Little Odette was born in Bega Hospital on December 3 - exactly one week before her mum Carly Wotton McMahon, 33, of Cobargo, graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Education.

Ms Wotton McMahon was one of 45 students from UOW’s Bega campus to receive Bachelor degrees in arts, commerce and nursing, as well as Graduate Diplomas in primary and secondary education, at a ceremony at the Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club on Wednesday.

Not only did Ms Wotton McMahon juggle full-time study with her three other children aged 11, 10 and four, she completed five weeks of practical teaching in English/History at Narooma High School less than five weeks ago.

 “It was a case of Odette slotting into my timetable," Ms Wotton McMahon said.

 “In the end she was 15 days overdue.

 “When people asked me how I was going to manage, my default answer was ‘I have no choice, it just so happens that I’m going to be having a baby as well',” she said.

Wednesday’s graduation ceremony marked the end of seven years of study at UOW’s Bega campus for Ms Wotton McMahon.

 “I began a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English literature with two children and in the next seven years my family has doubled in size with Iris arriving four years ago,” she said.

Ms Wotton McMahon says her immediate plans are to be stay-at-home mum, but she may consider some casual teaching work in late 2015.

 “After that, we’ll see where my teaching degree takes us,” she said.

She hasn’t ruled out returning to university to complete an honours degree.

Presenting the occasional address, Dr Patrick Hodder, a senior research officer with the Department of the Senate and a graduate of UOW’s Bega campus, paid tribute to the institution’s vision to open a regional campus in the Bega Valley.

For many students it meant being able to receive a university education while staying at home, he said.

Dr Hodder told the graduates they now had a responsibility to “never stop thinking, never stop learning and never stop contributing to society”.

After the graduands were presented to Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Chandler, Ms Wotton McMahon was called on to deliver the vote of thanks.

Speaking on behalf of her fellow students, Ms McMahon described their time at university as the “toughest and most cherished days of our lives.”

University not only enabled students to achieve academic qualifications, but also provided “nourishment for the soul”, she said.

 “We made it and we’re awesome,” Ms Wotton McMahon told the family and friends of the graduating class of 2014 … as baby Odette slept through the entire graduation ceremony.    

UOW’s Bega campus opened in 2000 and more than 350 students have since graduated from the six degrees on offer.