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April 18, 2021
Thirty-six Whitireia students received scholarships from the Whitireia Foundation to assist with their 2021 studies on April 6, 2021.
The scholarships are awarded to achievers facing financial difficulties that would impact their ability to study, and students who are enthusiastic and willing to work hard to succeed in their chosen field of study. A majority of scholarships awarded will be used for tuition fees or the materials needed by students for their course.
Whitireia Foundation Chair Kelvin Irvine said that for many of the recipients will be the first in their family to pursue tertiary education and therefore, scholarship support and the donor can be a powerful and even life-changing experience.
“Scholarship donors can act as mentors to the students, helping to prepare them for the workforce by working on CVs, practising job interviews and helping them make connections within their industry,” he said.
Mr Irvine said that sponsors can choose to donate to students studying a specific course, coming from a certain area, or generally at their own discretion.
“The presentation of the scholarships is really the pinnacle of the year for the Whitireia Foundation. We work really hard to get both the donors and scholarship recipients in the same room so it was wonderful that we had such a strong turnout on Tuesday and to see connections being made between the two groups,” he said.
Whitireia Chief Executive Mark Oldershaw said that it was ‘hugely satisfying’ to be able to help deserving students and help them complete their study.
“Many students face extraordinary challenges and the Foundation provides them with the support that they need to gain a qualification which can often mean a pathway to a better outcome for them, and often also their families,” he said.
“The Whitireia Foundation trustees work throughout the year to grow the number of sponsors contributing to the scholarship programme and thus grow the number of scholarships available to prospective students. This year, the applications process attracted 95 applications and the value of the scholarships totalled close to $78,000,” he said.
About the Whitireia Foundation
The Whitireia Foundation is a volunteer-run trust, established in 1999.
It aims to promote knowledge, interest and support for the educational activities of Whitireia students. Donors are often big industry players who recognise the importance of vocational education as a pathway for New Zealanders into work.
Following are the sponsors listed by the Foundation: Alpha NZ Limited, Atareira, Campbell Family, Compass Health, Controlled Building Services, EFTPOS Vending, Elite Services, Ford Sumner Lawyers, Foster + Melville Architects, Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors, Graduate Women Wellington, Kirk-Burnnand Family, Maude and Miller, Ngati Toa, Nikau Foundation, OCS, Porirua City Council and Red Wolf Security.
For more information on Whitireia Foundation Scholarships, please visit here.
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