Te Aka
This month:
Picture this: Highlights from the Colleges
Good sports & top gear: What to know about Unipol
Serving inspiration: What early entrepreneurs can teach us
Plus:
- Celebrating student leadership - A roundup of Uni news
- A look at what’s coming up in November
Tāwhaki features in The Link
Read about the new murals in The Link
Red Zone & regret
A poignant poem that takes the reader through a residential Red Zone after the Christchurch earthquakes has won the student poetry section of Writer 2024, the University’s annual creative writing competition.
George Gearry, who is in the final year of his BA majoring in Psychology and English, was inspired to write “It’s all grass now” after watching a music video for “Bug Eyed” by this dog, one of his favourite Ōtautahi bands.
“The video reminded me of visiting [my father’s] childhood home after the earthquakes, shortly before the house was demolished. The poem is about that visit — how I felt back then and how I feel now.”
This year’s judge, 2024 Burns Fellow Mikaela Nyman, was impressed by the poem’s sound and rhythm, which she says is like an “edgy rap with lots of alliteration and assonance”.
“It takes us through the Red Zone after the Christchurch earthquake, ‘out of the dyingalmost-dead zone’, with the poem’s narrator remembering ‘I was all rugby / socks and Subway’ while watching his father ‘watch his old house.’ Then they headed west towards the mountains.”
Student fiction winner Teala Cavanagh (a first-year BSc student, majoring in Chemistry and Neuroscience) was inspired by her grandmother, who was a solo mother who spent a lot of time in her garden.
Writer 2024 winners
Student poetry: George Gearry
Student fiction: Teala Cavanagh
Staff poetry: Tautaiolefue Brad Watson
Staff fiction: Tiffany Young
Alumni poetry: Jessica Leong
Alumni fiction: Shona Geary
Read the winning entries here
Nyman says Teala’s story grabbed her from the start “with its sparse, beautiful language that evoked a certain mood and weariness.”
“It narrates the struggles –physically, financially, socially and emotionally – of a first-time single mother, who is more in tune with gardens than the cliquey community of ‘new mums with their high-dollar pushchairs’. This is a tale of honesty and courage with no ready answers, yet it offers a glimmer of hope at the end.”
This is the fifth year the competition has been offered – and it once again drew high quality entries.
Nyman says the thoughtful and varied stories and poems demonstrate the wealth of creative talent in the University of Otago whānau.
“This year’s competition theme, ‘A place of many firsts,’ invited an abundance of personal reflections and coming-of-age narratives in both poetry and prose. The subject matter varied immensely, traversing natural disasters, ancestors, encounters with the past and with one’s own cultural heritage, personal growth and failure, and meetings with eccentric local characters.
“I wish I could have picked more than one winner per category.”
Full story
The student winners of Writer 2024 are Teala Cavanagh (student fiction) and George Gearry (student poetry).
Leadership recognised
Some of Otago’s leading lights were celebrated at a special ceremony last month at the eleventh University of Otago Student Leadership Awards (OUSLA).
Social Impact Studio Manager Sze-En Watts says the UOSLA is a leadership development programme that supports students in honing their skills to drive positive change.
Participants complete a minimum of 170 service hours, attend leadership workshops, engage in reflective writing, and meet regularly with a mentor to deepen their learning.
“The students who complete the UOSLA are truly exceptional. They are compassionate, motivated, and visionary leaders who care deeply about making a difference.
“Their dedication to service, growth, and community impact has been inspiring to witness, and I am confident they will continue to be changemakers in whatever paths they pursue.”
This year, 35 tauira completed the programme
and were presented with their certificate of achievement by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson.
Canon New Zealand has been a valued partner of the UOSLA for the past five years, providing essential funding and support, Sze-En says.
“With their support we’ve been able to craft transformative and impactful learning experiences that have inspired students to think differently about leadership and social impact, gain invaluable skills and make a real impact on their communities.”
