Students awarded valuable heritage scholarships

24 June 2014

Since 1971 up to six scholarships have been offered annually in the tertiary sector by the Ministry of Education to students of Māori descent. Called the Ngārimu Scholarships, these commemorate Lieutenant Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu, whose heroism and ultimate sacrifice were acknowledged by his being awarded the Victoria Cross. In 1943 a gathering of Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau ā Apanui and Pākehā East Coast people took place to consider how to best commemorate the bravery of Ngārimu and the other members of the 28th Battalion, and the scholarship fund, still operating today, was the outcome.

This year three scholarship recipients are studying at FMHS. We salute and congratulate the winners:

Ariana Andrews, (Te Whakatōhea and Waikato), who is in the MBChB programme and who also was the top scholar in her Certificate in Health Science year.

Ariana has been a role model for Year 13 Māori students who are considering a career in health, has a two year term on the UNESCO NZ Youth Reference Group and is a recipient of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, a programme for emerging leaders.

Moerangi Tamati (Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Ruanui) who is also in the MBChB programme after originally training as a nurse.

Moerangi was dux of St Joseph’s Māori Girls College in 2007 and in 2008 received the Vice-Chancelor’s Award for Top Maori and Pacific Scholars. Like Ariana, Moerangi is enrolled in the MAPAS programme.

Dr Elana Curtis who is studying towards her Doctorate of Medicine while leading a number of programmes and initiatives here at the faculty, these recognised this week with Elana’s success in being awarded a Butland Teaching Excellence Award.

Elana’s doctorate examines how to grow more Māori health professionals, an area she has developed great expertise in since joining the faculty in 2005, when she returned from undertaking a Harkness Fellowship in the USA.