Fulbright welcomes new ED

Mele Wendt, who takes up her position as Fulbright New Zealand’s Executive Director this month, is looking forward to strengthening Fulbright’s traditions and building its profile in New Zealand and the United States.

L to R: Frances Rangihuna, VUW; Luamanuvao Winnie Laban MP, Mele Wendt, Executive Director and Suzanne Snively, Chair.Photo by Photospace

“I am excited about working for such a positive organisation,” says Mele.

“International Education is vital for New Zealanders to study in other countries, and for other nationalities to study in New Zealand, especially in the tertiary education environment.

“It is important not only for the cross-fertilisation of ideas, but culturally as well.” Mele has a BA in English Literature, a teaching diploma and a Post-graduate Certificate in Management Studies from Victoria University.

She has a strong professional background in the education sector.

“I began my working life as a secondary teacher in Wellington and Auckland. Then, with a young family, I started working at Victoria University in the International Students’ Office, working on the New Zealand Official Development Assistance Programme (now NZAID).

“This bilaterally funded programme brought students from the Pacific, Asia and Africa to study in New Zealand at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.” Mele went on to become Victoria University’s first Pacific Liaison Officer.

“There are a disproportionate number of Pacific students studying at undergraduate level in New Zealand and my task was to liaise with the Pacific community to find ways to encourage these students to take their education to a higher level.” After three years she became the manager of the Student Recruitment and Course Advice Office, which is Victoria University’s main link to potential students, a position she has held for the past five years. Here she was responsible for the university’s domestic recruitment operation, including Māori and Pacific recruitment and mature and post-graduate recruitment.

Mele intends to use this experience to increase the awareness of Fulbright Awards among a wider audience, including the Māori and Pacific Islands communities, from which few applications are currently received.

“There could be a number of factors for the low number of applications received from Māori and Pacific people, apart from the high level of academic achievement required for Fulbright Awards. There is a smaller pool of Māori and Pacific students making it to post-graduate level and thus becoming eligible to apply but there are also financial barriers.

For many people it’s a struggle spending money on an undergraduate degree. The pressure to get out and earn money is very high. Therefore, spending up to an extra three years on post-graduate study is almost considered a luxury.

“Increasing the profile and level of awareness among a wide variety of people is critical to the success of the programme, but we must also provide a reasonable level of financial support and give students enough financial incentive to apply.” As well as increasing the number of applications, Mele would like to expand the number of Fulbright Awards offered to New Zealanders.

“I will be encouraging key university staff to champion the Fulbright cause and encourage more students to apply. I am also keen to develop new funding opportunities. I believe we really need to increase the number of awards we offer.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting all the people associated with Fulbright, including alumni, and working with a new team of staff.”