Six Northland tertiary students awarded scholarships

Six Northland students are set to receive $4000 and paid work experience after being named as recipients of Northland Regional Council’s annual Tū i te ora Scholarship.

The 2024 scholarship recipients are Huia Clarke, Barbara Goodwin, Isabella Jensen, Winiwini Kingi, Alyssa Olsen, and Sequoia Stevens, who were selected from a pool of 51 applicants.

This is the fifth year council has awarded the scholarship, which recognises, encourages and supports student to undertake study that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions, whilst contributing to council’s vision ‘Tiakina te taiao, tuia te here tangata - Nurture the environment, bring together the people’.

Council Chair Geoff Crawford says the scholarship provides value for both the recipients and council, with the recipients able to gain hands-on experience and council benefiting from the extra support during the busy summer period.

“It’s a great opportunity for the recipients to apply the knowledge they’ve learned during their studies and our teams really enjoy the different experiences and perspectives the recipients bring.”

Huia Clarke says she looks forward to gaining hands-on experience with council’s Hydrology team.

“It will give me a chance to physically see things I've learned in school and show me how they function in day-to-day life. To me this work experience will be just as useful as university itself.”

Alyssa Olsen, who will be joining council’s Climate Action team, sees the scholarship as a stepping stone to achieve her aspirational goals.

“Working towards combatting climate change is what I'm most passionate about. Joining the Climate Action team will be a great way to take what I have learnt in university and use it in a practical work environment.”

Chair Crawford says the scholarship also enables council to tap into talent early and create a valuable pipeline for future employees, with several previous recipients now employed at council.

“Two previous recipients have come back after graduating to join us as full-time employees in our Rivers and Biodiversity teams, and two recipients have stayed on in casual and fixed-term positions in our Coastcare and Climate Action teams while they finish their studies.”

“We’re really looking forward to having this year’s recipients join us this summer and hope they enjoy the experience so much that they also return to council once they’ve completed their studies to enrich the region and its people with their knowledge and skills.”

The six winners (in alphabetical order by surname) are:

• Huia Clarke, from Ōhaeawai
  (Te Uri Taniwha, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hau, Ngāpuhi)
  Bachelor of Science, majoring in Green Chemical Science at the University of Auckland
  
  
• Barbara Goodwin, from Hikurangi
  Diploma in Environmental Management (Level 6) at NorthTec
  
  
• Isabella Jensen, from Tokerau Beach and Hawke’s Bay
  (Te Uri o Tai, Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi)
  Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts Conjoint, majoring in Māori Resource Management and Public Policy at Victoria University of Wellington
  
  
• Winiwini Kingi, from Whangārei
  (Te Kahu o Torongare, Ngāpuhi)
  Diploma in Environmental Management (Level 5) at NorthTec
  
  
• Alyssa Olsen, from Whangārei
  Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science Conjoint, majoring in Engineering Science and Environmental Science at the University of Auckland
  
  
• Sequoia Stevens, from Motukaraka
  (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Kuia)
  Bachelor of Resource and Environmental Planning, minoring in Māori Studies at Massey University.

Chair Crawford says the recipients will join NRC from mid-November 2024 to mid-February 2025 in the Biosecurity Partnerships, Climate Action, Māori Relationships, and Predator Free teams.

More information about the scholarship and recipients is available from scholarships.nrc.govt.nz