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News / Samantha Vehikite – Bed, Bath & Beyond graduate

Samantha Vehikite – Bed, Bath & Beyond graduate

June 18, 2024

One of three annual awards generously sponsored by Bed, Bath & Beyond, this $5,000 award is to assist a woman enrolled in a three-year degree course at the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT).

Samantha Vehikite pictured (right) with Carolyn Brown from Bed, Bath & Beyond and Nina Tomaszyk from Kate Edger Foundation received the inaugural award in 2019 as she was about to embark on a 3 year Bachelor of Nursing degree with MIT.  Samantha says that receiving the award played a huge role in achieving her goal of becoming a nurse.

” From a young age, I was never set on a career pathway and continued to change my mind however, my desire and passion to improve people’s lives and provide support to those in need never changed.  A career path in Nursing enabled me to fulfill this drive and passion.
Completing my bachelor’s degree has come with its challenges, especially with the limitations of COVID-19, but it also enabled me to increase my drive and passion and has deepened my love for nursing significantly. ”

Samantha finished her degree at the beginning of December and is now officially a Registered Nurse, a dream come true after 3 years of hard work and dedication.  She has also been offered her dream job of surgical nursing at Middlemore Hospital, beginning in 2023.

” Since beginning my degree, I have experienced many amazing opportunities and experiences that have inspired and driven me as well as made me fall in love with this career pathway. These experiences have enabled me to see life and how quickly it can change and as a result has made me thankful for all the opportunities open to me.  I want to thank the Kate Edger Foundation and Bed, Bath & Beyond for allowing me the opportunity to be a recipient of this scholarship and for your amazing support towards me throughout.”