Sir Edmund Hillary
Scholarship Programme
Inspiring excellence, all-round development and leadership
From the Vice-Chancellor
Welcome to this latest edition of the Sir Edmund Hillary
Scholarship Programme newsletter. We are halfway through
the academic year, and our Hillary Scholars are busy
demonstrating their all-round excellence and scholarship
and their leadership potential.
In this newsletter, you can read about the forthcoming production
of Chekhov’s Three Sisters as the 2010 Hillary arts project. Veteran
director Gaye Poole, who is also adviser to the Theatre Studies Hillary
Scholars, is spearheading this project which will showcase some of the
talented actors, dancers, musicians and graphic designers in the Hillary
Scholarship Programme.
We also profile Hillary Scholar Myles Browne-Cole who has been selected to represent New Zealand
in this year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Myles has been named as one of two competitors in the
men’s clay target; his achievements are to be congratulated. Myles is a great example of the potential
champions and leaders the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme is dedicated to supporting.
As part of the University’s ongoing commitment to partnering with organisations committed
to excellence, the Programme has recently concluded an agreement with NZ Opera. Opera is a multidimensional creative art with links to a variety of specialist areas – music, dance, graphic design, screen
and media, theatre and Māori creative and performing arts – that are catered for within the Sir Edmund
Hillary Scholarship Programme.
I welcome NZO to the Hillary Scholarship Programme ‘family’, and look forward to a long and
fruitful partnership. We rely on our sponsors and partners to provide support and opportunities outside
the University for the Hillary Scholars, and we are delighted that NZO will be offering our Scholars
the opportunity to observe rehearsals, and engage with producers and performers.
A final word of acknowledgment must go to the Hillary Scholars themselves for their inspiring initiative
to seek ways to fundraise for Sir Ed’s Himalayan Trust.
August 2010
Dancing in the House
A dance filmed in Midge Marsden’s Raglan
house had its world premiere at the New
Zealand International Film Festival in
Dunedin. Beat, directed by Virginia Pitts,
was filmed last year and is a work by the
University of Waikato’s Sir Edmund Hillary
scholarship students, featuring student
dancers with some willing guests. It’s about
four flatmates as seen through the eyes of
a child. Virginia Pitts says choreographing
and performing in a domestic space was a
challenging activity for the dancers, just as
shooting in a tight space presented unique
problems for the students involved as
crew. The cinematographer was celebrated
New Zealand filmmaker Leon Narbey.
Sir Edmund Hillary
Scholarship Programme
WHO CAN APPLY?
» Students who excel academically and in
sports or creative and performing arts
» School leavers
» Current tertiary students
In his will, Sir Ed noted: “I declare that I have had a full life with much happiness and a share of sadness.
I have little cause for complaint. If, however, some people in New Zealand feel I have made some
contribution to the prestige of my country then they could best demonstrate this by continuing modest
support to the Himalayan people I have worked with for so many years.”
» Students intending to study at the
University of Waikato at either the
Hamilton or Tauranga campus.
The Hillary Scholarship Programme’s Organisational Purpose states that we will “preserve the
legacy of Sir Edmund Hillary, reflecting and demonstrating his values and philosophy”. The Hillary
Scholars’ fundraising initiative comes in response to Sir Ed’s final wishes, and has the full support
of Lady June Hillary.
» Full fees Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship
to study at Waikato University
WHAT DO YOU RECEIVE?
» Personalised academic support
» Leading coaches/tutors in your
area of sports/arts
The project is still in its early stages, but I look forward to sharing with you in the near future more news
of this and other Hillary Scholar endeavours.
» A Leadership and Personal
Development Plan
Professor Roy Crawford
Vice-Chancellor
» Free gym membership and physical
conditioning and more...
Travel benefits for Sir Edmund Hillary Scholars
The University of Waikato and Orbit Calder and Lawson have made it easier for
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholars to travel. The University will provide free travel insurance
(some conditions apply) and Orbit Corporate Travel will provide competitive rates
for travel. Sir Edmund Hillary Scholars should contact the High Performance Student
Manager, Greg O’Carroll, to access these benefits.
