Torres Strait Islander woman Ramona Weston has become the first person in her family to graduate from university after completing her degree while working full-time in the Australian Public Service.

Ms Weston recently graduated from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in sociology and minoring in politics and government.

Her family is from from Masig Island (Yorke Island) in the central Torres Strait, while she grew up in Innisfail, Queensland, and is now based in Magandjin (Brisbane).

After finishing high school in 2017, Ms Weston entered the workforce and spent two years working full-time before beginning university in 2020.

Rather than following the traditional pathway from high school to university, she chose part-time online study to complement her existing career.

Her graduation marks a personal milestone and reflects her determination to pursue further education while maintaining her professional commitments.

"I'm incredibly proud to be the first person in my family to graduate from university, particularly knowing that I completed my degree while continuing to work full-time and building my career," Ms Weston said.

Ms Weston pursued higher education to expand her career opportunities and develop skills relevant to her work in the public service.

She chose a Bachelor of Arts because it allowed her to explore subjects that aligned with her professional interests.

"I chose a Bachelor of Arts because it was broad and allowed me to study areas that interested me while still being relevant to the work I was already doing; it complemented my professional experience rather than solely preparing me to enter the workforce," Ms Weston said.

"Sociology, politics and government felt particularly applicable to a career in the public service and helped me better understand the people, communities and systems that government decisions can impact and it has given me another foundation to draw on in my career."

Her studies also strengthened her research and writing abilities while allowing her to examine issues and perspectives beyond those encountered in her workplace.

Balancing university assignments with full-time employment presented challenges, but the flexibility of online learning allowed her to progress at a manageable pace.

"The flexibility of online study and the option to complete my degree part-time allowed me to continue working full-time while progressing my studies at a pace that worked for me," Ms Weston said.

"While it can still be challenging, having that flexibility made completing a degree much more achievable."

One of the highlights of her university experience was participating in an Indian Summer School program at Parul University in India.

During the two-week program, Ms Weston completed a Global Social Impact Project involving visits to local villages and engagement with communities.

The experience focused on understanding community experiences and exploring how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals could be applied locally.

"I spent two weeks completing a Global Social Impact Project, which involved visiting local villages and engaging with communities to better understand their experiences and consider how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals could be applied within those communities," Ms Weston said.

Ms Weston also received support through an Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) scholarship during the final two years of her degree.

She has maintained her connection with the foundation through its alumni community and spoke about her educational journey at the AIEF Ambassador's Briefing in Sydney in April 2026.

Having completed her degree, Ms Weston is now focusing on the next stage of her professional career.

She recently moved into a new role within the Australian Public Service that aligns with subjects explored throughout her university studies.

"I have recently moved into a new role within the Australian Public Service that aligns closely with many of the areas I explored throughout my degree, so I'm excited to apply both my academic and professional experience in a new context," Ms Weston said.

"I'm also looking forward to having a bit more time to enjoy life without an assignment deadline hanging over me!"