While the UOSLA is ending this year, the Social Impact Studio remains dedicated to fostering civicminded, community-engaged students, she says.
“We’re exploring new programmes and opportunities to continue building leadership skills for social change, ensuring that Otago students will always have a pathway to grow as community leaders.”
Find out more about the Social Impact Studio
UOSLA recipients are joined by Otago staff and Canon representatives at celebrations for the 11th University of Otago Student Leadership Awards last month. Photo: Lokyee Szeto
College highlights
SALMOND
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
CARRINGTON
A group of Carrington residents at the end of their celebrations for Holi – a popular and significant Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring. Carrington celebrates Holi each year by throwing coloured powder on each other and water balloons.
Above left: Intercollege Sports Day is a highlight of O-Week. Above right: Three members of the Salmond Baking Club, Lily Thomas, Matthew O’Brien and Sophia Hitchon, spend Sunday evenings baking for community groups.
Above: UniCol Tauira boogying with their kaiawhina whare at the University College ball.
Right: Enjoying the Toga Party sausage sizzle out the front of University College are, from left, Lucy Bird, Ellexa Robins, Hannah McLeish, Annalise Hammond and Caitlin Hewson.
Tauira from Locals Collegiate Community get their togas on at an event this year. Locals is the biggest student community on campus, with a quarter of all first year students choosing to live at home, flat, or board. Find out more
Above left and right: Toroa residents get into the sporting spirit, supported by the Toroa mascots.
Above left: Knox students cheer on their fellow Knoxies at a Cameron Shield competitive event against Selwyn College. Above right: The Concert in the Stairwell is an annual tradition at Knox.
KNOX
TOROA
CAROLINE FREEMAN
192 Castle College runs a year-long Floor Wars competition, with activities varying from sporting events, puzzles and quiz nights and the annual can drive. Last year’s cohort collected 250ish cans, whereas this year’s crew got fully behind the charity and managed to collect an outstanding 2175 cans. 192 is the smallest college at the university with a small but mighty crew of 125.
Above left: A Tane Rugby photo taken during Selwyn and Knox’s annual Cameron Shield competition. Above right: Showing the Wahine spirit during a netball game at the annual Cameron Shield Competition between Selwyn and Knox.
192 CASTLE
Left and above: Caroline Freeman tauira in action and supporting their fellow residents at Inter-College events.
AQUINAS
Above: The St Margaret’s Relay for Life team having a break. Right: Isabella, Elizabeth, and Valerie on the slopes of Coronet Peak at the annual St Marg’s ski trip.
Above: Darcie Evans-Tobata getting into the Studholme Spirit on Sports Day. Below: Hugs all around after a game of rugby between residents of Studholme College and Te Pa Tauira.
Above: Ready to battle it out in the Aquinas Floor Wars Competition are, from left: Stella Anderson, Alex Prince, Nathaniel Bott, Kaitlyn Barra, Madison Carter, Muhammad Ahmad and James Karl.
Left: Pictured in the new courtyard just before the AQ ball are Haylee Fraser, Milo Hewison and Madison Dackers.
Embracing change
Kōrero by Sandra French
Dunedin can be somewhat of a culture shock for students from Indonesia. But for the 2024 Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) scholarship awardees who chose to study here, the differences are the draw.
The architecture, the culture, the extracurriculars, the pies, perhaps surprisingly, the weather, and of course, the people are some of the highlights for an IISMA trio.
Vena Nathaniela Susilo, from Bogor, Indonesia chose Otago for the “extracurricular activities”.
“With the IISMA scholarship, there is a focus on sharing our culture while experiencing a new one.
“With initiatives like UniCrew and the wide range of OUSA events, Otago was a top choice.”
Vena was also attracted to the paper options, which allowed her to explore something new. The chance to do that in a city that’s very different to home is an added bonus, Vena says.
“I grew up in a major city in Indonesia where everything is tall, modern buildings and the stores
are open way past five in the evening. Dunedin is so different and just taking a walk here, exploring the architecture on campus and in the city, is so refreshing.