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship
applications close 31 October 2010.
Hard copy or online
application forms available
via waikato.ac.nz/hillary
Understanding and Unravelling Opera
Staging an opera is a huge operation. Operas are usually bigger than stage plays, concerts and ballets. They are multi-dimensional,
and for students provide a wonderful opportunity to learn the skills and complexities of staging a production.
NBR New Zealand Opera and Waikato University’s
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme
have entered a partnership that will give Hillary
Scholars the opportunity to go ‘inside’ an opera
and to work in the variety of specialist areas
within it. These may include students from music,
dance, graphic design, screen and media, theatre
and Māori creative and performing arts.
Aidan Lang, General Director at NBR NZ Opera,
says the students will have the opportunity to
‘shadow’ company members. “At first we thought
about just having singers involved, but we have
our own emerging artist programmes and we saw
the potential to involve a wider range of students.
What better way to learn than by being involved at
rehearsals? Students will see how all the separate
facets are drawn together to appear seamless.”
Lang says students will see how performers
overcome difficulties, how they get that balance
between singing and acting, how directors get the
best from the cast, how the sets are designed and
created and how technology is used in production
to create special effects. “It’s the best learning
environment by far.”
There are four students who’ll be involved in the
first instance. They’re Kararaina Walker who’s
completing a Bachelor of Music with honours and
this year will be directing the School of Music
Opera. “I would like to shadow the directors,
observe the various production roles and be privy
to detailed problem solving."
Flautist Taryn Viggiano is a third year music
student who would like to learn more about
NZ Opera’s recent production of The Marriage of Figaro.
arts administration,
while Theatre Studies
student Scot Hall is
keen to attend dress
rehearsals and learn
the finer theatrical
requirements
for
staging opera. Dellie
Dellow
is
also
a Theatre Studies
student with interest
in performance and
Aidan Lang, General
venue management.
Director of NZ Opera.
For her, the time
spent with the opera company will allow her
to observe production and stage management
as well as operations front of house.
David Griffiths, composer, singer and senior
lecturer with the University’s Music Programme,
says the opportunity opens up significant
possibilities for students in various disciplines to
be immersed at the coal face of opera production.
“We’re very grateful to Aidan and NBR New
Zealand Opera for making this venture available
to our Sir Edmund Hillary Scholars and look
forward to a growing partnership that will further
the development and advancement of the arts
culture in our country and beyond.”
Hitting the Target
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar Myles Browne-Cole has been juggling the final stages of his BSc(Tech) with shooting commitments
and the good news is he should finish his degree in mid-August, giving him plenty of time to prepare for October’s Commonwealth
Games in New Delhi.
Twenty-two year old Browne-Cole has been doing
the final nine-month practical part of his degree
which sees him living in Palmerston North and
working at AgResearch’s Grasslands campus.
But this has not slowed down his sporting
commitments and since the beginning of the year
he has been to Australia (where he was the first
outsider to ever win the Australian National ISSF
Trap shooting title), to Italy (where his score
of 114/125 at the World Cup event was enough to
meet the international MQS for the 2012 Olympics),
and he’s been travelling up and down the North
Island to take part in regional and national events.
In late July he heads to Germany to represent
New Zealand at the World ISSF Championships.
“There’s nothing like competition to help you
pick up your game,” says Browne-Cole. “Shooting
is about consistency and maintaining good
technique under pressure, and competitions help
you develop that skill, plus you have to adapt
to whatever the weather throws at you.”
2
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme | August 2010
Once he wraps up his degree and until he leaves
for the games, Browne-Cole will head home to
Pukekohe where he plans to help his father out in
his businesses in between travelling to Hamilton
to train at the Waikato Clay Target Club.
He’s one of two male clay target shooters picked
for New Delhi and he’ll compete in the two-man
and individual events.
