A Northland-raised doctor heading to Harvard is encouraging youth to try and try again after he received three scholarships he initially missed out on.
Mataroria Lyndon, of Ngati Hine, Ngati Hau and Ngati Wai descent, was presented a Fulbright Scholarship during a ceremony at Parliament on Tuesday night. It is one of three scholarships Mr Lyndon has received, along with a scholarship from the Rose Hellaby Maori Education Fund and a Frank Knox scholarship, which will aid his studies at Harvard University where he will complete a masters degree in public health.
But Mr Lyndon missed out on all three scholarships the first time he applied, which is why he is urging rangatahi (youth) to keep trying if they are not successful the first time round.
"I do tell rangatahi about that because I think it's important. It's about giving it a go and not giving up," he said.
Mr Lyndon, who went to kohanga in Tikipunga and primary school in Pipiwai before moving to South Auckland, currently works at Middlemore Hospital as the clinical leader of Ko Awatea.