Mr William Kennedy was a prominent citizen of Dunedin in the late 19th century, and his granddaughter made a bequest in his name to promote the study of Politics and International Relations at the University of Otago.
Didem Yaman Memorial Prize for Best MA Thesis
This prize honours the memory of Didem Yaman who died in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, about four months short of completing her PhD thesis in Politics.
The prize is awarded to the student with the best MA thesis result in Politics in a particular year.
- Morgan Edwards (2022)
- Joshua Ferrer (2020)
- Sarah Pfander (2019)
- Samuel McChesney (2018)
- Ruby O'Connor (2017)
- Amee Parker (2016)
- Ben Loughrey-Webb (2015)
- Nicolas Pirsoul (2014)
- Juana Diesing (2013)
Best POLS590 Research Dissertation
- Alexia Preen (2023)
- Catherine Ryan (2022 joint)
- Liam Schwarz (2022 joint)
- Toby Goodwin (2021 joint)
- Alice Taylor (2021 joint)
- Esme Hall (2020)
- Tessa Robinson (2019)
- Francis Johnson (2018)
- Peter Grace (2017)
- Samuel Hughes (2016)
Best POLS490 Research Dissertation
- Alice Sowry (2015)
- Rebecca Barton (2014)
- Ben Abraham (2013, joint)
- Veena Patel (2013, joint)
- Samuel McChesney (2012)
- Samuel Harris (2011)
- Michael King (2010, joint)
- Christopher Meikle (2010, joint)
- Gemma Cornelissen (2009)
Best 300-level Student in Politics
- Anna Robertshawe (2024)
- Lydia Joseph (2023)
- Anna Piebenga (2022)
- Hansaka Ranaweera (2021)
- James Hartshorn (2020)
- Esme Hall (2019, joint)
- Jack Trevella (2019, joint)
- Henry Brockway (2018, joint)
- Emily Davies (2018, joint)
- Owen Wilkinson (2017)
- Peter Grace (2016)
- Oliver Hailes (2015)
- Bryn Jones (2014)
- Guy Jones (2013)
- Danielle Duffield (2012, joint)
- Matthew Stansfield (2012, joint)
- Caroline Leeming (2011, joint)
- Susanna Miller (2011, joint)
- Adam Linnell (2010)
- Leigh Harding (2009)
Best 300-level Māori Student in Politics
- Ruby Gane (2024)
- Lydia Joseph (2023)
- Sarah Baird (2022)
- Tohunga Riwai (2021)
- Eva Pearson (2020)
- Anahera Arheson (2019)
- Tara Leckie (2018)
- Summer Cooper (2017)
- Toby Burnett (2016)
- Tessa Vincent (2015)
- Samuel Henry (2014)
- Mel Jagusch (2013)
- Griffin Leonard (2012)
- Olivia Kitson (2011)
- James Leask (2010, joint)
- James Meager (2010, joint)
- Leah Rangi (2009)
Luke Kypri Memorial Prize for Best 100-level Student in Politics
This prize honours the memory of Luke Kypri, who completed all four 100-level papers in a single year, achieving outstanding grades across those papers, before tragically passing in 2022.
This prize is awarded to the student with the best results for their top two 100-level papers in Politics in a particular year.
- Alexander Marriott (2024)
- Henrietta Finney Waters (2023)