“Plus, everyone here is very welcoming, especially to international students. I have very much enjoyed interacting and socialising with people.”
Calvin Institute of Technology Biomedical Sciences student, Grace Renata Gondowardojo, wholeheartedly agrees.
“I’m enjoying my time here. Not only the nature but also the culture. People are very friendly, and the work life balance is wonderful.
“There are a lot of extracurricular activities that I have enjoyed through the OUSA clubs like tree planting, cooking classes and volunteering with Animal Aquatic Plant Ecological Society.
“I also feel very safe and supported as an international student, especially with Campus Watch and AskOtago around.”
Full story
More about the Otago-IISMA partnership
From left, Grace Renata Gondowardojo, Vena Nathaniela Susilo and Ariel Alvaro Yuwono are enjoying their time at Otago, learning and experiencing new things.
Cultures of the environment
Climate change, fast fashion, food waste and better nourishment were just some of the hot topics on display at The Link last month.
Tauira of Global Studies GLBL201: Cultures of the Environment were presenting their research projects, which reflected a semester of engaged discussions on the environment, its various cultural meanings and translations.
This paper examines the concept of environment (nature) from a cross-cultural perspective, with focus on sustainability, environmental justice, and conservation.
See more projects
Find out more about GLBL201: Cultures of the Environment
Renata (majoring in Global Studies and Laws) is passionate about cooking and nutrition. She feels privileged to have been taught to cook by her parents, and also appreciates the connection cooking holds to her Chilean heritage. Through her project she intends to open up the world of cooking, particularly to students who she is concerned are missing out on the benefits of being able to cook. She conducted a survey to better understand some of the barriers to people cooking at homet then designed (including all the hand-illustrated font) a foundational guide to home cooking covering what pantry staples you need, equipment and recipes.
Rebecca is from Samoa and says climate change really hits home for her as the effects are more apparent there. In her project, ‘Climate Change Exploring Future Generations’, she explores the critical role education has in climate change. She undertook a lot of research, including interviews with academics, and found positive correlations between education and combating climate change. Rebecca advocates for incoporating raising the awareness of climate change into the educational framework at all levels.
meanings
Anusha created henna artworks as part of her exhibition for her project ‘Henna for Help’. The project looked at chemical dyes in fast fashion –including the effects of the unstable compounds in these dyes leeching into waterways when clothes are washed. Henna is as an example of a natural dye, taken from plant leaves, safe to use and with auspicious
in her birth place of India.
NTKA celebrates 10 years
Tauira past and present gathered at Auahi Ora to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Ngā Tauira o te Kete Aronui (NTKA).
Past and present rresidents attended, as did a number of the hundreds of students estimated to have used their services across that timeframe.
One tauira who has seen the group blossom is celebration organiser and current NTKA president Porourangi Templeton-Reedy. The PhD student was in his second year of undergraduate study when the Humanities Māori Students Association was established in 2014. He became the president in 2016 and has returned to the role again in 2024.
Reflecting on the past 10 years, Porourangi says there were several Māori student associations that had blossomed at the University, including Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Commerce and Science. The time had come for tauira Māori from Humanities to have their own representation.
“Because of the work of Gianna (Leoni) and Marcelle (Wharerau) and others on the first executive, they created a constitution, they ran different kaupapa throughout the year – such as study nights and whakawhanaungatanga – and also held reo classes to help strengthen that te ao Māori space,” he says.
From there the association grew, and in 2019 the group adopted their new ikoa Māori as well as a new tohu symbolising the efforts of tauira working towards, and acknowledging the completion of, their achievements.
“I would say our Māori student associations live
within the Te Rōpū Māori universe, and each association has a different story within that universe.
“When we’re so involved within Humanities, it’s great to connect and get a fresh perspective to hear how other Māori students do things at the University.”
There will be plenty more to celebrate in the new year, when NTKA opens its own dedicated space within the renovated Arts Building.
