support us as students, and it fits in with my lifestyle as well.

Each time I've done something, whether it was the previous degree or this one, I've gained that level of confidence in myself and it's helped me to own my power now. So I would say that the University and the degree has definitely empowered me in that sense.

The community experience is what I found was most supportive, the willingness to help. And you can just walk past the office and someone will help you. If someone doesn't know something, they'll come around. Everyone's able to share that experience in a more comfortable, family orientated space, I think.

Yeah, so my degree has changed me. It's improved my life, my ability to engage with others outside of who I would normally be impacted by. I have the knowledge to back it up now. I think coming to this campus for me at this point in time has definitely been an advantage. I really doubt I would have if it hadn't been for being here and the space and and all those improvements and the encouragement.