Finalists announced for Unitec Excellence Awards 2018

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated for the Unitec Excellence Awards! 

It’s fantastic recognition to be nominated for the Excellence Awards. Thank you also to all the nominators for taking the time to recognise your hard-working and high-achieving colleagues.

A list of the finalists is also available on the Unitec Excellence Awards Nest page. Note, the Teaching categories will be judged and finalists announced next week.

You can now vote for the People’s Choice award – see the email from Merran on 22 November to get your unique link to vote.

Don’t forget to register for the Awards ceremony and celebration on 6 December, where winners will be announced and our people will come together to enjoy kai and entertainment.

Announcing this year’s finalists:

Contribution to Unitec and/or the Wider Community

1. Category 1 team of Debra Robertson-Welsh, Chris King, Simon Tries, Julie Hall and Cathy Tyler: The team has worked long hours to drive EER preparation throughout Unitec, supporting a wide range of teams and assisting with responses to panel questions and enquiries.  They have embodied excellence in collaboration and their commitment to the task has been admirable; always presenting a positive and friendly face.
2. Dila Beisembayeva, Lecturer and Academic Leader, Computer Science: Dila is a collaborative leader, seeking out and taking up opportunities to grow her Pathway.  She engages new industry partners and leverages current partnerships to bring new opportunities and technology into the classrooms of many young people, across our schools and kura.
3.  Pacific Centre team of Falaniko Tominiko, Peter Jefferies, Pava Saifoloi, Lani Max Mikaio, Daisy Bentley-Grey, Venusi Taumoepeau, Sophie Martin-Welsh, Murray Conroy, Tu Nu’ualiitia: The team has had an amazing year filled with successful Unitec events, dedicated academic support and collaborative projects that truly demonstrates their commitment to our Pasifika staff and students.  Examples include celebrating Pacific Language Weeks at Te Puna and Waitakere campuses, Pacific Scholarships, Fanau/Whanau day, Pacific Graduation evenings, and celebrating 15 years of partnership on the Pre-Police course at Unitec.
4. Study Link Support Team of Helena Finau, Jo-Anne Hammond, Daisy Wadia, Amy Brockbank, Ashutosh Basnyat: Through their own initiative, the team went beyond their day-to-day roles to offer additional support to students with Study Link applications this year, ensuring they started their study at Unitec without the concern of fees and living costs.  They carved out special drop-in times in their already busy days, attracting nearly 120 students in the first four weeks of Semester 2 and helping save hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees.
5. Unitec Pathways College team of Andrea Thumath, Michael Freeman, Hohepa Renata, Anaru Parangi, Robyn Gandell, Renee Peeni, Sarah Sommerville, Debbie Loots, Blair Sorensen, Beth Fitzgerald, Angus Robertson, Vithanage (Sela) Perera and Vanessa Robertson: : The UPC team has redefined and significantly improved our relationships with secondary schools and kura kaupapa/kura whanau, increasing our straight-from-school enrolments by 47%.

Innovation and Enterprise

1. Aroha Lewin, Principle Continuous Improvement Lead, Operations: Aroha has offered insightful solutions to process improvement and has created robust documentation throughout the Student Acquisition and Retention (SAR) Project. She has a positive outlook and inspires others to contribute their best.
2. Maja Zidov, Sustainability Manager, Health and Safety: Maja has developed and implemented the Wellness Connect Programme on a very low budget, encouraging new ideas and collaboration with both staff and students across Unitec.  She works closely with the Student Council to deliver support services for students, including clothing swaps and the family day at Waitakere.  She also worked with students under the guidance of Cris de Groot on an  award-winning car pooling app.
3. MFAT Tender team of Kimberley Holden, Sophie Martin-Welsh, Juressa Lee, Annette Pitovao and Dan Brady: The MFAT tender panel were impressed with the innovative aspects of our tender, including the development of an app for international students to record cultural experiences while in New Zealand. These innovations contributed to Unitec being chosen by MFAT to host scholarship students from Asia/Pacific.
4. Record of Works App team of Leni Fifita, Kamuka Pati and Daniel Fuemana: The new Record of Works app has improved the process for carpentry apprentices to document, share and monitor onsite learning while gathering their portfolio of evidence. The app has gained national recognition and is being used by four ITPs, with two others to follow.
5. Vehicle Systems and Materials/Volkswagen partnership team of Heather Stonyer, Mark McNeill, Lee Baglow and Steven McAfee: The team secured a long-term commitment from Volkswagen, whereby the Volkswagen technicians are trained using our world-class technology and our staff benefit from access to the latest technical information from one of the world’s best engineering companies.