The space is the realisation of a year’s work in partnership with a number of groups, including Humanities kaiāwhina Marie Tutbury.
“We are very excited about having a dedicated physical space for our tauira Māori to call home, and for us to see the group go from strength to strength.”
Full story
Ngā Tauira o te Kete Aronui members celebrate the 10th anniversary of the the Humanities Division’s Māori student association.
MCs for the night Maria Davis-Tini and Matangiorupe Sword.
Hippie economist on the move
Kōrero by Claire Finlayson
When a former Otago lecturer visited campus recently, she was so cheered by the familiar vision of a fast-rolling economist that she reported her sighting to a friend.
“I saw Jesus in jandals today. He’s still around. He was skateboarding through campus.”
The academic in question was Professor Paul Hansen, Department of Economics, and this description speaks volumes about his 36-year teaching career.
As Paul calls time on his lecturing duties to take early retirement, we take stock of his abiding passion for economics – a subject that claimed him in his early teens.
“At the age of 14, I fell in love with economics and surfing. I thought economics was so amazing – it was a lens on the world. My whole life has revolved around those two things. Marriages have come and gone but economics and surfing have stayed with me.”
In the 1983 Bayfield High School yearbook, Paul’s peers listed his likely future job as ‘Professor of Economics’ (they also picked the blonde Scandinavian man in a 1980s Norsca deodorant television ad as his doppelganger).
“I wanted to be a surfer, so in 1985 I dropped out of uni to go to Australia and live on the Gold Coast. Within eight days I was back at Otago and enrolled in second-year economics because I saw 14-year-old girls
over there who could surf better than anyone I’d seen in Dunedin. I also realised how boring surfing is without something else to do during the day.”
Economics offered him the perfect boredombusting intellectual playground.
here. He backed me. I was a scruffy surfer with long hair from the wrong side of town and Michael lived in Māori Hill and wore a suit, but somehow took a shine to me.”
“The man is a legend.”
– Aleisha Lord, Teaching Fellow in the Department of Economics
“Economics is everything – and it’s not about earning bucks. I mean, I happily dress in op-shop clothes and live in a corrugated-iron crib at Long Beach.”
The direction of Paul’s teaching and research over the years was heavily influenced by British-born economist Michael Cooper who established Otago’s first health economics class in 1977.
“He turned me on to health economics – and became my friend. Without him, I wouldn’t have worked
That interest in health economics led Paul to co-found an innovative decision-making software company in 2003 called ‘1000minds’.
Initially conceived of to improve resource allocation in the health sector, this award-winning software soon proved clever enough to handle decision-making needs across multiple fields.
Paul will continue to problemsolve with 1000minds clients – in between catching waves – thanks to a Zoom-enabling Starlink satellite on his beachside roof.
Full story
Paul Hansen posing (in a thoroughly rule-abiding stationary manner) by one of his favourite signs.
Great sports & top gear at Unipol
What do marquees, giant Jenga, sleeping bags, skis, bodyboards, cornhole and head torches all have in common?
If you don’t know the answer, you might want to think about a visit to Unipol Recreation.
As well as exercise spaces, drop-in-and-play courts, games and social areas, there’s also an outdoor rental centre offering a wide range of recreational equipment for use on the slopes, at the beach, in the bush or on the sports field.
Take a virtual tour of Unipol
Unipol Marketing and Sustainability Leader Chris MacDonell says the range of services and equipment on offer constantly surprises people.
“We keep adding equipment to the Outdoor Rental Centre as we see the need. At the beginning of this year we purchased mountain bikes, which gives students access to trails and cycleways right on our doorstep – in particular The Big Easy on Signal Hill and the Otago Harbour Cycleway.
“The range of gear for rent has broadened and it’s a great example of sustainable practice, which we are very proud of.”
Ski season is always busy, with the Centre able to fit and provide skiers and boarders with everything they need at student friendly prices.
