Graduation Ceremony At Te Rauparaha Arena

Graduation Ceremony At Te Rauparaha Arena 

Nearly 300 students from Whitireia Community Polytechnic received their hard earned degree, diploma or post graduate qualification at a ceremony with over 1500 guests on 26 March.

Held for the first time at the awesome new Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua, it featured Hekia Parata MP as guest speaker.

“This graduation really demonstrated the value of celebrating together in our city as a community the individual and collective success of our students," said Chief Executive Don Campbell.

The first students to complete the three year Bachelor of Applied Arts Degrees in Performing Arts, Visual Arts and Design, Creative Writing, and Music, were proud recipients. Another new programme featured the first graduates to qualify with a National Diploma in Journalism (Multi-Media).

Whitireia band ‘Just 4 Now’ welcomed the guests and graduates with soft jazz music and second year students from the Bachelor of Applied Arts (Performing Arts) performed a ‘conch ceremony’, silencing the stadium as they blew through shells and paraded in spectacular costumes. Second year Bachelor of Nursing (Pacific) students also paid tribute to the graduates, with a Pacific style song and dance performance.

Graduate Jayne Tawhi-Amopiu, from Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Mental Health), even managed to hobble across the stage on a broken leg with help from nearby staff.

Other guests included Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban MP, Douglas Langford The Open Polytechnic Chair, Russell Marshall Chair of the Education Forum, Grant Klinkum from the Tertiary Education Commission, Simon Calvert Executive Director Porirua Chamber, Alan O’Beirne Chief Executive Wellington Free Ambulance, Graeme Hansen Tawa Community Board, Geoff O’Halloran Deputy Principal Tawa College.

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