He says once the games are over he’ll have to think
about getting a job in earth sciences – or maybe
enrol in a masters degree. “Waikato’s been good
for me. I picked up a Hillary Scholarship at the
start of my second year and that made life a lot
easier financially. Right through, my lecturers were
pretty understanding about rearranging exams
and giving me extensions when I was away
competing. Oceania champs always seemed to
clash with B Semester exams so a bit of shuffling
was required.”
Australian National ISSF Trap shooting winner:
Hillary Scholar, Myles Browne-Cole.
Hillary Scholars
among NZ
Blues Recipients
Hillary Scholars Laura Langman and Oliver
Leydon-Davis are among 12 Waikato
students who received New Zealand
Universities Blues Awards for the 2009
academic year, an award which recognises
students who achieve excellence both
on and off the playing field.
Laura Langman – Netball
Laura, an accomplished
netballer, is in her fourth
and final year of a Bachelor
of Business Analysis, and
has managed to fit in some
impressive achievements
around her studies. She
was a member of the
New Zealand Under 21
netball team who won
gold at the 2005 World Youth Championships,
and also won gold with the Silver Ferns at the
2006 Commonwealth Games, as well as silver
at the 2007 Netball World Cup. Laura is also
a member of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
netball team.
Laura says receiving a University Blues Award is a
humbling experience, and also a great opportunity
to hear the stories of other athletes. “Hearing
their stories about how they have got where they
are today is inspiring, and not something you
often hear when immersed in your own sport.”
Laura was also one of four finalists short listed for
the 2009 NZU Sportsperson of the Year. The award
went to Hamish Bond from Massey University
at a ceremony in Wellington in late June.
Oliver Leydon-Davis – Badminton
Getting to Know
the Three Sisters
Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters is a challenging play with a big cast. It spans five
years and involves several complex storylines and equally complex characters.
Just the production for hardworking Sir Edmund
Hillary Scholars. In what she thinks is a first,
Theatre Studies senior lecturer Gaye Poole
has called in many of the Hillary Scholarship
Creative and Performing Arts students, plus
extras, to stage The Three Sisters, this year’s
Hillary arts project. They’ve come from
Theatre Studies, Music, Dance and Computer
Graphic Design.
“For the theatre students, I wanted a play
that would get all the actors involved at a
deep level, and this play fits the bill because
it doesn’t have one or two leads, it’s an
ensemble piece,” says Gaye who’s directing the
play. “And the characters are highly individual,
rich and idiosyncratic.”
Hillary Scholars Calvin Petersen and Kate
Davison are playing husband and wife. Calvin
is Andrei, brother of the three sisters and
Kate plays Natalya, looked down on by her
sisters in law.
“Gaye has made sure we know and understand
the play from start to finish,” says Kate.
“We read the play together as a group in January
but casting wasn’t done until May. We’d read
and discussed it many times and all of us had
tried out several of the parts. Each person
brought something different to each role.
You don’t get a lot of information about the
characters, so you have to fill in a lot of gaps
yourself and that’s a great challenge. But we
were pleased once the roles were decided and
could focus on the one part.”
“They did seem to enjoy swapping around roles
and it deepened their understanding of the
play as a whole,” says Gaye.
“I needed to be sure they understood all the
characters and what they go through over
five years. I think it’s important to take things
slowly – I call it a simmering process, and you
tend to get much better work when actors have
had to think long and hard about the work, not
just learned the lines that they have to speak.”
And Gaye says it’s common in the early
stages of rehearsal for the students to explore.
“It’s about figuring out the specific hopes
and dreams of the characters and how they
gradually abandon or lose those hopes.”
She says some of the most interesting work
is done with characters who are on stage,
silent but listening. “All the characters still
have to play their desires, actions, wishes but
they don’t always articulate them directly.”
Calvin Petersen admits to being quite new to
theatre but is relishing his role in the production.
“It’s definitely good being able to discuss all
aspects of the play and understanding different
perspectives on characters and relationships.
