The 2026 recipients of Te Waiu o Aotearoa Trust's scholarships, administered by Westpac NZ, have been announced.
Marc Figgins, Chair of Te Waiu o Aotearoa Trust and Westpac NZ's Pou Tangata Matua (Chief People Officer), says the calibre of applicants was incredibly high.
"Learning more about the goals and values of these students makes me optimistic for the future of Aotearoa. We're delighted to be able to support five fantastic candidates in 2026.
"It's an inspiring cohort of learners and while they all have different aspirations, all share a desire to be of service. The whakatauki 'Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, Ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tīna - seek out distant horizons, and cherish those that you attain' applies really well to the goals of our recipients this year."
Te Waiu o Aotearoa Trust was established in 1994 in partnership with Māori and Iwi entities to promote, develop and provide for the education and advancement opportunities of students of Māori descent.
As a partner, Westpac NZ has administered the Trust for the 32 years since its establishment.
Each year, at the trustees' discretion, recipients throughout Aotearoa are each awarded a $5,000 scholarship towards their tertiary study costs.
Applications for the 2027 scholarships will open during Matariki 2026.
The 2026 Te Waiu o Aotearoa Trust scholarship recipients are:
ANNA-MARIE ROBISON
Anna-Marie Robison (Ngāti Porou) has always been motivated by a desire to be of service and support her community. Currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Business Studies at Gisborne's Eastern Institute of Technology, Anna-Marie juggles her studies with work at the Oasis Community Men's Shelter.
She says, "I want to play a part in breaking generational cycles of poverty, by supporting our people to reclaim their values and identity.
"My journey of service reflects the values instilled in me by my whānau, especially my grandparents and mother."
The Oasis Community Men's Shelter provides a safe place for men in need as well as wrap-around support and referral services for social well-being.
Anna-Marie says receiving a Te Waiu o Aotearoa scholarship means she has the financial support to complete her studies.
"It's given me a boost of confidence to keep going - helping me to believe in myself and what I can do."
CICCONE HAKARAIA-TURNER
Ciccone Hakaraia-Turner (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa) is this year embarking on an Honours programme at AUT, where she completes all her assessments in te reo Māori. It's a learning journey that began at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae, where she graduated with the accolades of senior dux and sportswoman of the year.
She says, "Learning in te reo Māori was something I wanted to take further, to keep te reo Māori active in my everyday life."
Having majored in international business and strategy, Ciccone's now focusing her honours research on international markets and in particular the potential for Māori SME businesses to expand beyond Aotearoa.
"I'm an aspiring entrepreneur myself - growing up, watching my grandparents run their own business really sparked my interest and that's why I first embarked on a business degree. In the future, I hope my research could also help other Māori business owners."
She says learning she was a 2026 Te Waiu o Aotearoa recipient relieved a lot of stress.
"The support allows me to now focus on my whānau and my studies."
NGARU HEPU
Ngaru Hepi (Ngāi Tahu) has just started her third year of a conjoint degree in Product Design and Commerce at the University of Canterbury - the latest step in her journey of discovery into the world of STEAM.
In 2019, Ngaru was one of 20 students of Ngāi Tahu descent who travelled to Silicon Valley through a Te Pokai Ao scholarship, an experience she describes as "life changing" in sparking her interest in engineering and technology. Last November, she also had the opportunity to travel to South East Asia as part of a University of Canterbury Business study tour.
"That experience really got me interested in international business - I'd love to get involved in that area in a way that helps te ao Māori and my iwi, helping our iwi thrive on a global scale."
She says her time at university so far has been great, in particular the opportunity to get involved in different clubs - she's currently one of the presidents of Te Mana Pounamu, the Māori and Pacific commerce club.
"Receiving the Te Waiu o Aotearoa scholarship will help me to bridge connections with other people as well as giving the ability to focus on my work with the club."
MATTHIAS RETI-HUCH
Matthias Reti-Huch (Ngāti Maniapoto) says he "got a bit of a jump scare" when he first learned he was a recipient of a Te Waiu o Aotearoa scholarship.
"It's really cool. I'm the first in my whānau to pursue a tertiary degree and the scholarship will help with some of the financial pressure," he says.
Matthias is in his second year of a Bachelor of Education with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, studying at the Māngere campus, and hopes to pursue a career in teaching. He says he'd love to play a role in helping other rangatahi to find a passion for learning.
"I believe education and economic empowerment go hand-in-hand. I've already had the chance to spend time in classrooms on teacher practicums which has been a great experience - I see the young me in the kids I'm working with."
And he says continuing his studies beyond secondary school has been empowering.
"Over the past year I've learned a lot about how to build my self-respect and confidence."
AYLA TURNER
Ayla Turner (Ngāti Maniapoto) is beginning her studies at the University of Auckland this year, undertaking a conjoint Bachelor of Global Studies and Bachelor of Laws. She had the opportunity to take a number of first-year University of Canterbury courses during her final year at Nelson's Garin College, which she says sparked an interest in politics and law.
"Ultimately in my future career I want to help as many people as I can - I really like the idea of working in human rights or Māori land law."
During her time at Garin College Ayla served as Ngā Amorangi (head Māori leader) and was also Chair of the Nelson Youth Council.
Now having relocated to Tāmaki Makaurau, she says she's excited about the opportunities ahead to broaden her networks and deepen her education.
"I want to promote my culture and language and just be able to support the wider world. They're big objectives but aiming high is a good start!"
And she says she was thrilled to receive a Te Waiu o Aotearoa scholarship.
"Getting the news was amazing - I'm very happy and grateful."
