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Sonakssi Ramilan – Awardee Speaker 2024

October 9, 2024

Kia ora and Vanakkam,

My name is Sona and it is an absolute honour to be here as the recipient of the Women in Medicine Award, and a privilege to see the strength and support here today. 

This afternoon, I’ve been asked to share my journey and aspirations, so I’ll start with a bit about myself. 

I am a fifth-year student, one year away from completing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Auckland. I’m currently doing clinical placements, rotating through hospitals and specialties. 

I’ve spent most of 2024 in the Counties Manukau District with placement at Middlemore Hospital being an eye opening experience, delving into diagnoses, diversity, and the systemic disparities that affect many in the region. As I move closer towards becoming a doctor, the balance between humanistic qualities and practical skills continues to amaze me with each specialty being uniquely empowering.

Being a science-oriented learner and a people person, going into health simply seemed to make sense. Since a young age, I’ve seen the difference doctors can make and I wanted to share my kindness and passion in such a way to help people when they’re most vulnerable. Many say Medical School isn’t easy, but it’s a rewarding challenge that has helped me grow through my early years of adulthood while simultaneously living life to the fullest with friends, family, and extracurriculars.

Every day is different, and being in such a career path is beyond a privilege as strangers trust you with the hope of health and healing. There’s always more to see, learn and do. This week, I’ve spent a day around those with intellectual disabilities, a few in the emergency department, and time with outreach immunisations as part of my paediatrics rotation. It’s inspiring to see the variety in career choices filled with ambition seen within this room, with Kate Edger and The Graduation Place bringing us together to celebrate success in the past, present, and future. 

As a doctor, I hope to empower and educate my patients, colleagues, and friends both within and outside the medical field. Being born in Sri Lanka, and raised in Aotearoa, Australia, and India has curated a passion for creating change on an international scale. As I advance in medicine, I want to combine my passion for creating systems level change with my interest in practical work to make a difference for my patients, communities, and wider populations as a future leader.  

Throughout my 5 years at Uni, I’ve seen the unequal representation of females in leadership and surgical fields and being a Director for the Women in Health Network empowered me to consider this. The Women in Medicine Award resonates this idea and has supported me as I continue to work towards success in the field as a young, female, Kiwi Sri Lankan doctor in training. I’ll end by saying a huge thank you to the Kate Edger Foundation, and I’m excited to see the multidisciplinary talent in this room shape the future of Aotearoa. 

Kind regards,

Sonakssi Ramilan

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.”

Kate Edger given honorary doctorate

September 20, 2023

Press Release: University of Auckland
Published 19 September

A trailblazer for women in higher education, Kate Milligan Edger has been given a posthumous honorary doctorate from Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland as part of its 140th anniversary commemorations.

Some extraordinary New Zealanders are being acknowledged for their contributions to education, the University of Auckland and the wider community, with the first posthumous honorary doctorates ever conferred by the University.

Jill Smith, the granddaughter of suffragette and women’s rights advocate Kate Edger (1857 – 1935), accepted an Honorary Doctor of Literature on behalf of the woman whose name adorns the University’s Student Information Commons at the University’s spring graduation ceremony on 19 September, the 130th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Aotearoa.

 

On 11 July 1877, Kate Milligan Edger became the first woman in New Zealand to gain a university degree and the first woman in the British Empire to receive a Bachelor of Arts (Mathematics and Latin). At her graduation, more than a thousand people turned out to witness the occasion; Kate the only woman on the stage.

Jill says she’d be absolutely amazed at seeing today’s vast arena with thousands of male and female graduates, and knowing that today, almost 60 percent of students at the University identify as women.

“By overcoming the significant barriers women faced to pursue higher education and lead independent lives, Kate Edger blazed a trail for many others to follow,” she says.

Kate always felt that education was not just about the acquisition of knowledge for its own sake, says Jill, but should also build up the student’s moral character and that intellectual training would make “true women, when it is combined with the training of the heart and the soul”.

“She would be very, very proud that the university is honouring her with this degree and would be grateful, as am I; a proud granddaughter whom she has inspired, as she has with so many women over the years.”

Photo credit: Hemus and Hanna. Ref 4804, Photographs in subseries. Macmillan Brown Library, the University of Canterbury.

Kate Milligan Edger: the first woman in the British Empire to receive a Bachelor of Arts in 1877.
Kate was born in Berkshire, England and with her family, emigrated to New Zealand in 1862. Her father, Reverend Samuel Edger, had ideas about female education and emancipation that were radical for his time; Kate and her three sisters were raised in a household where young women were encouraged to develop their minds, not just their marriage potential.

The young Edger girls were initially educated by their father at home, but later he obtained permission from the headmaster of Auckland College and Grammar School (now Auckland Grammar School) for Kate to study with its top class of boys.

As the only female in the class, Kate said she was treated with courtesy by the other students but was required to enter the class “with downcast eyes” so as not to attract undue attention.

