Six recent graduates from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have been selected to continue their education in the United States as 2022 Fulbright New Zealand Graduate award-winners.
The alumni of the University’s New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī (NZSM) who received opportunities to study in the US are flautist Isabella Gregory, and jazz musicians Jack Harré and Dexter Stanley-Tauvao (Vailoa Faleata, Tāga i Savai’i).
Professor Sally Jane Norman, Director of NZSM, said, “It’s wonderful to see recent Te Kōkī graduates being celebrated at this high level of achievement; the institutions they go to in the US, their learnings, and the networks they consolidate across our respective regions will be profoundly impactful.”
Poet Bronte Heron, who is an alumna of the International Institute of Modern Letters, has also received an award from the Fulbright New Zealand programme.
“Fulbright is such a terrific door opener,” said Professor Damien Wilkins, Director of the IIML. “I’m so pleased to see poets making the most of this opportunity.”
- Isabella Gregory, who gained a Bachelor of Music with first class honours in Classical Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, will complete a Master of Music in Flute Performance at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
- Jack Harré, who gained a Bachelor of Music with first class Honours in Jazz Performance, will complete a Master of Music in Jazz Performance at New York University, New York City.
- Dexter Stanley-Tauvao, who gained a Bachelor of Music with first class Honours in Jazz Performance, and a Bachelor of Arts in German, will complete a Master of Music in Jazz Studies at the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queen’s College in New York City.
- Bronte Heron will complete a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the New School, New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours from Elam School of Fine Arts, and a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from the IIML.
The four scholars are part of a six-strong cohort pursuing the arts, among the group of 27 scholars going to continue their education in the US.
Two other recent graduates, Pete McKenzie and Mattias Tolhurst, have also received Fulbright scholarships this year.
- Pete McKenzie, who gained a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Mandarin, will complete a Master of Arts in Journalism at Columbia University in New York
- Mattias Tolhurst will complete a PhD in Molecular Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. He holds Bachelor degrees in Science and Medical Science, and a first-class Honours degree in Biotechnology.
The Fulbright Programme of educational exchange is one of the largest and most significant educational exchanges of scholars in the world. Since the New Zealand Fulbright Commission was established in 1948, it has awarded more than 1900 scholarships to New Zealand graduate students, artists, academics and professionals to undertake further research in the US, and welcomed more than 1,600 Americans on exchanges to New Zealand.
To see the full list of the 2022 Fulbright New Zealand award winners, go to www.fulbright.org.nz
The 2022 Fulbright New Zealand cohort will be honoured at a special awards ceremony at the National Library in Wellington on Monday 27 June, to be hosted by Hon Aupito William Sio, Minister for Pacific Peoples and Minister for Courts.
Applications are open for 2023 Fulbright New Zealand scholarships. Applications close on 1 August 2022 for graduates, and 1 October 2022 for scholars. Go to www.fulbright.org.nz for more details.
