The long road to success

Murray Wilson was 20 when another inmate at Rimutaka Prison suggested he may be dyslexic.

Murray Wilson

It was a life changing moment for the Victoria University Master’s graduand who, at that point, did not know how to read.

Under the guidance of his fellow inmate, Murray spent his spare time in prison learning to read phonetically. “I began to read, and I read a lot. I was hungry for knowledge. But after I got out, I still had all these issues in my life—gang affiliations, drug dependency—and I was appearing in court most months for a variety of offences, mainly violence.”

He returned to prison six years later. This time would be his last.  “I had an epiphany. I saw guys that were strong men, who were about 40 but looked 60. I thought I’m going to end up like them.” He resolved to break the cycle of violence, crime and drugs.

Once released, Murray completed a New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Level 3 certificate in youth mentorship. It was his first formal education since he was 14 and, buoyed by the success, he set his sights on earning a degree.

In 2007, he gained special admission to enrol at Victoria.

An assessment showed his spelling ability was equivalent to an 8-year-old and his reading age was 13. But his intelligence was not to be underestimated—Murray’s IQ was in the top quartile and his recall was in the top 2 percentile.

Reading, however, was always going to be a struggle. “Readings take four times longer for me than anyone else,” he says. That’s every class reading, every set of lecture notes, every hand out and every email exchange. A journal article alone, would take him at least two days.

Murray gained free access to a reader-writer for his laptop from Disability Support, and note-takers to assist in lectures and tutorials. He found networking opportunities through the Māori and Pacific student group, Te Rōpū Āwhina, and drew on the support of a Learning Advisor at Student Learning Services.

“I had awesome mentors throughout my journey,” he says, before rattling off a long list of staff who’ve provided guidance and academic support.

Murray completed his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, gained Honours in Criminology and, last year embarked on his Masters in Criminology. His next goal is to complete his PhD.

His supervisor, Julian Buchanan, an associate professor in Victoria’s School of Social and Cultural Studies, describes Murray as intelligent and highly motivated. “As a non-traditional mature student, he’s had to overcome numerous difficulties. I think, in part, he has succeeded because he’s been able to draw upon his life skills—tenacity, problem-solving, networking and negotiating—which has been important in ensuring he gets the support he has needed.”

Murray is now using his experience to help others. He works part-time as a tutor at the University and has been invited to speak at two national symposiums.

“I’m not ashamed about who I am, and I want people from similar backgrounds to know they can achieve. I think I’m evidence of that.”