Australian swimming star Shayna Jack OAM OLY is celebrating a different kind of victory, graduating from Griffith University with a degree in criminology and criminal justice.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist claimed accolades across international competitions including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Pan Pacific Championships, highlighted by two gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Having recently retired from competitive swimming, Ms Jack said her graduation ranked amongst her proudest achievements.
“I’m proud to have achieved success in the pool while also investing in my education and building a strong foundation for my future,” Ms Jack said.
“Choosing Griffith was an easy decision because no other university compares to the support Griffith provides sporting students.
“There were frantic moments when I wasn’t on top of my studies, but I could always count on the Sports College to support me through it.”
As a recipient of a Griffith Sports Excellence Scholarship, Ms Jack balanced her studies with the demands of an international swimming career.
Ms Jack said Griffith Sports College Director Naomi McCarthy OAM OLY was “without a doubt my MVP” throughout her studies.
“I’m incredibly proud of Shayna and everything she has achieved, both as an athlete and as a student,” Ms McCarthy said.
“Shayna’s success in the pool speaks for itself, but completing a degree while competing at the highest level demonstrates the same dedication and work ethic that have defined her career as an athlete.”
Ms Jack was amongst the Griffith athletes and alumni who contributed 34 per cent of Australia’s medal tally at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Griffith was the first university recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee as an Olympic Pathway University, helping athletes to pursue academic success alongside sporting excellence.
Ms Jack said it was important to push on with her academic studies alongside her swimming career.
“Every day in the pool you are either applauding yourself or beating yourself up with your daily results,” Ms Jack said.
“It was healthy to have something outside of swimming that gave me a sense of purpose and brought me joy, because I didn’t have to feel like my whole future was on the line in every race.”
Time away from competition prompted Ms Jack to think more deeply about her future beyond the pool and ultimately influenced her decision to pursue a career focused on helping others.
“I wanted to do something that made me feel like I was making a difference in the world and helping people,” she said.
“I had applied to join the Queensland Police Service during that time, but as I made my swimming comeback, I realised I couldn’t balance the policing academy with elite swimming.
“When I first started my degree, I chose business, but with a new perspective, I switched to criminology and criminal justice, which I have loved.”
Balancing study with international competition schedules was not always easy, but Ms Jack credited Griffith’s trimester system and the support of the Griffith Sports College team for helping her stay on track.
“The flexibility of Griffith’s trimester system meant I could focus on major competitions without putting my studies on hold,” she said.
Beyond the academic flexibility, Ms Jack said the sense of community within Griffith Sports College made her student experience particularly memorable.
“My advice to young athletes who are considering studying at university while pursuing their sporting goals is: go to Griffith,” she said.
“No matter the request, and no matter where I was, Griffith Sports College always showed up for me to ensure I didn’t stress about uni while I needed to focus on swimming.
“It was always an honour to represent the Griffith Sports College.
“In the future, I hope to eventually work with the Queensland Police, but for now, I’m enjoying sharing my story through speaking engagements and writing my book.”
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