Coming into the warmer months, demand is expected to pick up for aquatic gear, but also for rentals of the University-owned Trotters Gorge Hut, she says.
“It’s a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of campus life, head back to nature and enjoy relaxing in the outdoors. The area offers
Unipol Recreation is located at 130 Anzac Ave.
Above: Unipol’s quieter workout space. Below: One of the weights rooms.
Unipol student employee Jacob Berquist and Marketing and Sustainability
Leader Chris MacDonell show off some of the equipment that’s available to hire from the recreation centre.
numerous bush walks and abundant bird life.”
And even better, it’s only $6 a night for Otago students and a one-hour drive from campus.
“Unipol is a safe space where everyone is welcome to drop in with their tertiary ID card and have some fun participating in a range of recreational activities. Recreation is different for everyone, and we aim to foster that notion,” Chris says.
Staff recognised that booming music and pumping weights might not be for everyone, so they created a quieter, calmer exercise space this year.
last year that he realised, and was surprised by, the full extent of services the recreation centre offers.
“I have multiple roles including Student Recreation Assistant, Fitness Leader, Outdoor Recreation Assistant, and Inter-College Competition referee.”
“The range of gear for rent has broadened and it’s a great example of sustainable practice, which we are very proud of.”
– Unipol Marketing and Sustainability Leader Chris MacDonell
“This space includes equipment that is lighter, quieter and ‘friendlier’ in nature. The area is a great environment for a more chilled experience and has proven to be popular.”
Phase two of the development is coming soon with implementation of ‘dinky’ activity stations, she says.
Unipol also employs more than 150 Otago students annually and one of them is Jacob Berquist, a thirdyear Bachelor of Science tauira, majoring in Sport Development and Management.
It wasn’t until he started working there in February
That means he could be helping exercisers with questions or signing them up to group fitness, social sport, or other programmes. He also develops exercise programmes, referees sports or helps with the outdoor rentals.
But University studies come first for Jacob.
“This is one of the best jobs for flexible hours to work around your university schedule. All of the casual workers at Unipol are students and we can enter our availability prior to rosters being published.
“My favourite part of the job is the people who I work with at Unipol. Everyone is very friendly and positive, which creates an awesome work environment to be a part of.”
Full story
Find out more about Unipol
Early entrepreneurs serve inspiration
Kōrero by Laura Hewson
Socially responsible entrepreneurship – it might sound like a modern invention but as a class of Otago tauira found out recently, it’s a concept that’s been around for quite some time.
Students taking ENTR202: Applied Social Entrepreneurship were tasked this semester with researching a pre-1900 Ōtepoti entrepreneur to discover the ways they contributed to society beyond the impact of the business they created.
Teams of students created posters showcasing the research, and the top five were displayed in the Otago Business School foyer late last month. All the posters have now been sent to the Hocken Library to add to their ephemera collection.
Second-year BEntr student Maddi Duffy says she enjoyed the chance to incorporate creativity and design into an academic assignment and felt the project made her more aware of the impact these leaders had made on their communities in the past and on a larger scale today.
“Our group chose Bendix Hallenstein, because his main business venture is still relevant and dominating the market 150-years later,” she says.
“Through our research we found many facts that surprised us, such as Hallenstein was a trailblazer for workers’ rights, giving employees access to medicine before social security was introduced 50 years later.
“He was also a big supporter of unionisation
of workers and ensuring comfortable working conditions.”
As part of the project, students had the opportunity to visit the Hocken Library to meet with curators and carry out research.
“The staff at the Hocken are so knowledgeable and were incredibly helpful,” Maddi says.
“I had never been to the Hocken before, but I was pleasantly surprised about the types of materials that they had that are simply not available anywhere else. This included some of the original wrapping paper from Hallensteins that you can see in the background of our poster, as well as the original order books.”