Building up to the performance, like we’re
doing, is quite unique for someone my age.
Spending a whole year on one production
gives us as actors a great opportunity to create
a world that really engages the audience.”
There will be five performances of The Three
Sisters in late November.
Hillary Scholar Oliver
Leydon-Davis has also
received a Blues Award
for his achievements in
badminton. Oliver has
been a member of the
New Zealand National
Badminton Squad since
2008 and has a current
world ranking of 42 in
men’s doubles.
Other recipients
NZ Blues awards were also awarded to Waikato
University students Peter Taylor, Emma Feathery,
Jade Uru and Duncan Grant (rowing), Stephen
Donald (rugby), Victoria Hill (BMX), Mita Graham
(touch rugby), Hillary Scholar Alumni Nikki Cox
(surf life saving), Michelle McCarthy (table tennis)
and Sean Choi (judo).
Waikato University’s Blues Awards are held later
in the year.
Hillary Scholars Callum Petersen and Kate Davison in the Three Sisters play.
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme | August 2010
3
2010 Sir Edmund Hillary Scholars
Sport(s) or Creative/
Performing Art(s)
Name
Daniel Stevenson
Jordan Taylor
Athletics in partnership
Josh Starkey
with Athletics Waikato
Keshia Grant
Bay of Plenty, endorsed
Kristie Ballie
by Athletics NZ
Megan Aikenhead
Michael Whitehead
Michael Fowke
Badminton in partnership
Oliver Leydon-Davis
with Waikato Badminton
Susannah Leydon-Davis
Caitlin Preston
Joseph Dix
Basketball in partnership Joshua Dix
with Waikato Basketball
Max Williams
Beach Volleyball in
partnership with Volleyball
Bay of Plenty
Bike endorsed by Bike NZ
Blokarting
4
BMS(Hons)
BMS
BCS
GradDipT
BTchg/BA
GradDip (Mktg)
BCMS
BE
BMS
BMS
BMS
BSc
BSc
LLB
Secondary School
Sharee Hamilton
BMS/LLB
Hannah Croad
BMS
Cambridge High School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
New Plymouth Girls’ High School
Morrinsville College
Motueka High School
Waiuku College
Hillcrest High School
Hillcrest High School
Hillcrest High School
New Plymouth Girls’ High School
St John’s College
St John’s College
New Plymouth Boys’ High School
Sacred Heart Girls’ College
(New Plymouth)
Otumoetai College
Julia Tilley
BSpLS
Campion College
BA/LLB
BCMS
BSocSc
BTchg/BSpLS
GradDip
BMS/BSc
BSocSc
BMS
BA
BSpLS
GradDip
BMS
BSocSc
BSc(Tech)
BCS
LLB(Hons)
BSocSc/LLB
GradDipT
BSpLS
BTchg/BSpLS
BSpLS/LLB
BMS
BCGD
BCGD
MCGD
BCGD
BCGD
BCGD(Hons)
BSpLS
PhD
BTchg/BSocSc
BMS
BSpLS
BMS
BBA
BMS(Hons)
BBA/BSocSc
BSpLS
BTchg/BSpLS
BMus(Hons)
Chilton Saint James School
Te Puke High School
Tauranga Boys’ College
Waikato Diocesan School for Girls
Cambridge High School
Tauranga Boys’ College
Mount Maunganui College
Mt Maunganui College
Whangarei Girls’ High School
Western Heights High School
Hillcrest High School
Saint Peter’s School (Cambridge)
ACG Strathallan
Rodney College
Tauranga Girls’ College
Saint Peter’s School (Cambridge)
Hamilton Girls’ High School
Hamilton Girls’ High School
Hamilton’s Fraser High School
Fairfield College
Saint Peter’s School (Cambridge)
Mount Maunganui College
Cambridge High School
St Peter’s School, Cambridge
ACG Strathallan
Thames High School
Dargaville High School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Horowhenua College
