Staff and Student Profiles

Sahiba Kaur
Science Graduate
Only a few years out of her diploma, and Sahiba Kaur is working on the frontlines of New Zealand’s COVID-19 response. A laboratory technician, Sahiba is part of a specialist team responsible for virus testing.
Meet Sahiba
Cheralyn Sorrell
Agribusiness Lecturer
UCOL Agribusiness Lecturer Cheralyn Sorrell has packed a lot into her career; working, studying and teaching.
Meet Cheralyn
Ayiya Bikimi
Chemistry Lecturer
It’s often debated whether resilience is something a person is born with or can obtain throughout their life, and while maybe that specific question can’t be answered, Ayiya Bikimi, UCOL’s newest Chemistry Lecturer, can shed some light on its importance.
Meet Ayiya
Nelda Hazelhurst
Clinical Exercise Physiology Graduate
Nelda has been getting valuable first-hand experience working with clients since completing her Postgraduate Diploma.
Meet Nelda
Andy Halewood
Senior Furniture Lecturer and Joinery Lecturer
"Taking a slab of wood and turning in it into someone’s prized possession, it’s definitely an art."
Meet Andy
George Williams
Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science Student
With 20 years of experience in personal training, George Williams returned to UCOL to upskill and further his career.
Meet George
Kelvin Gilbert and Amy Fowler
Creative Graduates
Since they were students at UCOL, Amy Fowler and Kelvin Gilbert had talked about setting up their own creative agency.
Meet Kelvin
Alana White
NZ Diploma in Architectural Technology Graduate
For Alana White, architecture is about creating something that will be used by people for years to come. Alana has always been interested in architectural design. Even as a kid at kindergarten, she would often draw plans and layouts for her dream home.
Meet Alana
Brianna Billaney
Early Childhood Education Graduate
Early Childhood Education runs in the family for Brianna Billaney. After finishing high school, Brianna was considering studying science until she was told about UCOL Horowhenua’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) programmes.
Meet Brianna
Suvisal Thilina
Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology Graduate
Growing up in Sri Lanka, Suvisal Thilina had an interest in technology and learning how to use new software. UCOL’s Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology gave him the tools to turn that interest into a career.
Meet Suvisal
Hazel Wiffen Khan
Bachelor of Nursing Graduate
After seeing nurses care for her poppa in hospital, Hazel Wiffen-Khan knew that was the career she wanted to pursue.
Meet Hazel
Hannah Neilson
Bachelor of Nursing Graduate
Hannah Neilson came to UCOL Whanganui after receiving an Excellence Scholarship to study Nursing. Now she has begun her career in her home town’s hospital.
Meet Hannah