James Cook University Law School student discovers family background while completing her law degree
Australia has always held a special place in Tiffany Shipp’s mind.
During the Second World War, her grandfather, Jack Shipp, moved from North Melbourne to Guelph, Ontario for training with the Australian Air Force. Though he never moved back to Australia, Tiffany never got the opportunity to meet him as he passed away before her parents were married. For years, the Ontario native has always wanted to discover her family’s roots Down Under.
She recently found a way to discover her family heritage while turning a passion for law into a career.
Ever since she completed her first law class in Grade 11, she’s been intrigued by the subject.
“I have always wanted to study law to help people and it has always been my passion,” she explains.
She enrolled in the James Cook University Law School, and began her studies this past February.
“I have always wanted to see where my heritage is from and I chose the James Cook University Law School because I wanted a change from where I lived in Canada, as I love not having winter,” she says. “If I was going to venture across the world, I wanted to live in a tropical paradise. So I decided to fulfill three of my passions at once.”
The James Cook University Law School offers a three-year, graduate-entry Bachelor of Laws degree designed for students who already hold a bachelor degree in another field and wish to gain a qualification in law. The James Cook University Law School links up with local law firms and the Community Legal Centre, which offer students opportunities to gain practical legal skills.
Canadian students at JCU love the fact that they can study quality degrees in a beautiful, natural environment, while meeting students from more than 100 countries around the world!
JCU’s main campus is located in Townsville, a thriving coastal city and port and a stepping-off point for visiting the Great Barrier Reef. The resort regions of the Whitsunday Islands and Mission Beach are within easy reach.
It’s a lifestyle that has suited Tiffany’s tastes.
“My experience in Australia has been indescribable,” she says. “I live five minutes from a beach and wake up to wild parrots outside my window every morning.”
Once she arrived in Australia, she quickly checked a number of adventures off her list.
“One of the most memorable experiences thus far is going to the Crystal Creeks where there are the most beautiful waterfalls and swimming holes hidden within a mountain, and there are waterslides in the rock and you can also cliff jump,” she explains. “I will also never forget the first time I got to feed a kangaroo, hold a koala and meet a wombat. Finally, going to the Great Barrier Reef was amazing and wearing the stinger suit is a memory I’ll never forget.”
She says she’s also fallen in love with JCU’s campus.
“JCU’s campus is at the bottom of a mountain surrounded by trees and wildlife,” she says. “The JCU staff members are amazing and they are very hands on with each student. Most of them will know your name and are always willing to help you.”
As for her studies, she doesn’t sugarcoat the workload.
“Law is a very demanding course that requires hours of reading each day. It is not an easy course but is a rewarding one,” she says.
Though she’s most interested in studying family law and criminal law, Tiffany has kept an open mind and she says she’s surprised by how much she enjoys contract and tort law, two subjects she’s currently completing at the James Cook University Law School. As for her plans following graduation, Tiffany hopes to return to Canada.
“I want to take the correspondence courses and then start articling and write the bar exam,” she says. “I want to have a job at a firm as soon as I can once I return home.”
But for the next three years, she’ll work hard in the James Cook University Law School classroom while also continuing her quest to discover her grandfather’s backyard.
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