UCOL Whanganui was alight with pride last night, celebrating ākonga who received a grand total of 46 scholarships from nine local donors.
Last night's awards totalled $68,000, including a $20,000 grant for ākonga in hardship, and a $5,000 scholarship which will be awarded to the UCOL Whanganui Valedictorian at Graduation in 2026.
Coral Hanna, Manager Student Success for UCOL Whanganui, says the event was a wonderful celebration of both the successful UCOL Whanganui scholarship recipients and the local scholarship donors who generously sponsored the scholarships.
"We have such generous community support from these donors who rally behind us, many have supported us year on year, and this time, providing 46 scholarships to our ākonga, who are so incredibly deserving of these scholarships. We could not be more grateful to them."
"We also celebrated the second year of a five-year-long memorial scholarship, a tribute to Leighton Roe, a graphic design student who sadly passed away. His parents, Aaron and Angela Roe, awarded this to Niamh Hicks, who utterly deserved the scholarship; it was a very special part of the ceremony."
"This year's applications were of an exceptionally high calibre with many students not only excelling in their studies but also planning their next steps beyond UCOL."
"The successful recipients were selected for their academic achievement, effort, future aspirations, character, financial circumstances, and their contributions to UCOL and their communities."
Third-year Bachelor of Nursing ākonga, Julia Batyrova, scored the highest overall rating for her scholarship application. Julia received a $1,500 scholarship from Whanganui Education Trust.
"Julia's application and references highlighted her part-time work as a community support worker, enabling her to self-fund her studies with us at UCOL Whanganui. She balances her work commitments and study with grace and determination. Her goal is to serve and empower people, and she has a genuine desire to help others and an ability to build trusting relationships and provide high-quality care."
Our second-highest scoring application went to Jessie Howell, a hairdressing student who has already achieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Auckland.
"Jessie has been involved in hair and makeup work in editorial publications; these experiences have shaped her aesthetic sensibility and commitment to creative collaboration. Her dream is to open a hybrid salon-gallery space combining her passion for styling with her background in contemporary art."
Caption: Jessie (left) with Julia after receiving their scholarships
Jenna Wakeling, a third-year Bachelor of Arts and Design student and Nicole McCann, a Beauty Therapy ākonga, both had top-scoring applications and are high achievers. Each received a $1,000 scholarship from The Leedstown Trust.
"Jenna travels from Waverley to attend her classes in Whanganui. She takes pride in being a supportive and collaborative student. Her long-term goal is to work in the costume design industry, a dream she has held since childhood. To her, costume is more than clothing, it's a way to communicate identity, emotion and history."
Caption: Jenna Wakeling receives her scholarship
"Nicole moved to Whanganui from Taihape for her studies, as she is passionate about beauty therapy and photography. She is an exceptional student, achieving an A+ on every assignment to date, and hopes to explore how she can use photography in the beauty industry in the future. Nicole has a great work ethic and amazing people skills."
Caption: Nicola McCann receives her scholarship
The complete list of awarded scholarships is as follows:
-
Akoranga Education Trust (total of $45,000, including $5,000 valedictorian scholarship for graduation ceremony in 2026 and a $20,000 hardship grant [hardship recipients not listed])
- Drei Paki-Borell (NZ Certificate in Construction)
- Sharon Alston (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Victor Raimoana-Hausman (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Flynn Hogan (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Roman Sarki (Bachelor of Design & Arts)
- Chelsea Hines (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Te Raupara Potaka-Healey (NZ Certificate in Construction)
- Lourdes Kingi (Te Tohu Paetahi Akoranga Bachelor of Teaching (ECE))
- Michelle Webb (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Dayna Christiansen McKay (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Paris McNamara-Hunt (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
- Rose Baby (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Simon Phillips (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Sajin Joseph (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Cara Leather (NZ Certificate in Hairdressing)
- Amie Brownie (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
- Jilyzah Tonihi (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
- Olivia Dobbin (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
- Joape Naimila (NZ Certificate in Electrical Pre-Trade)
- Matenga Paki-Borell (NZ Certificate in Construction
- Sunita Dennison (NZ Certificate in Hairdressing)
- Anu Xavier (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Charlotte Lyne (NZ Certificate in Hairdressing)
-
The Leedstown Trust (total of $8,000)
- Jenna Wakeling (Bachelor of Arts & Design)
- Sharyn Hight (NZ Diploma in Arts & Design)
- Eseta Mataitoga (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Nicole McCann (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
- Shane Morris (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Astie Harris (NZ Diploma in Arts & Design)
- Lara Murray (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
- Aiyana Towers (Bachelor of Nursing)
-
George Boulton Trust (total of $5,000)
- Abiya Babu (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Reineer Martinez (NZ Certificate in Automotive Engineering)
- Alice Mill (Bachelor of Teaching (ECE))
- Phillipa Petersen (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Emily Bright (NZ Certificate in Hairdressing)
-
Leighton Roe Memorial ($1,000)
- Niamh Hicks (NZ Diploma in Arts & Design)
-
Lions Club of Wanganui (total of $1,500)
- Flynn Hogan (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Brittney Robertson (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Matariki Te Utupoto-Teki (Bachelor of Nursing)
-
Loloma Pasifika ($500)
- Sylvia Tikoimaleya (Bachelor of Nursing)
-
Pati Family ($1,000)
- Josateki Rasabale (Bachelor of Nursing)
-
Whanganui Combined Rotary Club (total of $2,000)
- Mineata Main (Te Tohu Paetahi Akoranga Bachelor of Teaching (ECE))
- Hailey-Jade Matiu (NZ Certificate in Beauty Therapy)
-
Whanganui Education Trust (total of $3,000)
- Julia Batyrova (Bachelor of Nursing)
- Jessie Howell (NZ Certificate in Hairdressing)