University of Wollongong academic Professor Paul Chandler might have been the first in his family to get a degree - but he doesn't have fond memories of his first graduation.
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"I didn't have the money to hire the gown so I didn't go to my first graduation ceremony," he said, with a laugh.
"Then two days later, my neighbour, who was my mentor, found out that I hadn't gone and so she dragged me down to Sydney University, hired a graduation gown for me and we did some 'pretend' graduation photos out in the main quadrant.
"Two days after she did that for me, she died, which was very sad."
His mentor, or "Aunty" as he called her, had always encouraged him to complete his schooling and go on to university at a time - and in a place - where it was certainly not the norm.
"I grew up in the south-eastern suburbs of Sydney and no one in my family and hardly anyone I knew, had been to university," Professor Chandler said.
"But even though I was from quite a disadvantaged environment, I was encouraged by my family and by my Aunty in particular, to seek out education from a very early age.
"My Aunty was a retired school teacher and she was a very inspirational mentor and role model."
Professor Chandler went on to get two degrees from Sydney University - a bachelor of science (honours) and a graduate education degree - before completing a master of science in psychology and PhD in education from the University of NSW.
Not only did he make his family - and his Aunty - proud, he inspired many others in his community to follow his lead.
"I think it started a lot of people in my community thinking 'if he can do it, so can I'," Professor Chandler said.
"I think in many families, or communities, when one person gets a degree, it has a roll-on effect."
Since becoming the first in his family to get a degree, Professor Chandler has clocked up a number of other firsts.
In 1993, he became the first person to receive an Australian Research Council fellowship in education. Then, when he joined the University of Wollongong as Dean of Education seven years ago, he became the first indigenous dean of a mainstream faculty at any Australian university.
In his latest role - as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Inclusion and Outreach) - he hoped to be able to help others from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve their own "firsts".
He is also the executive director of UOWs Early Start facility - due to open in 2015 - a teaching facility where graduates will work with children aged from 0-12.
"Universities have this invisible forcefield surrounding them - they are seen as foreign places to many people," Professor Chandler said.
"The great thing about the University of Wollongong is that there are many programs in place which attempt to break down that invisible forcefield."
