Distinguished Graduate Awards 2022

The winners of the 2022 Distinguished Graduate Awards were announced on 10 October. These awards officially recognise and celebrate students involved in co-curricular activities through the Co-Curricular Recognition Programme, supporting great causes and giving back to the community. This year, over 120 students achieved the University of Auckland Distinguished Graduate Award! 

Read on to find out about the activities some of the winners were involved in, their experience and what they gained out of the programme. 

Aleisha Wallabh-Smith

Class Representative, Staff Student Consultative Committee Representative, Arts+ Mentor and Ambassador Team Leader, Member of the German Drama Company

Area of study: Bachelor of Arts, majoring in German and Classics and Ancient History

What did you enjoy about the Co-curricular Recognition Programme? 

The Co-curricular Recognition Programme enabled me to become involved in the heartbeat of the University of Auckland. It not only promotes academic excellence, but also provides programmes where I could challenge myself personally to develop and nurture my altruistic skills. The one thing I enjoyed the most was the workshops. They provided me with the necessary skills to fully support students and ensure their wellbeing. The greatest joy I received as a Class Representative was when I received recognition from both the faculty and my peers for the work I had done. 

What did you learn while completing the Distinguished Graduate Award?

During the tenure of the Co-Curricular Recognition Programme, I developed a level of professionalism. My leadership and interpersonal interactions developed as well as my mediation skills. The programme required self-reflection exercises which gave me a better understanding of myself and what I have achieved throughout my university life. It highlighted areas of personal growth which would not have been possible without this programme. The Distinguished Graduate Award concluded with giving all participants a framework on which they could market themselves for future employment. I found the more I was able to give, the more I was able to develop and grow. I strongly encourage other students to undertake this invaluable programme. 

I found the more I was able to give, the more I was able to develop and grow.

It is easy to forget that the need to chart our paths is just as important as taking every step.

What did you learn while completing the Distinguished Graduate Award?

While completing the Co-Curricular Recognition Programme, I’ve learned a myriad of tools and skills to add to my kit for when I will be attending interviews after graduating. The Distinguished Graduate Workshop has helped me hone in on how to approach interviews, stand out amongst the crowd, and link in all my key learnings and lessons from the programme to showcase my passion and mahi in all its glory. In the same way, the programme has also taught me how to tap into skills from within the Leadership and Community Engagement pathway to apply to areas that I see for myself in the future – looking at transferable skills, what isn’t explicitly included in my degree, what I can do better, and what best represents myself, my mahi and my passions. Ultimately, I’ve learned how to unleash my potential and utilise my experiences to better myself, my connections and networks, and my opportunities for success upon completing my degree!

The Co-Curricular Recognition Programme helped me to really see that my mahi is leading me down a path of personal development, growth, and success.

Tariq Ghazaly

UniGuide, Participant in Summer Lab 

Area of study: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical and Materials Engineering 

What did you enjoy about the Co-curricular Recognition Programme? 

One of the more personal notes was being able to connect with some incredible people. They helped me to form a few treasured memories like nights of working on our topic for Summer Lab and creating content for the UniGuides’ social media. Being part of both these programmes meant that I was able to develop more of my soft skills and realise that there is a way to give back and do more at University than just study. It also helped me to understand more of how my experiences have shaped me as well as form a deeper passion for areas such as volunteering. The bonus was to have this participation recognised! 

I was able to develop more of my soft skills and realise that there is a way to give back and do more at University than just study.

What did you learn while completing the Distinguished Graduate Award?

The perks of the Co-Curricular Recognition Programme and subsequently the Distinguished Graduate Award allowed me to develop a solid understanding of what my strengths and weaknesses are. In starting either path, I realised that there was a difference between who I was at the start versus who I was at the end. This transitioned into knowing the areas of myself which had developed, as well as where I could improve more, and all of this is what I could put into reflection. As a cherry on top, this cultivated into a final interview and the advantage was I already knew the answers from my own development and reflections when completing the paths. Not only this, but the skills I acquired over the course of completing this programme are only going to be developed further in life. Learning how to verbalise my strengths/weaknesses and developments has been one of the biggest takeaways from the Co-Curricular Recognition Programme. 

Head over to the awards page for a complete list of the 2022 Distinguished Graduate Award recipients.