The Wellington International Excellence Awards are given to the region’s best ‘all-round’ international students. The awards are run by the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) and take into account academic achievement and contributions made in sport, arts, and the community.
Students from Victoria University of Wellington received eight of the fifteen awards, with students acknowledged for academic excellence, community engagement, creativity, leadership, sports, and support of international students as a domestic student.
PhD student Yukiko Kuboshima received the Academic Excellence Award for her efforts to use architecture to improve the lives of New Zealand’s elderly. Nam-Phuong Ho also received an Academic Excellence Award for her outstanding work as a student at Victoria Business School.
Hanna Aulia and Ashley Cao both received Community Engagement Awards, Hanna for her charity work including volunteering with the Red Cross and her excellent work as Chair of the Indonesian Students Association, and Ashley for her extensive volunteer work including English language support and fundraising for Youthline and the Wellington Soup Kitchen.
Gabriela Glapska, a PhD student at the University’s School of Music, received the Creativity Award for her excellence as a pianist. She has played countless times in Wellington and internationally, and has performed with the Lublin Dance Company, who share Polish folk music and dance with New Zealanders.
Nur Natasha Faziera Mohd Fadzil received the Leadership Award for her work as president of the Malaysian Students Association and her support of other Malaysian students, as well as her other extensive volunteer work.
Mohammad Zahirul Amin Mohd Azam received the Sports Award for his success across an impressive six sports, including sepak takraw, a Malaysian sport similar to volleyball.
Postgraduate Students Association president Jordan Anderson received the Internationalisation Award – Domestic Student for her work making international students feel welcome and included at Victoria University of Wellington.
Brook Pannell, WREDA’s Education, Talent and Skills Manager, said:
“International students make a powerful impact in their communities, and these awards reflect the great contributions they make in Wellington. Wellington is full of study options for students with a number of high-calibre institutions. It’s also a unique, modern and compact city where international students can feel at home, gain life skills in a safe city, and make friends.”