APSAA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE 2022
FRED JOHNSON AWARD
Melissa Leaupepe University of Auckland
T
here is a Samoan proverb “E felelei manu ae ma’au i o latou ofaga” meaning birds migrate to environments where they survive and thrive. As the Resident Manager of O’Rorke Hall at the University of Auckland, I have witnessed students leave their nests and set their sights on a new environment of higher learning, success, and growth. For Pasifika students, our students of Pacific Island descent, living away from home is uncommon as they are dependent on their families and ‘village’. However, for many the setup of their home environment is not conducive in their quest to succeed at university. Last July I conducted a survey to gauge the various perspectives of Pasifika Students living in Accommodation. Results show that although 91% of the students chose Accommodation for a better study environment, only 41% wanted to engage in any study related events and academic support leading to a portion of students failing courses and withdrawing at the end of their first semester.
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From the survey findings, I saw a chance for UoA Accommodation to further develop their residential life programme and create opportunities that resonate with Pacific peoples and their cultural values and languages. In early February, I connected with staff from the Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific and Te Papa Manaaki (Campus Care) offices where we shared the same vision for our Pasifika students. Our conversations quickly progressed into a strong partnership, to establish a village on campus. This village is a cultural and collective approach that supports the academic journey for Pasifika students in Accommodation. Our discussions led to implementing a Study Fono initiative devoted to creating a consistent and dedicated study space in O’Rorke Hall, with wrap around support from staff that instils a level of accountability and expectation for our students to succeed. We gathered staff, students and their families at ‘Meet the Village’ – an event that celebrated the launch of our Pacific
‘Study Fono’. The objective of this event was to introduce residents to the Village leaders and their respective offices, and to provide details on the programme. Our Pro Vice Chancellor-Pacific Dr. Jemaima Tiatia honoured us with her address and inspirational words “Your ancestors are right there beside you and you have an army that are here to back you all the way. Achieving excellence and graduating is the end game…. Your leadership, your excellence… you’re going to change generations”.