Memorial scholarships honour beloved educators while transforming student lives

Two memorial scholarships established in their honour are transforming the lives of students pursuing careers in engineering and nursing at our Mt Albert and Waitākere Campuses.

Now in its second year, the Lance Laulala Memorial Scholarship was established following Lance’s passing in July 2025, recognising his more than 22 years of unwavering commitment to helping hundreds of ākonga build confidence in mathematics.

The Anna Smith Nursing Scholarship for Pacific Students, established in 2021, honours Anna’s 17 years of dedication to Bachelor of Nursing students and her passion for supporting Pacific learners to achieve their potential.

The scholarships provide financial assistance for ākonga by contributing towards education-related costs. The grants embody the compassion, encouragement and belief that Lance and Anna showed every day in shaping the futures of our students.

Seven scholarships were awarded in 2025, supporting four engineering students and three Bachelor of Nursing students.

For Bachelor of Nursing graduate Charmaine Letele, the Anna Smith Scholarship arrived at exactly the right time.

Charmaine, who is of Samoan and Irish heritage, says her Samoan identity has been central to both her life and her decision to pursue nursing. Her mother’s family is from the Schwalger and Leiataua families, with roots in Fusi, Safata and Manono Tai, and she is the granddaughter of the late Soalaupule Tato’oto’o Hugo Schwalger.

“My granddad is one of the biggest reasons I chose to study nursing,” Charmaine says.

Raised by her mother alongside five brothers in a strongly Samoan household, Charmaine says the values of family, service and community have shaped the person she is today.

As a solo mother of three young children with limited family support in New Zealand, balancing study, clinical placements and everyday living costs was a constant challenge.

“Receiving this scholarship felt like a huge sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders,” Ms Letele says.

“More than the financial support, it felt like recognition of the hard work and sacrifices I had made to get to this point.”

The scholarship enabled Charmaine to reduce her work commitments during clinical placements, and spend more time preparing for assessments and be more present with her children.

“It has supported me massively, not only financially but mentally and emotionally. It gave me greater stability and allowed me to approach my studies with less stress and more confidence.”

Having completed her Bachelor of Nursing at the end of this Semester, Charmaine now hopes to begin her career in Pacific mental health, where she is passionate about improving health outcomes for Pacific communities. Her long-term goal is to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist, continuing a career built on service, compassion and lifelong learning.

Diploma of Engineering student Nivelda Peteli-Auola shares a similar story of renewed confidence.

She transferred to our provider drawn by the practical learning environment and supportive community. Financial pressures often competing with the demands of exams, assignments and laboratory work.

Receiving the Lance Laulala Memorial Scholarship changed that.

“I felt so blessed and so grateful,” Nivelda says.

“Approaching my third year of study was extremely daunting, and self-doubt had slowly started to creep in. Being awarded this scholarship reassured me that I’m on the right path.”

The funding allowed Nivelda to take time away from work during exams, easing the burden of transport costs and giving her the opportunity to focus on achieving her academic goals.

“It really allowed me to concentrate on my studies instead of stressing about money.”

After graduating, she hopes to build a career in civil engineering before eventually returning to Samoa to contribute to projects that benefit her family and community.

For Bachelor of Engineering Technology student Flinn Petchell, the Lance Laulala scholarship carries an even deeper significance.

Flinn first met Lance through Unitec’s Maths Corner, where Lance’s encouragement helped shape his academic journey.

“Lance would always tell me to give it a go,” Flinn says.

That advice stayed with him when deciding whether to apply for the scholarship created in Lance’s memory.

“When I was told I had received it, I was shocked, grateful and speechless,” Flinn explains.

The scholarship has helped fund his studies while easing the financial burden on his family.

“Without this, my studies would have been much more difficult to fund.”

Inspired by Lance’s generosity and belief in others, Flinn hopes to pursue a career in robotics or biomedical engineering, developing technologies that improve people’s lives.

“I hope to give back and help others in one way or another, like Lance has done for me in more ways than one.”

Team Lead Mentoring & Scholarships Helena Finau-Hakalo says the scholarships have become a meaningful way to honour two educators whose influence continues to be felt across Unitec.

“We received an outstanding response to both scholarships last year, including thirty-right applications for the inaugural Lance Laulala Memorial Scholarship,” Helena says.

“These scholarships represent more than financial assistance. They are humbling opportunities that honour the legacies of Anna Smith and Lance Laulala, whose care, dedication and belief in our ākonga continue to inspire future generations.

“It is a privilege to administer these scholarships and see their lasting impact on students’ lives.”

This year marks the sixth round of the Anna Smith Nursing Scholarship for Pacific Students and the second year of the Lance Laulala Memorial Scholarship.

————————————————————————————————–

Applications are now open for both scholarships and close on 5 August 2026.

Please encourage your ākonga to apply.

For more info email scholarships@unitec.ac.nz.

You can apply for the Lance Laulala Memorial Scholarship here.

Or watch the video to find out more about the scholarship in memory of Lance here.

You can apply for the Anna Smith Nursing Scholarship for Pacific Students here.

Or watch the video to find out more about the scholarship in memory of Anna here.