In 1874, she successfully passed a university scholarship exam and enrolled at university using only her initials, ‘K. M. Edger.’ She was admitted because it was assumed she was a man.

After completing her BA at Auckland and her MA at Canterbury College, she was appointed the first principal of Nelson College for Girls where she taught English grammar, composition and literature, physical science, Latin, mathematics, singing and geography, as well as preparing senior girls for university scholarships.

Kate Edger, in cap and gown, with staff at Nelson College for Girls. Photo credit: Nelson Provincial Museum, Tyree Studio Collection: 46195

After her marriage to William Evans, and move to Wellington, she combined running a private school for girls, adult literacy classes, examining for university entrance, suffrage and temperance activities and community work.

She strongly supported women’s suffrage and until the early 1930s, was active in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. She was also heavily involved in the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children and the National Council of Women and was awarded the King’s Silver Jubilee Medal shortly before her death in May, 1935.

Throughout her life, Kate Edger was a champion for quality education for girls and women and was an active suffragist. She firmly believed that women’s active participation in all aspects of public life and politics would help improve society.

“Kate would be so very pleased that her life work in the education of women, and her work in the political, social and humanities had been so recognised,” says Jill.

“She would be so encouraged that women have taken their place in society, equal with men – especially having female prime ministers.

“Although I do think she would be puzzled why it’s taking so long to achieve pay parity with men. And I’m sure she would be horrified that her work with the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was still not resolved, and in fact the situation appears to have worsened.”

University of Auckland Provost, Professor Valerie Linton, says the University today is built upon the work and the academic hurdles overcome by those who have gone before.

Chancellor Cecilia Tarrant and Jill Smith with Kate Edger’s posthumous honorary doctorate at spring graduation. Photo: Timeless Images

“We are committed to accelerating our progress towards gender equity, in this, our 140th year. We are inspired by Kate Edger, and proud to acknowledge her legacy with an honorary degree.”

In 2005, the New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women renamed its Auckland branch after Kate Edger.

The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust is devoted to advancing women in higher education across all academic disciplines and has provided more than $6 million in donations to students for fees, expenses and retraining.

And in 2003, the University of Auckland opened the Kate Edger Information Commons. Located in the student quad on City Campus, it’s regarded internationally as an innovative teaching and learning environment and a proud legacy of its namesake.

Mira Askari – Awardee Speaker 2023

September 14, 2023

ia ora koutou, ko akbara te maunga, ko urdun te awa, ko al jalil te moana, ko tamaki toku kainga, no falesteen a iraq ahau, ko askari toku whanau, ko Mira toku ingoa.

It is with immense gratitude and humility that I stand before you today as a recipient of the Kate Edger Women in Law Award. I am truly honored to represent not only myself but also the exceptional group of awardees who share a common aspiration – the pursuit of education with a purpose. This award resonates deeply with the values upheld by the Trust’s remarkable namesake, Kate Edger, a visionary advocate of women’s education and empowerment.

As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of the pivotal role that Kate Edger’s legacy has played in shaping my path. I stand here not merely as a recipient of an award, but as a product of the ideals that Kate Edger personified – the belief that education goes beyond the boundaries of the classroom and equips us with the tools to create a better world.

Kate Edger’s unwavering dedication to women’s education and her advocacy for change through civic engagement deeply resonate with the work I am privileged to do today. The legal profession, much like Kate’s fight for suffrage, holds the power to effect transformative change. Just as she championed women’s rights through education and civic participation, I see the legal field as a conduit for justice and progress. In a world where equality and justice are not always guaranteed, I am committed to using my skills and knowledge to advocate for those whose voices are often unheard, to uphold the principles of fairness and equality that Kate herself held dear.

In addition to my studies, I’m deeply committed to making a positive impact in the law school community. As a co-Equity Officer at the Law School, I engage in addressing student equity issues both in the law school and beyond. Working closely with the Faculty equity staff, I ensure that the concerns of our diverse student body are heard and acted upon effectively. I’m proud to lead the Equity Council, which brings together various Law School equity groups like Māori, Pasifika, Asian, and Rainbow law clubs. Through this collaborative effort, we’re striving to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities and bring about fairness.

Part of my job is also connecting directly with fellow law students to ensure their equity-related concerns are properly addressed by the Faculty. This means building an inclusive and supportive environment within the law school, which is both challenging and fulfilling. My role as an Equity Officer lets me contribute to creating a better experience for diverse law students, something I deeply value.

Outside of my Equity Officer role, my passion for humanitarian causes drives me to participate in groups like Amnesty on Campus and Student Justice for Palestine. These opportunities have allowed me to actively advocate for human rights and raise awareness about crucial social justice issues. I’ve also been fortunate to contribute to campaigns promoting equality for marginalized communities.

When Kate Edger boldly applied for a university scholarship under the gender-neutral initials K. Edger, she exemplified courage and determination that continues to inspire. Her determination to learn and excel in a predominantly male academic environment is a testament to the perseverance that resides within us all. In a field like law, it’s common to battle imposter syndrome, feeling inadequate or out of place. However, just like Kate Edger’s pioneering spirit, we must rise above these doubts. Remember, our unique voices and perspectives are essential for reshaping the legal landscape.

