Otago graduate and kaimahi Olivia Moreton has put in the hard yards to get her Bachelor of Arts degree, overcoming an invisible disability and mental health challenges.
For most people, a degree is a straight line – enrol, study, graduate. For Olivia Moreton, it was a long, looping road that spanned over a decade, crossed cities, careers and health challenges.
Olivia (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe) crossed the graduation stage yesterday with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Film – capping a journey she first began in 2014.
Olivia says she is stoked to have reached this milestone.
“I've struggled with epilepsy my entire life, so I’ve been a little bit behind when it comes to the developmental side of things.
“It's taken me a while, and a lot of hard work, to get to where I am now.”
When she started University in 2014, she didn’t really know what to study but was encouraged by her mum to “just see if there's anything out there”.
Her interest in robotics and film editing led her down the path of a degree in Computer Science, with a minor in Film.
It was the Television Production paper (MFCO251) that caused Olivia to pivot in her second year to a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Film.
“I think it was the pacing of it all, that I really wanted to do editing and putting it all together as a puzzle. I had a lot of fun doing a short film and a mini live TV episode.
“And I was like, this is it.”
Being part of the inaugural Film Festivals paper (MFCO333) was a wonderful experience too.
“The best part of the paper was getting to spend a few weeks at the Rialto as a lecture theatre.”
As much as she enjoyed delving into films and editing, University was a difficult period for her due to her health.
“I have focal epilepsy, so I space out. It’s not as evident as a grand mal seizure. It’s sort of an invisible disability.
“My mental health wasn’t great either. I struggled all through University and added an extra fourth year to try and make it up.”
And while she got “some wonderful help from the team at Student Health” in her final year, Olivia fell short by one paper – eighteen points separating her from graduation.
Looking back, her one regret is not approaching the team at Disability Information and Support for help.
“I really should have taken that opportunity. Things could have turned out so differently. But I was too scared at the time, as I had spent most of my life with people not believing me when I did have a seizure.”
It was too late to do anything about it since she had already been accepted to study film editing at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation, she says.
“I had my flights to Wellington booked. I couldn’t stay behind to take up Summer School to finish my Arts degree.”
Olivia spent five years in Wellington, completing her film editing studies and embarking on a career in administration and recruitment.
Unexpected life changes got in the way, and she decided to pack up her life in Wellington and move back to Dunedin in 2023.
“I still wasn't doing very well and being closer to my family was the best possible thing for me.”
Once home, Olivia took on an opportunity to work for Otago as an Administrator in what is now the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, working on student clinical placements, among other things.
It was also the opportunity to finish her Arts degree.
“Recruitment gave me a good background, but it was very stressful. And so, I came home and decided to revamp everything. We're going to go back, we're going to study, I'm going to finish the degree.”
Completing her degree with a job she describes as “full on and growing exponentially” was a challenge, but support from Operations Lead Lisa Head and Head of Department Associate Professor Tania Slatter was a big help.
“I'm the only admin for my Department, so it took a lot of figuring out what I could do and where I would be able to fit it in. And a lot of really kind words of encouragement from just everyone in the Department, saying I had to do this for myself.
“I didn’t want to delay it any further without it really just not happening. 18 points, that’s all I needed.”
Olivia ended up doing a pre-Christmas Summer School paper last year, studying MAOR120: Introducing the Māori World at Te Tumu School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies.
“I might have been a little bit cocky going in, telling myself I'd be fine. And then I learned so much.
“I was able to look into my own Māori heritage and find a little bit more guidance around my family background. It was just a wonderful experience.”
Olivia is very grateful for having the opportunity to pursue her studies while being an Otago kaimahi, she says.
“I think it's really important to share how even in roles like mine, where I am just so busy, making use of University resources for professional development is just a great tool for staff to take a different opportunity to progress in ways that we wouldn't normally.”
She’s since put her studies to good use, she says.
“It sounds a bit weird working in the health space with a Film degree, but I’ve recently helped our students edit a promotional video they made on their perspective of Medical Laboratory Science. It's a real privilege that they wanted me to edit it for them.
“It's also a lot of fun being able to do creative things for the Department, implementing the skills I have thanks to my degree. This year, I'm working on all our promotional revamps.”
Olivia is also celebrating another milestone – getting her restricted driver’s license.
“I had to be seizure-free for at least two years with my particular epilepsy before my neurologist would let me drive. When I was 18, I had a seizure just as I had booked my restricted test, I was so gutted.
“I finally was able to sit my restricted the day of New Year’s Eve last year. It's such a freedom that I didn't realise I needed. It's so wonderful.”
Now that she’s achieved her hard-won degree and her driver’s license, how is she celebrating?
“It sounds so silly. I'm celebrating by going bungee jumping. We have graduation and then I hit the road with my partner for a road trip. I’m so scared to do it, but it’s all been paid for and I can’t back out.”
Bungee jumping fear aside, things are going pretty well for Olivia.
“It's taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am and I'm really happy with where my life is now. It's just pretty fantastic.”
~ Kōrero by Sandra French, Adviser, Internal Communications
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