Plans to keep doctoral triumph quiet shared worldwide

Having lost both parents during the journey of completing a doctoral degree in psychology, Dr Kara Beckford toyed with the idea of skipping her graduation ceremony earlier this year.

“Without the people who propelled me forward, I thought, who would be proud of me? What was the point?” Asked Dr Beckford.

Crossing the stage without her parents Hiria and Bluey proudly looking on seemed unbearable. Beckford was also adamant about not posting her accomplishment on social media.

However the University of Auckland graduate found herself showered with praise from complete strangers after a mishap pushed her into the public eye.

She lost her doctoral certificate in the blur of graduation day in May — it likely fell from her car roof while she and wife Amber were rushing to pick up their baby son Āiorangi.

A post on Onehunga community’s Facebook page by Niva Mauala was searching for the owner of a doctoral graduation certificate, that her husband Lene Maualaivao found lying on the roadside.

Beckford’s story began to ripple far beyond her circle with messages of congratulations pouring in from across Aotearoa and around the world; many commenting how they were inspired to pursue higher learning themselves.

“I wasn’t even sure I was going to share that I graduated on Facebook,” Beckford says. “But this very public outing of my graduation happened, and so many people called me about getting my certificate back and to congratulate me! It was a typical moment of the universe giving you what you need and not what you want.”

In the end the decision to attend graduation was a family one. “I decided to go for my baby Āio and myself.”

Her siblings Rawiri and Reimarie, along with her wife had been secretly practicing a waiata for graduation day. Her aunties were also bringing the whānau kakahu/korowai to wear as she crossed the stage. Beckford was also overjoyed to have her ‘Paps’ there on the day, her sister’s father, whose support over the years introduced her to organic intellectualism.

“I was so shocked to hear them singing I wasn’t even sure if it was for me and had to ask the assistant at the side of the stage,” she laughed.

Doctoral journey forged in loss and new beginnings

For someone who didn't complete high school, the journey to becoming the first person in her whānau to gain a PhD was far from straightforward. She suffered the unexpected deaths of her parents, but also gave birth to her son five weeks before her oral exam.

Born in London, Beckford’s whakapapa spans Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Her Māori lineage is grounded in Te Arawa, while her Jamaican ancestry connects her to the Maroons - Indigenous Africans who resisted slavery and British colonisation by forging alliances with the Taíno people of Jamaica.

Beckford’s upbringing was shaped by time spent in Maketū and Rotorua, and extended visits to the UK with her British Jamaican family. Early life was filled with the rhythms of the moana and the bush, fishing with her koro, meditating with her nanny Judy, and absorbing the wisdom of her Māori and Jamaican elders.

She said her late parents gave so generously of themselves to ensure she crossed the finish line.

Her mother was a critical thinker and a free spirit nurturing her daughter’s intellectual curiosity. Education had always been a central pillar, Hiria earned her Bachelor’s and Masters’ degrees.

“Mum would edit my work ruthlessly and really saw something of an intellectual in me so she encouraged my academic journey a lot.”

Her father was a grounding force, encouraging his daughter to think independently and to value the wisdom of poets, musicians, teachers and workers from her own communities.

She acknowledged the support of her wife Amber, her rock. Beckford says Amber actively supported her every step of the way.

“Mostly, Amber just loved me through it and affirmed that with or without a PhD I had value and I had a voice.”

Beckford’s research sought to reconceptualise well-being for Black, Māori and people of colour. “The field of psychology doesn’t always recognise our strength and inherent capacities and this was what I wanted to understand and highlight.”

“I found academic life isolating being Black and Māori, and from a small town. Often the culture was incongruent at University and the knowledge that was emphasised was Western and Pākehā.

“This was difficult to navigate for a long time and there were many moments where I doubted that I belonged or even wanted to be at University. Eventually, I was able to do papers and meet like-minded people, some of whom had backgrounds like me and that really changed the trajectory of my academic life.”

Beckford found a language to make sense of her experiences, mentored others through the Tuakana programme, and connected with academics who inspired her to use education as activism. She’s built lifelong friendships with peers from diverse backgrounds who challenged narrow norms—many now successful leaders in their fields.

Supervisors Professor Te Kawehau Hoskins and Professor Suzanne Purdy held Beckford’s personal and academic journeys with care and wisdom. Mentors like Camille Nakhid, Linda Waimarie Nikora, Suzanne Woodward, and Margie Wetherell offered insight and encouragement at critical moments. Her iwi, Ngāti Whakaue, supported her financially from undergraduate level, allowing her to stay afloat and stay connected to home.

Today, Beckford is embracing a new chapter — resetting, recovering, and spending precious time with her son. She’s already writing children’s stories, crafting poetry, and shaping a book based on her thesis. Her vision is in motion: to serve her whānau and hapū, and to reignite her creativity with freedom and joy — proof that perseverance can transform even the hardest paths into extraordinary possibilities.

And to anyone wondering if they can do the same, Beckford’s message is clear:

“Find your people, create your space, know that you are backed up by your ancestors and do your mahi - we need you.”