Sykes continued her studies at Harvard, havingjust enough money to finish writing her thesisbefore returning to Australia. Unfortunately, shehad to return to Australia in December, 1983without a doctorate diploma because she could notafford to stay until graduation.
Several months later, the Harvard Club ofAustralia organized a large ceremony at SydneyUniversity to present Sykes her official degree.Although it was too difficult for an aborigine toreceive a high school diploma one decade earlier,Sykes defied the odds and graduated with a mastersand doctorate from Harvard University.
Sykes immediately began working to help otheraborigines have the same opportunity to receive afirst-rate education by working to provide anotherstudent, Norma Ingram, with enough money to meetHarvard's tuition.
Ingram left with $1000, a return ticket and aguarantee of later funds from the AustralianCouncil of Churches. This promise would grow intothe Black Woman's Action in Education Foundation,which now accepts tax deductible donations inAustralia.
Sykes says her work is far from over.
"Most people don't know about the difficultsituation faced by members of the aboriginecommunity who try to get an education," Sykessays. "It had to be done.