Kia ora koutou,

I am writing to share my incredible experience participating in the OCE (On Campus Experience) scholarship program at the University of Otago.

From the 7th until the 11th of May, I had the privilege of being one of the 26 Māori students selected out of over 200 applicants.

The OCE scholarship program was specifically designed to introduce Māori students like myself to the university and its various departments. Throughout the program, I was taken on a guided tour that allowed me to explore lots of different areas, including the physical sciences building, anatomy museum, health sciences centre, business school, marine studies, and the Māori centre. It was a real eye-opening experience to see the wide range of studies and awesome facilities available to us as students. It was also really cool to see all the support available, including support for students coming from rural places like Greymouth. I urge anyone who is hesitant to go to university because it’s so far from home, just to go, they look after you and take care of any needs you might have.

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the OCE scholarship program. The support and resources provided by the University of Otago have been so helpful in reinforcing the idea that I would like to study there. I wanted to share this experience with you, as I believe it highlights the importance of taking a hold of the resources available, even if that is, applying for all the scholarships you can.

Thank you for reading, and please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or would like more information about my experience.

Ngā mihi nui,

Cam Dickey