Excellence in Support

1. Anand Sajwan, Student Enrolment Manager, Enrolment Processing; Training Co-ordinator, Building Construction and Services: Anand is passionate about student success. He brings an inspired approach to guiding applicants through the admission process from initial contact to orientation, ensuring no application falls through the cracks.
2. Angela Hunt, Business Administrator, Computer Science: Angela is an unsung hero who supports lecturers and the wider team and is a fast, smart operator who makes working at Unitec a positive experience for her team. She quietly gets on with doing an exceptional job of dealing with whatever comes her way and makes an invaluable contribution to our work environment.
3. Dipti Vora, Knowledge Specialist, Learning and Achievement: Dipti is passionate about her role and works tirelessly to provide excellence in all that she does. She championed the acquisition of the Clinical Key database so students have access to the best texts, which has served as a successful recruitment hook.  She has supported teachers to embed information literacy into courses so students can learn to independently find what they need.
4. Lynda Toki, Kai Awhina, Maia Maori Centre: Whaea Lynda’s is one of the first voices heard when staff, students and community members arrive at Unitec. She maintains the marae’s cultural practices, systems and processes and lives the values of Te Noho Kotahitanga. Lynda provides unconditional aroha and manaaki to all students
5. Tracy Chapman, Operations Manager – Enrolment Setup, Operations: Tracy’s tenacious and innovative approach has led to clarity for students around the application process, improving our compliance in enrolments, leading the management of the enrolment protal, and improving communication.

Te Noho Kotahitanga Team Award

1. Marae team of Lynda Toki, Jessica Aranui and Hohepa Renata: The marae team’s shared wisdom and expertise is world-class. They are our living embodiment of rangatiratanga, wakaritenga, kaitiakitanga, mahi kotahitanga and Ngākau Mahaki, supporting our pathways and welcoming manuhiri and whanau onto our marae.
2. Infrastructure Moves team of Clint Hill, Malcolm Yurak, Noel Deo, Colin Holt, Glenn Huggard, Amos Sander, Deen Solimow, Mark Eagles, Lisiate Lovo, Ivan Shalley, George Borich, Rata Jeremia, Untaka Cai, Anthony Lowen, Lupe Garcia, Shar Lewin, John Harris, Andy Brien, Jim McCracken, Shazneen Saeed, Mani Vajje, Thushara Fernando, Andrew Powdrell, Brad Kruger, Glenn Nummy, Hung Ngo, Louise Coburn, Fiona Pond, Erin Hughes, Bill Dobbin, Margaret Ghio, Frank Webb, Andrew Happy and Kevin Vitali: The team pulled together and carried out many tasks which normally would have been assigned to contractors, resulting in significantly reduced costs to design and implement the new layout, and coordinate the seamless transition of hundreds of staff from all over the campus to B110.
3. Sport Community Development Pathway of Sue Emerson, Anne Mckay, Rob Gambolati, Kylie Thompson, Trevor Meiklejohn, John MacFarlane, Wesley Verhoeff, Micalla Williden, Andrew Hewetson, Sue Crosson, Angela Dean, Anja Zoellner, Dannica Mauga, John Russell, Dan Stamp, Vera Williams, Helen Luka: The team values their responsibility to build on the partnership between Māori and Pakeha, consistently seeking to be led by Pou Huritao and Te Noho Kotahitanga staff to ensure students are learning according to Māori protocol, the concepts and theory pertaining to Matauranga Māori.  The team has a heart for each other, their students and the entire Unitec whanau and this has guided their actions in the face of challenge, opportunity and celebration.
4. Unitec Pathways College team of Andrea Thumath, Michael Freeman, Hohepa Renata, Anaru Parangi, Robyn Gandell, Renee Peeni, Sarah Sommerville, Debbie Loots, Blair Sorensen, Beth Fitzgerald, Angus Robertson, Vithanage (Sela) Perera and Vanessa Robertson: The whole team exudes excellence and lives the Te Noho Kotahitanga values every day. They fully support Unitec through Te Noho Kotahitanga values, demonstrating Mahi Kotahitanga and Kaitiakitanga in their relationships with local secondary schools, and their collaborative approach to Wakaritenga and Ngakau Mahaki has seen them stand out as rangatira at te noho kotahitanga marae.

Unitec Champion

1. Falaniko Tominiko, Director – Pacific Success, Pacific Centre: Niko teaches, researches, supervises postgrad students, attends community events, sits on committees and even attends assignment retreats on weekends to help students with their study. He works extremely hard all year, taking on multiple roles and maintaining strong relationaships with all those he works with; never forgetting his main focus of working towards a better future for the Pacific community.
2. Nick Sheppard, Dean, Bridgepoint: In the past five years, Nick has led the achievement and success of Unitec’s new strategy across two academic faculties for over 4,000 students, 125 staff, and 124 Auckland-wide Secondary Schools. But perhaps most importantly, he is one of Unitec’s most exemplary leaders of people, culture and values. He leads with transparency and conviction and always has the best possible outcomes for Unitec and all of its people at the heart of everything he does.
3. Sue Emerson, Assistant Dean and Academic Leader, Community Development: Sue brings glitter to Unitec. She celebrates individuality and builds people up. She is a team player and outstanding mentor and is visionary and outcome-focused. Sue has recently led the development and launch of the new Level 5 Diploma in Sport, Exercise, and Recreation, secured a professional development partnership with Auckland Council Sport and Rec, launched a leadership programme for youth, championed Unitec’s renewal process for the network, taught, graduated with a Masters, and assisted in leading the network.