UCOL | Te Pūkenga Whanganui Celebrates Record Scholarship Evening

UCOL | Te Pūkenga ākonga (learners) and alumni from the Whanganui campus had a remarkable evening on Thursday, collecting an unprecedented number of scholarships.

Whanganui Campus Manager, Bronwyn Paul, says it was the most scholarships UCOL had ever given out in one ceremony at the Whanganui campus.

“We had ten donors contribute a total of 47 scholarships. They’re all local donors we’ve worked with in the past. One donor alone, Akoranga Education Trust, gifted 23 scholarships - almost half!

“Akoranga Education Trust is the most beautiful organisation to work with. This year they give us a significant amount for scholarships, as well as contributions for the graduation valedictorian and for hardship.”

Ms Paul highlighted the significant impact of the hardship funding, particularly for nursing ākonga on placements.

“It makes a huge difference for our nursing ākonga who can’t work part-time to earn extra income. They can use it at any time during the year to ease their financial stress.”

During the ceremony, three scholarships were awarded to exceptional Pasifika nursing ākonga, Charlene McGechan, Eseta Mataitoga, and Tiare Maea-Wylie.

“They are all incredible students with incredible stories. Charlene is a modern-day Florence Nightingale! She’s gone absolutely above and beyond for the Pasifika community.

“As well as being an A-grade student, she has mentored first-year Pasifika nursing ākonga as part of a Whanganui pilot programme, which could be adopted by Te Pūkenga throughout New Zealand. She's taught Fijian women from the community to cook budget-friendly meals, sent used UCOL stovetops to a remote Fijian school and a charity that feeds underprivileged children, and even raised funds to support the rebuild of her Fijian village after Cyclone Harold.

“With her fellow nursing ākonga, Valisi Savu, she also started the Loloma Pasifika Scholarship in 2021. It was awarded to Tiare Maea-Wylie this year to support the cost of her studies.

Eseta Mataitoga received the Pati Family Scholarship for her work in the community and church, making a difference to those who are underprivileged or in desperate situations.

A new award was also presented during the scholarship ceremony in honour of one of the founding members of the Akoranga Education Trust.

“The Sandy Dobbin Accounting Memorial Award is for our Chartered Accountant ākonga. Sandy was one of the founding members of Akoranga Education Trust. He died a few years ago and Akoranga dedicated a $2,000 memorial award in his name. On top of this, they also give an additional $2,000 each to the two top-performing students.

Alongside Akoranga Education Trust, nine other local organisations also contributed: Arthur Wheeler Leedstown Trust, Bromar Trust, George Boulton Trust, Lions Club, Loloma Pasifika, Pati Family, Wanganui Combined Rotary Club, Whanganui Education Trust, and Chartered Accountants Australia NZ which is supported by 10 Whanganui Chartered Accountant Partner companies.

The highest achieving award went to second-year bachelor of Nursing student and mum-of-three, Angela Munro. She was followed in second place equal by Camila Garner and Niomi Belton.

“I love these times of year - scholarships and graduation. It’s rewarding helping create these special moments where we can celebrate our ākonga for all their hard work. With almost 50 scholarships presented, it seems they’re all going above and beyond this year,” says Ms Paul.

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