Medical students at the awards ceremony.
Wellington students and staff gathered in the Nordmeyer Theatre last month for the end-of-year Hui Whakanui Tauira Student Awards Celebration.
The hui celebrated the special achievements of fourth, fifth and sixth year medical students and postgraduate students and provided an opportunity to farewell the graduating medical class.
The procession into the theatre was led by student mace bearer Hotene Ngaropo-Tuia (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manu), the president of Ngā Puna Hauora, the Māori Health Professionals Students’ Association.
Staff and students were greeted with a mihi whakatau by Toa Waaka, Rautaki Hononga Māori, and by Dean and Head of Campus Professor William Levack. Dame Karen Poutasi, the former chair of Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, was guest speaker at the event, with student addresses given by the co-president of the Otago Postgraduate Association Wellington (OPAW), Emily Paterson, and the president of the Wellington Health Professional Students’ Association (WHPSA), Georgia Hoggarth.
The honour of wearing the kākahu was bestowed on Hotene Ngaropo-Tuia in recognition of excellence in leadership and perseverance in raising the level of commitment and achievement of others. He was presented with the Vera Keefe-Ormsby Prize in Māori Health for leadership and scholarship in Māori Health.
The Pacific Research Prize went to Ainsleyana Puleiata and the Pacific Leadership Award went to Agnes Valasi.
The Fowler Scholarship in Medicine for 2024 was awarded to Eric Gromme.
Two surprise awards were made on the night. Presentations for their commitment and tautoko to sixth-year tauira Māori were made to Associate Dean, Māori, Bridget Robson, and to Dr Jake Aitken from the Eru Pōmare Māori Health Research Centre. An award for outstanding service to Wellington postgraduate students was presented by students to Emily Paterson.
The full list of winners will be posted on the Wellington campus website.