Waiuku College
Tauranga Girls’ College
Bethlehem College
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Whangarei Girls’ High School
Otago Boys’ High School
Western Heights High School
Massey High School
Tauranga Boys’ College
Mount Hutt College
Tauranga Girls’ College
MA
Sacred Heart Girls’ College
(New Plymouth)
Courtney Grenfell
Gabe Young
Brett Sorrenson
Cricket in partnership
Hannah Beatson
with Northern Districts
Rhiana Vincent
Cricket
Steven Rae
Alexandra Hitchmough
Hannah Martin
Dance supported by
Kirsty Russell
Dr Karen Barbour,
Sport and Leisure Studies Samantha Flay
Whetu-Iti Silver
Jasmine Van der Heyden
Equestrian in partnership Katharine Treadaway
with Equestrian Sports NZ Laura Newman-Dempster
and St Peter’s School
Lucy Olphert
Nicholas Brooks
Alex Shadbolt
Football in partnership
Nicole Stratford
with Waikato Bay of
Plenty Football
Sarah McLaughlin *PM
Charlotte Willson
Hannah Seifert
Golf
Hayden Beard
Hamish Williams
Graphic Design
Haylie Gray
supported by Alice Lo,
Mary Faber
Faculty of Computing &
Saranna Drury
Mathematical Sciences
Stephen Sherman
Benjamin Bartels
Cathryn Finlayson *PM
Craig Armstrong *HM
Cynthia McNabb
Hockey in partnership
Luke Coxhead
with Waikato Hockey,
Matthew Rees-Gibbs
Bay of Plenty and
Natasha Cotton
Tauranga Hockey
Nicholas Ross *PM
Owen Mitai-Wells
Raynesh Smith
Thomas Lysaght
Nikki Whitehead
Kayak
Kararaina Walker
Māori Creative &
Performing Arts
supported by Terri Crawford,
Ngahuia Murphy
School of Māori &
Pacific Development
Beverley Pullon
Chase Douglas
Edward King
Elizabeth Dobson
Gabrielle Peake
Hannah Willemse
Heui Won (Maria) Mo *HM
Jarvis Dams
Jenna Walmsley
Music supported by
lecturers of the
Jennifer Spark
Music Programme
Jeremy Mayall *HM
Julia Booth *HM
June Dams
Michael Petrus
Rafaella Garlick-Grice
Santiago Canon-Valencia
Tamsin Kreymborg
Taryn Viggiano
Yotam Levy
Amy Christophers
Caitlin Easter
Elsa Brown
Netball in partnership
with Netball Waikato
Laura Langman *PM
and Netball Bay of Plenty Lynaire Williams
Orienteering
Paralympic Sport
(Swimming)
Enrolment
Intentions
DMA
BMus
BMus(Hons)
PhD
BMus(Hons)
BMus
PGDip
BMus
BMCT
BMus
PhD
MMus
DMA
BMus(Hons)
BMus(Hons)
BMus
BMus(Hons)
BMus
BMus
BSc(Tech)
BSocSc
BSc
BBA
BTchg/BSpLS
Tania Law
MSc
Angela Simpson
BSc(Tech)
Otorohanga College
Tauranga Boys’ College
King’s College
Inglewood High School
Te Awamutu College
Home Schooling
Hamilton Girls’ High School
Home School
Church College of New Zealand
Saint Paul’s Collegiate School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Overseas Schooling
Tauranga Girls’ College
Saint Bede’s College
The Correspondence School
Colegio Virtual Siglo XXI
Waikato Diocesan School for Girls
Bethlehem College
Hillcrest High School
Otumoetai College
Cambridge High School
Kerikeri High School
Hillcrest High School
Matamata College
Sacred Heart Girls’ College
(Hamilton)
Rotorua Lakes High School
Sarah Fuhrer
LLB
Campion College
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme | August 2010
Sport(s) or Creative/
Performing Art(s)
Rowing in partnership
with Rowing NZ
Rugby in partnership
with the Waikato
Rugby Union
Sailing
Screen and Media
supported by Dr Lisa
Perrott, Screen and
Media Studies
Shooting
in partnership with
