Rotorua woman Tahlia Kingi has been announced as one of the recipients of a prestigious tertiary scholarship in honour of the 28th Maori Battalion.
Education Minister Hekia Parata presented five Maori students with the Ngarimu VC and 28th Maori Battalion Memorial Scholarship in a special ceremony yesterday.
Ms Kingi has been awarded a doctoral scholarship worth $25,000 a year for up to two years.
Along with Ms Kingi (Te Awara, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti), the other students to receive scholarships were Te Rerekohu Tuterangiwhiu (Ngapuhi, Taranaki, Ngati Ranginui, Tainui), Hine Kawana (Rangitane, Raukawa, Te Arawa, Nga Waiariki, Te Ati-hau-nui-a-Paparangi), Coralie Takuira Dargaville (Ngapuhi, Te Rarawa) and James Enright (Ngapuhi, Ngati Ruanui).
The winners were chosen from 86 applicants in the 2014 round and are made up of aspiring psychologists, doctors and an environmental scientist at undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels.
Ms Kingi is studying to be a clinical psychologist and will complete her PhD in 2016. She is examining self-injury among rangatahi Maori.
"I want to make sure the experiences of rangatahi and their whanau are told in a way that demonstrates their strength and resilience."