Info Systems student wins Pacific Scholarship Award
The inaugural New Zealand Pacific Scholarship (NZPS) Academic Achievement Award was presented to outstanding Samoan student Epifania Afano at Victoria University on Thursday 14 March.
The inaugural New Zealand Pacific Scholarship (NZPS) Academic Achievement Award 2012 was presented to outstanding Samoan student Epifania Afano at Victoria University on Thursday 14 march.
Epifania achieved the highest grade point average of all NZPS scholars in her first year of a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Information Systems, including excellent grades in papers that many international students normally struggle with such as FCOM111 (Government, Law and Business) and QUAN102 (Statistics for Business).
The award was presented by Anna Pasikale, Deputy Director for Human Development in the International Development Group (formerly NZAID) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
"We are delighted to present this award to Epifania and hope that it encourages her to believe in her strong ability going forward into her second year," said Anna.
The ceremony was also attended by representatives of Victoria International, who provide pastoral care and support for New Zealand Scholarship and other international students, Te Pūtahi Atawhai, the AVC Pasifika Office and other University student support staff.
The New Zealand Scholarships Programme is part of the New Zealand Government overseas development assistance fund, and currently provides scholarships for almost 180 students from developing countries to study at Victoria. This award was initiated in 2012 to incentivise and recognise academic excellence among scholarship recipients from the Pacific.