On Friday over 800 students graduated from Whitireia New Zealand.
A ceremony took place at 1pm on Friday 16 December at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua where diploma and certificate level
students from Te Wānanga Māori, the Faculty of Trades, Faculty of Service Industries, Faculty of Health, Faculty of
Business and Faculty of Arts graduated from their programmes of study. The ceremony was very much a community event that
saw over 2500 students, invited guests and staff, filled the arena to take part in the celebrations.
The ceremony started with a welcome from Ngāti Toa Kaumātua, Taku Parai. The welcome was followed by speeches by Don
Campbell, Chief Executive, Whitireia New Zealand and Ken Harris, Chief Executive, Employer’s Chamber of Commerce
Central.
Don Campbell made mention of the success of three students in particular, Leah Wain, Certificate in Carpentry, Harlan
Johnson, Diploma in Outdoor Adventure and Edit Vary-Dollinger, Certificate in Professional Cookery. He congratulated
them on their academic success and achievements at Whitireia and also on their successful employment in the industries
they have chosen.
Graduation ceremonies are one of the highlights of our academic calendar said Don Campbell. “Graduations are a
celebration of the success of our students and it’s important we recognise and honour each and every one of them in the
way we have” he said.
This graduation ceremony winds up a big year for Whitireia. 2011 has marked the anniversary of the establishment of
Whitireia as a tertiary education provider set up on the shores of the Porirua Harbour, to serve the wider Porirua
region and 25 years of quality graduates.
ENDS