Student Council Leader Chooses Post-Graduate Study at Ara
Epe Valavala graduated from Ara this year with a Bachelors of Applied Management in Human Resources, but her journey hasn’t quite finished as she’s made a commitment to further post-graduate study.
Epe, who is a mature student, a mother and a first-generation graduate, says that the extension of her study was important in getting her to where she hoped to be.
“My study of human resources so far has been from a broad perspective, and I just wanted to tunnel into it more, to where I think my expertise lies, which is more the people development side. I want to be able to weave in some more cultural and sustainable practices because I believe if those things are taught at your workplace, they change the way that you teach your children; they change the way that you view your work and home life.”
Epe wasn’t content to merely be a high-achieving student at Ara however; she also became a leader of the Student Council from the Madras Street campus.
She is reluctant to take all of the credit for the Council’s positive progress during 2020, saying “I've got an amazing team that meets once a month. I've tried to make it really clear that these roles get us seats at the table, but we need to be more than just ‘seat warmers’, so everyone has a vision and goals, including our Pacific and Māori representatives who have things that they want to achieve within these roles, and it's our job to really uplift them at Ara.”
Epe originally came to Ara in 2017 “with a baby on her hip” and spoke to the Information Team to see if class schedules could be made to fit with her own demanding line-up of daily responsibilities. “I found out that the scheduling at Ara worked perfectly for me as a parent, versus trying to go to classic one-hour lecture-style classes. I guess the fear of being a mature student being in large lectures with 18-year olds was also a factor. The smaller class sizes and atmosphere at Ara fitted; it lets me contribute my practical life experience to the mix.”
During her time at Ara, Epe was also a successful scholarship applicant, saying “I've been well blessed while applying for scholarships and I've been lucky enough to have gained one. I always encourage other students to apply - there is no harm in trying and you gain a bit of practice at doing things like this.”
Epe’s family members – 14 of whom attended her graduation ceremony last Friday at Christchurch Arena – have been a hugely important part of her journey.
She says “I graduated with a Bachelor's but it's not just my name on it. Every single person that has prayed and had happy thoughts for me has the right to be there next to my name. They’ve contributed in so many ways; supporting me, babysitting - it’s like a village has really come together.”
The influence hasn’t just been one way either; Epe’s seven siblings have also gaining some extra exposure to the benefits of ongoing education through Epe’s experience, and this year one of her sisters has joined Epe as a mature Ara student.
“I 100% encourage all single mums out there to make the sacrifices needed to study - it's hard work, but with a bit of dedication it can be done, and here you’re surrounded by the right people and you're well-supported” says Epe.