Shayla Nelley
Hairdressing ākonga
Shayla Nelley is celebrating wrapping up her year studying the New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing Level 3.
Kōrero o ākonga me kaimahi
Staff and Student Profiles
Dr. Eswaranathan (Nathan) Ehambara
Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Development
Nathan's education journey is international. Originally from Malaysia where he initially studied, he has worked, studied, or taught in Vietnam, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and here in New Zealand.
Nova Doyle
3+2 ECE ākonga
Nurturing is just part of who Nova Doyle is, and it’s this strength that is driving her towards success.
Nina Kereama Stevenson
Bachelor of Creative Media ākonga
After initially considering a career in Indigenous psychology after high school, Nina is thrilled with her decision to bring creativity to life through her choosen path in design, as she wraps up her final year of UCOL’s Bachelor of Creative Media.
James McDonald
Bachelor of Creative Media ākonga
Meet James McDonald, the animator whizz behind the Palmerston North City Library’s latest Walls Alive project.
Dan Pitman
Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Imaging Technology) ākonga
Moving to Palmerston North to study was a significant change for Dan Pitman. Hailing from Whangārei, the 34-year-old has never lived far from the coast and had previously worked in marine conservation and terrestrial environmental work.
Dr Shawn Rasheed
ICT Lecturer
Shawn began teaching in 2018 and has taught full-time at UCOL since 2023. Shawn has a BSc from the University of Queensland, an MSc in Informatics (focusing on machine learning and data) from the University of Edinburgh, and a PhD from Massey University.
Tere Karaitiana-Bray
Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) Wairarapa Lecturer
Tere's parents met as ākonga at Palmerston North Teachers' College, sparking a lifelong connection to education that shaped her journey.
Yug Uphadhyay
Veterinary Nursing Graduate
Yug Upadhyay grew up in Gujarat, India—a region known for its rich history and notable figures like Gandhi.
Dr Amardeep Singh
ICT Lecturer
With a wealth of machine learning, AI, and data science expertise, Dr Amardeep Singh uses a mentoring approach for ākonga so they gain confidence and take charge of their learning.