Whitireia helping make dreams come true

Whitireia helping make dreams come true

Whitireia has been committed to providing fee scholarships for local school leavers for three years now.

22 students have been awarded a Whitireia Secondary School Leaver Scholarship for 2011. The students, straight from local secondary schools have been given up to $4000 to go towards their first year of study at Whitireia.

Yesterday the students were officially welcomed to Whitireia with an afternoon tea from 1pm. Whitireia Chief Executive, Don Campbell welcomed and congratulated the students. “We are delighted to be supporting students in their studies by offering these scholarships. These scholarships enable you to step into tertiary study and provide financial support and assistance” he said. He also spoke of the pride that schools have in their students’ success and the commitment that Whitireia makes to their future.

Margaret Faulkner, Whitireia Foundation member congratulated the students also. “Whitireia want to help you on your way to achieve in your tertiary studies”. She thanked them for considering Whitireia for their tertiary education study.

One of the scholarship recipients Akisa Fomai from Porirua College has enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing Pacific three year degree programme. Akisa came to live in New Zealand in 2007 from her homeland Tonga. Nursing has always been her passion due to her love of science; it was her favourite subject at school so nursing study was a natural progression for her. “I want to help my people too” she said. It was thanks to Porirua College that she found out about the scholarship, applied and was successful! “The fee scholarship takes the pressure of me and my family and I am happy to be here and studying at Whitireia”.

Jasmine Berkland, a scholarship recipient also, is a young mother from He Huarahi Tamariki. Jasmine is enrolled in the Bachelor of Teaching, Early Childhood Education at Whitireia. “My dream for the past four years has been to achieve this qualification so that I can become an early childhood education teacher. I have chosen this career because I have a child of my own but also because I love working with children and watching them develop new skills. This scholarship will help me realise this dream” she said.

Scholarships were awarded for a range of programmes including Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing Pacific, New Zealand Diploma in Business, Diploma in Performing Arts, Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Applied Arts – Visual Arts and Design, Certificate in Automotive Engineering, Bachelor of Applied Arts – Performing Arts, Diploma in Stage and Screen Arts, Bachelor of Health Science – Paramedic, Bachelor of Nursing Maori, Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Applied Arts, Music.

ENDS

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