Alum Helps Down Under Natives

SYDNEY, Australia--The Australian bush is more than half a world away from the gates of Harvard Yard. For the continent's native Aborigine people, any education at all can be difficult to come by, much less an Ivy League one. But one Harvard graduate, herself an aborigine, is working to change that.

Dr. Roberta Sykes, who received her both her masters and doctorate degrees from Harvard, founded the Black Women's Action in Education Foundation (BWAEF), which has sent eight aborigines to Harvard in its twelve-year history.

The foundation began as a newspaper for the black community, which Sykes transformed into her foundation in 1986. The organization draws on a membership of 500-600 Australians, who pay $20 dues each year. These funds help aboriginal students meet any financial need.

The foundation's role is to identify members of the black community who could successfully apply to and attend Harvard and to provide assistance in reviewing applications and providing necessary financial support, Sykes says.

Sykes explained that while encouraging aborigines to apply to Harvard, she cautions them not to try to receive financial aid from the University because it will hurt their chances of acceptance.

"We call ourselves the 'last chance funding,'" Sykes says. "As part of the process, we encourage our students to apply to all funding bodies and we meet what-ever aid they cannot receive elsewhere."

Back at Cambridge, Courtney B. Cazden, professor emeritus at the Graduate School of Education, has taken an interest in the foundation's work and is helping aboriginal students get settled at Harvard.

This year, Sykes and her foundation were able to add another crocodile tooth to their cap with the graduation of Larissa Bhrendt from the Law School in June.

Sykes' own experience as an aborigine atHarvard has encouraged her to pursue thefoundation. The first aborigine to graduate fromHarvard University, Sykes is not only a famousauthor but a fervent activist for aboriginerights.

Following her graduation from Harvard with amasters and doctorate in education, Sykes returnedhome to Sydney, Australia, and established thefoundation. Sykes laughed as she said the purposeof this volunteer-staffed organization is to fundthe "overambitious aspirations of aborigines," aterm previously used to dismiss the efforts ofaborigines to educate themselves.

Sykes says she knew "it had to be done becausewe're getting the tools to help the blackcommunity in Australia." Along with other leadingrepresentatives of the foundation, Sykes searchesfor aborigines who she believes have the potentialfor education.

"We know when they're ready to reach thathurdle," Sykes says. "We have a lot of people whoare very timorous about their ability, so it takesa few years sometimes to convince someone tofollow the direction of education that isavailable at Harvard."

In fact, Sykes herself was first approached in1976 by Chester M. Pierce, professoremeritus of education and psychiatry in theMedicine School and Graduate School of Education.Sykes was well-known at the time from severalpublications she wrote while working at the HealthCommission in Australia and guest lecturing atuniversities throughout Australia.

While she received some tuition funds from theAustralian Council of Churches for her first year,Sykes still did not have enough money to pay forher Harvard education.

Her lucky break came when an article appearedon the front page of the Sydney Morning Heralddetailing the efforts of a young woman to be thefirst aborigine to attend Harvard. The Australianpublic responded with enough phone calls offeringdonations that Sykes could pay her first year'stuition.

After one year's work at Harvard, Sykesreceived her masters degree in 1980 and wasencouraged to pursue a doctorate in education fromher professors.

Sykes continued her studies at Harvard, havingjust enough money to finish writing her thesisbefore returning to Australia. Unfortunately, shehad to return to Australia in December, 1983without a doctorate diploma because she could notafford to stay until graduation.

Several months later, the Harvard Club ofAustralia organized a large ceremony at SydneyUniversity to present Sykes her official degree.Although it was too difficult for an aborigine toreceive a high school diploma one decade earlier,Sykes defied the odds and graduated with a mastersand doctorate from Harvard University.

Sykes immediately began working to help otheraborigines have the same opportunity to receive afirst-rate education by working to provide anotherstudent, Norma Ingram, with enough money to meetHarvard's tuition.

Ingram left with $1000, a return ticket and aguarantee of later funds from the AustralianCouncil of Churches. This promise would grow intothe Black Woman's Action in Education Foundation,which now accepts tax deductible donations inAustralia.

Sykes says her work is far from over.

"Most people don't know about the difficultsituation faced by members of the aboriginecommunity who try to get an education," Sykessays. "It had to be done.

Sykes' own experience as an aborigine atHarvard has encouraged her to pursue thefoundation. The first aborigine to graduate fromHarvard University, Sykes is not only a famousauthor but a fervent activist for aboriginerights.

Following her graduation from Harvard with amasters and doctorate in education, Sykes returnedhome to Sydney, Australia, and established thefoundation. Sykes laughed as she said the purposeof this volunteer-staffed organization is to fundthe "overambitious aspirations of aborigines," aterm previously used to dismiss the efforts ofaborigines to educate themselves.

Sykes says she knew "it had to be done becausewe're getting the tools to help the blackcommunity in Australia." Along with other leadingrepresentatives of the foundation, Sykes searchesfor aborigines who she believes have the potentialfor education.

"We know when they're ready to reach thathurdle," Sykes says. "We have a lot of people whoare very timorous about their ability, so it takesa few years sometimes to convince someone tofollow the direction of education that isavailable at Harvard."

In fact, Sykes herself was first approached in1976 by Chester M. Pierce, professoremeritus of education and psychiatry in theMedicine School and Graduate School of Education.Sykes was well-known at the time from severalpublications she wrote while working at the HealthCommission in Australia and guest lecturing atuniversities throughout Australia.

While she received some tuition funds from theAustralian Council of Churches for her first year,Sykes still did not have enough money to pay forher Harvard education.

Her lucky break came when an article appearedon the front page of the Sydney Morning Heralddetailing the efforts of a young woman to be thefirst aborigine to attend Harvard. The Australianpublic responded with enough phone calls offeringdonations that Sykes could pay her first year'stuition.

After one year's work at Harvard, Sykesreceived her masters degree in 1980 and wasencouraged to pursue a doctorate in education fromher professors.

Sykes continued her studies at Harvard, havingjust enough money to finish writing her thesisbefore returning to Australia. Unfortunately, shehad to return to Australia in December, 1983without a doctorate diploma because she could notafford to stay until graduation.

Several months later, the Harvard Club ofAustralia organized a large ceremony at SydneyUniversity to present Sykes her official degree.Although it was too difficult for an aborigine toreceive a high school diploma one decade earlier,Sykes defied the odds and graduated with a mastersand doctorate from Harvard University.

Sykes immediately began working to help otheraborigines have the same opportunity to receive afirst-rate education by working to provide anotherstudent, Norma Ingram, with enough money to meetHarvard's tuition.

Ingram left with $1000, a return ticket and aguarantee of later funds from the AustralianCouncil of Churches. This promise would grow intothe Black Woman's Action in Education Foundation,which now accepts tax deductible donations inAustralia.

Sykes says her work is far from over.

"Most people don't know about the difficultsituation faced by members of the aboriginecommunity who try to get an education," Sykessays. "It had to be done.