A successful year for the Pasifika Student Success team
Last year, the newly formed Pasifika Student Success (PSS) team hit the ground running as they looked at ways to further support Pasifika students enrolled at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
21 February 2020
The team kicked off the year with Pasifika Orientation Week, getting stuck in and working with Pasifika first year students. The key to their success was engagement, which ranged from running UNI101 academic sessions to having a little fun with PasiVicGames.
Throughout 2019, staff made the effort to get out of their offices and engage with students through assessment-specific sessions, meet and greets, and the #LesssGooo social and advice events. Staff and student feedback was extremely positive about all of these events.
The Pasifika Student Success team also focused on inspiring current and future students through events such as Loto Aho study sessions, alumni seminars in architecture and design, MPI-led law tutorials, and a school-based community event called Na Vosa Ni Science for Year 10 students and parents from Sacred Heart College, Hutt Valley High, and St Bernard’s College. All events were well-received!
The team ended the year in style at a celebration where they thanked their mentors for their hard work.
Paddling the waka of success through “our sea of islands” has allowed the Pasifika Student Success team to continue to move forward. The PSS team continued to grow throughout 2019 and is now at full strength as it launches into 2020.
A major focus for the team this year will once again be engagement—connecting with Pasifika students in more ways and more often when the challenges become greater.
There is much planned for the year, starting with Pasifika Orientation week on 24 February.
Their Mentoring Programme continues to grow within all Faculties, covering courses from 100 to 300 level. The aim this year is to support both mentors and mentees through a range of events designed to provide professional development and space for them to have fun.
The PSS team is ready to #LevelUp and take on this year with all the values that underpin their work:
- Kāinga: family/connectedness
- Ako: reciprocal learning
- ‘Akamana’anga: empowerment
- Ho’omau: never give up
- Te Karinerine: mutual respect