Saskia is pursuing a Bachelor of Communications and a Bachelor of Arts. Her majors are Political Communication and International Relations, with minors in German and Political Science.
Her achievements during her time at Te Herenga Waka haven’t gone unnoticed. Recipients of Freemasons scholarships are chosen based on merit and their contributions to their communities, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the world.
“My mum read about the Freemasons Scholarship, and told me I should apply for it. I didn’t really have the confidence and felt like there was no point.
“It’s so natural to doubt yourself and think you’re not good enough. I didn’t think I had any hope of getting the scholarships. I think a lot of people think like that and then just don’t apply.”
“Mum told me to just put myself out there and it ended up working out.”
Initially planning to stay in Auckland and live at home, Saskia’s journey took an unexpected turn when she received a school-leaver scholarship—the Kahotea Outstanding Achievement Scholarship. This scholarship covered her full accommodation costs during her first year of study and meant she could choose to come and study in Wellington.
Now in her final year of study, Saskia knows she will miss being involved in university clubs and programmes.
“My world has opened up so much. I’ve met so many interesting people who have similar interests to me.”
These extracurricular activities not only complemented her academic pursuits, but also made her application for the Freemasons New Zealand University Scholarship stronger
One of these activities is the Wellington International Leadership Programme (WILP), which Saskia is nearly finished. WILP gives participants’ the ability to engage with global issues, and helps students build intercultural competence, leadership skills, and employability through interactive seminars, experiential learning, volunteering opportunities, and speaker events hosted by the University and internationally engaged organisations.
Saskia’s involvement in WILP opened doors to exciting opportunities. She discovered the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs (NZIIA) as attending their events earned her points for the programme. This year, she joined their student committee, assisting in organising events that immerse students in international affairs. She’s excited to get more involved as she has been offered to take over the Wellington branch’s social media and event photography. As Saskia reflects, “one thing just leads to another.”
Last year, Saskia was sponsored by the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence to attend NZIIA’s flagship conference in Auckland, which focused on solutions in international affairs, bringing together experts from government, business, academia, and non-government organisations.
Saskia secured an internship with UnionAID through one of her courses, the FHSS 302 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Internship. This internship also counted towards WILP. She contributed to their communications and digital operations, including writing a fortnightly newsletter about workers and events in the Asia Pacific. “It was a very good mix of my international relations interest and skills from my communications degree.”
Saskia is also completing her Wellington Plus Certificate. For this she volunteers as a part of the International Buddy Programme, helping to support international students. She’s also been a student representative, has assisted with logistics for a UN youth event in Auckland, and works casually for the University in the International Students’ Office.
“I would encourage anyone interested to put themselves out there and have the confidence to apply for stuff—put your hand up because you never know. It’s always better to try than not at all.”
As Saskia approaches graduation, she’s focusing on learning more German and hopes to go on to pursue postgraduate study in Germany after gaining practical work experience as a graduate.