King Tūheitia meets students for lunch

Tuesday, 21 November 2017

Earlier this year, Wintec and the Māori King’s office announced 10 scholarships to recognise the tenth year of the Dame Te Atairangkaahu Scholarship. The scholarship acknowledges the late Māori queen's wish, and the support of the Māori King to encourage more Māori into health careers.

Last week, ten nursing and midwifery students got the opportunity to meet their sponsors again including Te Arikinui Kīngi Tūheitia at a relaxed lunch at Windows, Wintec’s training restaurant at the Rotokauri campus. The students, joined by members of Wintec’s Māori Achievement team and Centre for Health and Social Practice staff were honoured to have Te Arikinui Kīngi Tūheitia, Te Makau Ariki Atawhai and their mokopuna Hikairo in attendance. It was a wonderful opportunity for these students to reflect and share on their experiences to date, and their aspirations for the future.

The sponsors of the 2017 Dame Te Atairangikaahu Scholarship have collectively funded 10 students to pursue a nursing or midwifery career. They are:

The Office of Kīngi Tūheitia
Te Kohanga Reo National Trust
Waikato Tainui
Te Hauora o Ngāti Haua Trust
Ngāti Haua Iwi Trust
Raungaiti Marae Health Clinic
Staples Rodway
Tūrangawaewae Trust
Ngā Miro Health Centre
Kirkwood Whānau Trust
Te Ururangi Trust
Wintec

Waikato-Tainui people aiming for a career in nursing or midwifery have the opportunity to become recipients of the Dame Te Atairangikaahu scholarship each year which aim to encourage more Māori into health. The Dame Te Ātairangikaahu Nursing Scholarships encourage Waikato-Tainui students to undertake full-time study at any level, in one of the following Wintec qualifications:

The 2017 Māori nursing and midwifery scholars are aspiring Māori leaders in their chosen fields. They are Vair Jackson, Kohatu Tata, Zaradene McGregor, Airini Thompson, Hollie Scott, Te Waimaarino Winikerei, Joanne Mark, Renata Smith, Kerry Watene, and Dayna Hoey-Samuel.

Applications open early next year.