Over the past couple of years Selwyn College has been working on consolidating it's special character as a result of requests from Synod in November 2020.

Abbey Jones, a student at Selwyn College, reflects on what it has been like for her being part of a process to develop this special character. She writes:

The opportunity to be a part of the Special Character Committee at Selwyn College was a very rewarding experience for me. As the Special Character Scholar for 2022 I was invited to sit on this committee as a resident representative, enabling me to bring a different perspective to our discussions.

One highlight for me was the insight I gained into the running of Selwyn. I really enjoyed learning the behind the scenes of Selwyn’s special character, and the plans that are in place to make this a central part of the college. Its like a largely invisible framework underpinning the College.

A large achievement in special character this year was the introduction of Hoani Parata Scholars, and the Hoani Parata Lecture which was held at All Saints Church. It was very inspiring to learn about this aspect of the college, and the relationships that we are building going forward with Tikanga Māori and Tikanga Pacifica.

It has been a great experience being apart of the special character committee and I am excited to watch how the Selwyn special character develops in the future. I’m looking forward to mentoring the 2023 Special Character Scholar as they settle into their role.

Abby Jones, 2022 Special Character Scholar