BLOG: Celebrating your achievements
An update from Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Law Professor Mark Hickford.
Kia ora koutou,
It’s a busy time of year, as Trimester 1 draws to a close and you complete your final assessments and prepare for your examinations. As this period can be demanding, I want to remind you of the help available if you’re feeling unwell or are facing exceptional circumstances in the lead-up to exams or final assessment due dates.
At the Law School, our recently expanded Student and Academic Services team is here to support you, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch with them if you need help or have questions. You can also access support services, including student health and student counselling, available at both Pipitea and Kelburn campuses.
Our Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching) Professor Graeme Austin’s latest blog contains helpful advice on preparing for exams.
May is always a hectic but enjoyable month for the University, as we hold our main graduation ceremonies. This month, over 2,500 students graduated from Victoria University of Wellington. Of these, 162 were from the Faculty of Law – 126 with a Bachelor of Laws, 26 with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours, five with a Master of Laws, and five with our multi-disciplinary Master of International Trade.
Seeing 162 former students cross the stage, and joining them in celebrating with their families, is a privilege and one of the things I value most about my role here as Dean. The Faculty of Law’s graduate speaker, Indiana Shewen, spoke eloquently on the challenges, and rewards, of completing a programme as rigorous as a law degree. It is a significant achievement, and this is reflected in the regard with which a law degree from Victoria University of Wellington is held by employers, and the excellent employment outcomes for our law graduates. While the journey may be challenging at times, it’s important to remember what you are working towards.
It’s also important to stop and celebrate successes along the way, as we did on the evening of 14 May at our annual Dean’s Reception, which I host in recognition of the prizewinning students from the previous academic year. It was an excellent evening – you can view the photo gallery here. My warmest congratulations again to all those who won awards.
All the best for your assessments and the rest of the trimester.
Noho ora mai,
Professor Mark Hickford
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Law