Eight outstanding Māori students will be presented with prestigious tertiary scholarships today from Education Minister and Ngārimu Board Chair, Hekia Parata, in a ceremony at Parliament.
The eight recipients include five undergraduates Ezekiel Raui, Jack Potaka, Kaahu White, Tekiteora Rolleston-Gabel and Tipene James.
Three Masters recipients Ana Montgomery-Neutze, Arena Williams and Maia Wikaira received scholarships that commemorate Victoria Cross recipient Second Lieutenant Te Moananui a Kiwa Ngārimu and the soldiers of the 28th Māori Battalion.
"The scholarships recognise the exciting futures these eight exceptional awardees have ahead of them. They have already demonstrated what young Māori can achieve with hard work and dedication and I look forward to seeing what more they accomplish in the future,” says Ms Parata.
The Ngārimu VC and 28th Māori Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board awards scholarships to students who demonstrate education excellence and embody the characteristics of the Battalion – including commitment, service and leadership.
“To honour the soldiers’ spirit and sacrifice, we must ensure their legacy lives on in future generations, especially among tomorrow’s Māori leaders. Like those young men who fought on distant shores, those receiving the awards are the high achievers, leaders among this generation of Māori and of New Zealand,” Ms Parata says.
This year’s recipients include a Stanford University student working towards a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy; an aspiring documentary filmmaker working towards her Masters at the School of Visual Arts, in New York; and a Bachelor of Business Studies student who represented New Zealand at the White House Tribal Leaders Gathering in Washington DC, hosted by President Obama.
The five undergraduate scholars will receive $10,000 per year for up to five years. The three Masters scholars will receive $15,000 per year for up to two years.
Applications for the 2017 Ngārimu VC & 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships open on May 1 and close in September 30.