Student wins halls scholarship with satirical video

Canterbury student wins halls scholarship with satirical video

February 13, 2015

First year University of Canterbury student Louise Woolhouse has been awarded a $5000 accommodation scholarship after making a satirical video.

University of Canterbury Accommodation ran a competition last year for prospective students intending to live in any of the halls of residence – including University Hall, Sonoda apartments, Ilam apartments, Rochester and Rutherford Hall, Bishop Julius Hall, College House, Waimairi Village and Waitakiri Village.

The entrants were required to create a one minute video about why they love University of Canterbury Accommodation and post it to their Facebook page. The two video entries with the highest number of likes on Facebook were each awarded a $5000 scholarship.

Woolhouse’s video featured the head boy and girl from Rotorua’s John Paul College in a mockumentary-style satire in which the high-school students expressed their concern - confession-camera style - for Woolhouse’s case of ‘UCA-itis’.

Woolhouse was one of two winners, receiving the highest number of likes - 647. She earned the win by highly publicising her video entry – including speaking in a school assembly, asking her friends and family to share the video on Facebook, and emailing the video to other contacts such as her dancing instructors and work colleagues.

Woolhouse chose to move to Christchurch and study at the University of Canterbury because of the wide range of papers offered for her favourite subjects – English, French and Media.

“I prefer the idea of living in a more student-based city like Christchurch, rather than somewhere bigger like Auckland. I was also drawn to the fact that although it’s far from home it’s still easy to fly to, as well as the amazing scenery like the Avon River, the Botanical Gardens and being close to the beaches and mountains,” Woolhouse says.

Woolhouse has enrolled to study a Bachelor of Arts, with Media and Communication as her major. She hopes to have a career in public relations in the fashion industry.

The video with the second-highest number of likes was created by Bronia Curtis of Greymouth High School, who also received a $5000 accommodation scholarship.

Students living in the halls of residence this year will begin to settle into their accommodation from next week – in time for Orientation Day on February 20, when Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel will welcome new students to the University of Canterbury community.

There will also be lunch and a comedy show for students in the Big Top Marquee on Ilam Fields, as well as various information sessions for parents and caregivers of new students. For more information on orientation day, click here.

View Louise’s winning video here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=821467137893478&id=263198437195793

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