Senior Teaching Fellow and ENTR202 lecturer Dr Elizabeth Nichols says the idea behind the
“Through our research we found many facts that surprised us, such as Hallenstein was a trailblazer for workers’ rights, giving employees access to medicine before social security was introduced 50 years later.”
– BEntr student Maddi Duffy
The team’s poster features some of the original wrapping paper from Hallensteins.
project was to help students connect with the entrepreneurial heritage of the region and show how the approach to entrepreneurship has evolved.
“During the days when Dunedin was being settled, people had to be entrepreneurial to provide goods and services. Many of these entrepreneurs also had a social conscience and contributed back, as they wanted to leave behind the strictures and class system of the UK to create a better society.”
ENTR202 builds on ENTR101 (which will be ENTR 111 in 2025) and places an emphasis on introducing students to other forms of organisations that contribute to the health, well-being, and wealth of the environment and society, Elizabeth says.
“It’s designed to challenge students’ thinking by engaging with social and environmental notfor-profit social enterprises as an alternative to creating a for-profit enterprise.”
Key components of the paper, which are a new addition this year, are field trips to three social enterprises and a live case study with a fourth organisation.
ENTR202, which will be taught as ENTR212 Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Practice next year,
is a prerequisite paper for those wanting to do a Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr), which is a new degree.
Maddi transferred to Otago this year specifically to do the BEntr, she says.
“When researching Otago I initially thought I’d continue with my BCom but I ultimately chose the BEntr as it allows me to keep my study interdisciplinary and have the flexibility to further study areas that I’m passionate about, which isn’t often seen with many other degrees.”
She’s also considering doing a Master of Sustainable Business in 2026.
“I’ve been passionate about business and start-ups since I was young, participating twice in the Young Enterprise scheme in high school. I’d love to run my own business later on in life, focussing on trying to help solve a social or environmental issue.
“I also have an interest in going into sustainable business consulting work to help companies change practices to ones that are better for people and planet.”
Full story
Find out more about the BEntr
ENTR202 students, from left, Cate Moyle, Maddi Duffy and Max Gittos (along with Tom Henzell and Josh Cooper, not pictured) chose to do a recent class project on Bendix Hallenstein – an early entrepreneur whose business is still thriving today.
There’s more where that came from:
Otago wins Indigenous Business Case Comp
Three solution-savvy Otago students have edged their opponents out to win the inaugural Indigenous Business Case Competition 2024.
The team consisted of Lachlan Williams (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou), James Bennett (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) and Leuotele Tamati (Samoan).
James thinks the competition’s snug timeframe –and all its attendant adrenalin – was perfect.
“We were given three hours to unpack and discuss the case. This was enough time for us to put together a timeline of what we needed to do before we presented, which was a key element to our team’s success.”
Full story
Toroa to go back to original use next year
Toroa College is going back to the future next year – instead of accommodating mostly firstyear students it will house mainly self-catering international students as it did when it opened almost 30 years ago.
International students coming to Otago are increasingly postgraduate students and many are keen to live in University-provided residential accommodation but want a different experience than recent school-leavers.
Toroa will be led in 2025 by current Deputy Warden Stewart Noguer Blue, who will still live on site.
Increase in student support for 2025
The University has increased financial support for students next year.
This will include $45 million in scholarships, with close to $500,000 committed to the Pūtea Tautoko financial aid fund and the Residential College Relief Fund.
VC Grant Robertson is also contributing a portion of his salary each year to seven new scholarships, worth a total of $49,000. These scholarships will be provided annually from 2025 as a supplement to first year students who have already been awarded an Otago equity scholarship.
Game on! Uni features in new Monopoly
Bankrupt your family and friends Ōtepoti stye with new Dunedin Monopoly.
The special edition, which dropped last month, features the University of Otago, alongside iconic locations such as the Botanic Gardens, Forsyth Barr Stadium and Larnach Castle.
Castle Street’s also there, nestled lovingly between Brighton Beach and Income Tax.
Buy the entire Uni for just 320 Monoploy dollars. Bargain! Watch the reel
