Two Pasifika students were presented with scholarships last night at the AUT University's School of Communication Studies awards.
Yvonne Brill, a postgraduate student studying towards her Masters of Communication Studies, received the AUT/Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) Pasifika Communications postgraduate scholarship.
Brill is also holder of a studentship from the Office of Pasifika Advancement, working for the Pacific Media Centre as Niusblog and social media editor.
Brill said she was thrilled to be representing Pasifika peoples at the university and hopes that more and more will take an interest in the media and apply for programmes.
“I’m really excited to be given this opportunity,” she said.
“It’s important that we have more Pasifika people working in the media and this PIMA and AUT award is a good start to this.”
Brill also received an international internship with the China Daily online thanks to the Asia New Zealand Foundation.
She thanked AUT associate professor and director of the Pacific Media Centre David Robie for his encouragement.
“Thanks to David we have these ties with other international papers and it's to his credit that we’re able maintain those connections and get a chance to work over there and learn from them,” she said.
The recipient of the undergraduate scholarship was Suzanne Suisuiki, of Samoan heritage. Suisuiki said she was honoured to get the scholarship.
“I’m really grateful and it was really unexpected,” she said.
Top drama student
“During high school I was a top drama student and I fell in love with the media side of it. I decided to combine my creative streak with the media and see what happens.”
The former Baradene student is aiming to eventually complete the Graduate Diploma in Pacific Journalism, a course which has kicked off this year at AUT.
She grew up in Auckland, but her family is from Letogo village, close to Apia, the capital of Samoa and she was brought up in the fa’a Samoa.
“We still have a long way to go,” she said, speaking of Pasifika development.
“We have to deal with health issues, education, and also how we are seen in the media.”
Chris Lakatani, deputy chair of PIMA, presented the awards and warned the new recipients that the going would be tough.
“The last couple of years have been quite testing for Pacific media,” he said.
Campbell interview
“With stories such as the John Campbell interview with (Samoan Prime Minister) Tuilaepa last year, you can see what the issues are.
“We need to support Pacific Islands journalists to be able to walk that line of being culturally sensitive but to also tell a clear and accurate news story.
Lakatani said that it is a huge challenge, particularly for Pasifika journalists who intend to travel back to their native land.
The awards night also heralded the 20th year of the Bachelor of Communications Studies at AUT University.
Head of School of Communications Dr Alan Cocker said that AUT programmes were well regarded in the tertiary sector in New Zealand, while almost all presenters from the industry praised AUT and the quality of the graduates that they have hired from the faculty.
Alex Perrottet