NZ Shooting
Snowboarding
Squash in partnership
with Squash Waikato
Surfing
Swimming in partnership
with Swimming NZ
Table Tennis
Theatre supported
by Gaye Poole,
Theatre Studies
Triathlon
Volleyball in partnership
with Waikato
Regional Volleyball
Water Skiing
X-terra
Enrolment
Intentions
Secondary School
Alyce Pulford *PM
Giacomo Thomas *PM
Graham Oberlin-Brown
*PM
Tobias Wehr-Candler *PM
Daniel Ross
James Loto
Joshua Blue
Joshua Tyrell
Sean Nixon
Toby Smith
Tyrone Te Ruruku
Whetukamokamo
Douglas
Benjamin Lutze
Katrina de Lange
BMS
BCMS
Hauraki Plains College
Havelock North High School
Name
BTour
Te Awamutu College
BSc
BSc(Tech)
BMS
BSocSc/LLB
BMS
BE(Hons)
BMS
BSc
Onslow College
Tauranga Boys’ College
Cambridge High School
Saint Peter’s School (Cambridge)
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Rotorua Boys’ High School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Wesley College
BA
Gisborne Boys’ High School
BSpLS
BCMS
Taipa Area School
Hillcrest High School
Phillipa Russell
BA(Hons)
Tawa College
Myles Browne-Cole
BSc(Tech)
Waiuku College
Natalie Good
Amanda Cranston
David Dela Rue
Emma Millar
Alexis Poulter
Andrew Pullon
William Garrett
Myles Collins
Jessica MacAskill
Brendan West
Calvin Petersen
Delwyn Dellow
Kate Davison
Kimberly Muncaster
Michael Potts
Ngaia Copeland
Scot Hall
BMS/LLB
BSpLS
BMS/LLB
BMS/BSpLS
LLB
BMS/LLB
BSpLS
BCS
BSc
GradDip
BA
BA(Hons)
BTchg/BA
BA(Hons)
BA
BTchg/BA
BA
Zoe Vaile
BTchg/BA
Madeleine Brunton
Dylan Douglas
BSc
BCMS
Mount Aspiring College
Wanganui Collegiate School
Hamilton Boys’ High School
Paraparaumu College
Raglan Area School
St Paul’s Collegiate School
Campion College
Liston College
James Hargest College
Hillcrest High School
Saint John’s College (Hamilton)
Spotswood College
Fairfield College
Tokoroa High School
Hillcrest High School
Kamo High School
Hillcrest High School
Sacred Heart Girls’ College
(Hamilton)
Waikato Diocesan School for Girls
Western Heights High School
Ryan Clark
BBA
Matamata College
Renee Hannah
Oliver Shaw
BSpLS
BSpLS
Rotorua Girls’ High School
Western Heights High School
Correct as at 1 July 2010.
*HM denotes Sir Edmund Hillary Medallist.
*PM means that the student has received a Prime Minister’s Scholarship.
The Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme is proudly sponsored by Calder
and Lawson’s Orbit Corporate Travel, Gallagher Group and the Waikato Times.
Scholar assistance contact:
Greg O’Carroll – High Performance Student Manager
Email: [email protected] Phone: 07 838 4264
All other enquiries contact:
Nicola Clayden – Hillary Programme Manager
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07 858 5139
Mobile: 027 478 7331
Hillary Scholarship Programme Executive Committee
Michelle Jordan-Tong (Chairperson), Clare Cramond, Judith Mudge,
Charlotte Church, Greg O’Carroll, Nicola Clayden, David Griffiths.
Scholarship applications:
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme, Scholarships Office
The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
Phone: 07 858 5195
Toll Free: 0800 WAIKATO
Website: waikato.ac.nz/scholarships
U Leisure contract manages the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme
on behalf of the University of Waikato.