The Māori Sports Awards are coming to CODE

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The Māori Sports Awards are coming to CODE

During the past six years, AUT University has supported 12 emerging Māori athletes to develop their sporting and academic excellence, through the Māori Sports Awards Scholarships.

This year the two Most Valuable Player (MVP) scholarships, awarded through a relationship with Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust, will be presented in partnership with Māori Television and Toa TV, live on the CODE show, Thursday September 11 at 8.30pm.

As an institution which aims to be the university of choice for Māori and Pasifika students, AUT uses the scholarships to enhance the participation, achievement, retention and successful completion of Māori students.

Recruitment relationship manager Sam Luteru says relationships with community organisations like the Trust provide exciting and innovative means for AUT to engage with the communities in which it operates.

“The relationship we have with the Trust is a tangible expression of AUT’s commitment to Māori and the wider community. By contributing in this way AUT is making a real difference to the community it serves,” he says.

Luteru says that while the scholarship recipients are free to study any discipline they choose, AUT’s reputation as the number one university for sport in New Zealand is a definite attraction for award winners.

“Together with key industry partners AUT has innovative programmes and advanced qualifications that recognise the revolution in sport, health and fitness. With world class facilities, elite athletes and leading experts, students are challenged and prepared to make a significant difference to our community,” he says.

Luteru says while these students are noted for their excellence in the sporting realm, they are also picked for their success and achievement culturally and academically.

“We really want students who will go on to become role models and leaders for the future. These scholarships are just the beginning for these students and their communities.”

First year business student Jordan Kershaw (Ngati Ruanui, Ngati Kahungungu) won one of two Māori Sports Awards MVP scholarships last year, and says it gave him a high level of focus and a determination to succeed.

“For me it was a massive blessing. It got me thinking, ok I’ve got a scholarship, so don’t waste it, put it to good use. I was so stoked to receive it, but it also made me realise I had to perform, I don’t want to let anyone down,” he says.

Kershaw, who moved from Hamilton to Auckland to study at AUT, says the scholarship gave him a head start on other students.

“A lot of students have a huge debt to hit before they can get on with their lives. It’s important for me that I am already ahead of the pack. We are years ahead. People can spend the next four or five years paying their loan off, whereas we can spend those years working for ourselves and our families.”

The MVP scholarships cover tuition fees and are available for a maximum of three years.

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