A young woman with Samoan heritage is planning a career inspired by her community, wanting to see Pacific women and children able to live without fear of violence.

Mary Lale is of Samoan and Cook Island descent, and a proud South Aucklander. Last month, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in criminology and psychology from the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts and Education.

Mary is the first on her mother’s side to graduate.

“A few years ago, I witnessed a very upsetting incident involving a couple fighting aggressively in front of their small child in a public space, and it upset me so much I went home and cried,” she said.

“I felt like I wanted to do something to help that child who had no choice in the situation, but to do that, I had to understand more about the drivers of violence.”

She has already started postgraduate studies in criminology, and continues to work part-time, showing prospective students around campus.

“I want to be amongst my community specifically as a crime analyst, which is someone who analyses non-physical data like crime reports and statistics to identify patterns, trends, and potential connections between crimes."

She plans to look at data particular to that community, so people have a stake in what she’s doing.

“It’s a ‘from the bottom-up approach, rather than from the top down’”.

Mary said being one of the first in her family at university has sometimes been a lonely path, but has taught her resilience.

“I’m a big believer in the idea that if there are no role models in your life, be that person yourself. I’ve even inspired my sister, who’s only seven, to want to study here. I've taken her on campus to give her that (very!) early experience I didn’t have. The influence I have within my family, especially on my siblings, is something I don't take lightly.”

During her degree, Mary was not only a full-time student but also a second-in-charge carer for her youngest brother Nathanael, who has Down syndrome and complex medical needs, but is now three and doing well, she said.

“A normal day for me in my second year of university was trying to fit lectures in between helping out my mum who was in Starship with my newborn brother, picking up my little sister from Kindy and my sisters from high school and helping out my dad at home, who is a night shift worker.”

She said the responsibility, while challenging, has taught her invaluable lessons in patience, empathy and sacrifice; qualities that influence both her academic interests and leadership style.

Mary has been a mentor for UniBound, a six-week academic enrichment programme that prepares Pacific school leavers for university studies, and she's also a youth pastor at The Dream Centre Church, where the whole family attends.

Church is very much at the centre of her life, and as the eldest in her immediate family, and the eldest grandchild on both maternal and paternal sides, she sees her studies and leadership duties not as a burden but a calling.

“I believe my unique combination of lived experience, academic drive, and leadership makes me not only a capable student and leader, but also someone prepared to make a meaningful contribution in any space I enter.”

She was happy seeing the proud faces of her aiga (family) – her parents, three nanas, four siblings, her partner, aunties, uncles, cousins and her church family – on graduation day.

“If it weren’t for the hard work of all the generations before me, I wouldn’t be here enjoying the fruits of that labour. Glory to God always! I’m so grateful for my parents and their wise counsel throughout this journey, and for my partner’s continuous support,” she said.