Kate Edger’s legacy extends far beyond her own achievements; it lives on through the lives she touched and the ideals she instilled. The values she upheld, emphasizing intellectual achievement, humility, and public service, continue to shape generations of women striving to make a difference. Her legacy is evident not only in the halls of academia but also in the very fabric of society, as women like me endeavor to break barriers and drive positive change.

Today, as I accept this award with gratitude in my heart, I extend my appreciation to the Kate Edger Trust Board for recognizing the potential in each of us and for keeping Kate Edger’s vision alive through this remarkable initiative. This award is not merely a recognition of my personal accomplishments; it is a recognition of the collective potential that education and determination hold to shape a brighter future.

UK Donor Funds Master of Music Therapy Award

June 7, 2023

Mr. Ellis Coxon graduated in Chemistry from the University of Durham in 1983 and became a qualified secondary school teacher in 1984. His first teaching assignment involved instructing Chemistry to 300 students aged 11 to 16, some of who were classes of students with special needs.

The UK education system at that time had no special education policies in place and teaching a theoretical subject to students who struggled with basic literacy skills proved challenging.  He describes how their lack of engagement led to them “taking great delight in misusing the acid , glass and fire involved in any practical work”.  The difficulties he encountered in this stressful and under resourced classroom environment took a toll on Mr. Coxon’s mental health, resulting in him eventually leaving the teaching profession altogether.

While employed in the Civil Service during the early 1990s, Mr. Coxon happened upon a special needs school nearby. He subsequently spent the following two years volunteering during his extended lunch breaks, working with young adults facing severe and profound learning difficulties.  This experience reignited his desire to return to teaching and he completed a Master’s degree in Special Education.

Although obtaining his Master’s degree was a significant accomplishment, once back classroom teaching full time, Mr. Coxon found the bureaucratic focus on why the students didn’t conform to an existing curriculum overshadowed the ability to treat each student as an individual with unique needs.

Ultimately, Mr. Coxon found fulfillment as Chemistry tutor, providing personalised instruction to students on a one-on-one basis in their homes.  He retired from full time work in 2016 to care for his elderly mother until her passing in 2021.

As a long-time admirer of the beautiful singing voice of Hayley Westenra, Mr. Coxon discovered that she was a patron of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust in Auckland, NZ.  Learning more about the work of the Trust and the shortage of music therapy teachers, he knew he wanted to help.  These discussions led to Mr Coxon sponsoring a second Master of Music Therapy award in partnership with The Kate Edger Trust and The Raukatari Music Therapy Trust.

It is very fitting that the recipient of his award Sarah Byrne, has a teaching background and has come to Music Therapy through her recognition of the power of music in the classroom environment to support children with emotional and behavioral issues.

Both the Kate Edger Trust and Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust are very grateful to Mr Coxon for his generous donation towards Sarah’s music therapy career and the people she will ultimately help.

MusicHelps funds Master of Music Therapy Award

June 6, 2023

MusicHelps is a registered New Zealand charity governed by a board of music loving professionals who lend their expertise and passion to the cause.

They also provide emergency assistance to thousands of music people experiencing hardship and illness through our suite of music support services, including a world first, professional online, on-the-phone and face-to-face counselling service tailored to people who make music possible.

Collaborating with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust (RMTT) and The Kate Edger Trust to create a special award to support the growth of music therapy practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand was an obvious partnership for the charity.

 

Lorde

This lineup includes NZ music royalty Neil Finn, Lorde, Joel Little and Don McGlashon.

They support hundreds of projects across New Zealand, each using the power of music to change the lives of thousands of New Zealanders in need. This includes music therapy, music programs in respite and palliative care, music education programs (particularly in low decile environments), music programs in prisons and rehabilitation and music in aged care to name but a few initiatives we support.

 

“Music therapy goes to the very heart of what we do at MusicHelps,” says Chair of MusicHelps, Anthony Healey (right) “The need for talented music therapists and the demand for music therapy is unprecedented, so to support and partner with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust and The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust like this is massive.”

RMTT Executive & Clinical Director, Jen Glover, and the Raukatauri Board, including co-founder Dame Hinewehi Mohi, are particularly excited to have MusicHelps join this growing list of funders given its strong connection to the music industry and ability to reach professional musicians who may be looking for another career pathway. In addition to the financial award, scholarship recipients are provided with a clinical placement and a pathway to employment with Raukatauri, a great source of stability for musicians who are often used to having to make their own way in the industry.

Applications for the award are open for full-time wāhine identifying students studying a Master of Music Therapy programme. The recipient of the award will receive an $8,000 scholarship for one year of study, and if they are in their second year of study, a supported student placement with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

Applications will open on August 1st 2023.

Sarah Byrne – Master of Music Therapy Awardee

June 1, 2023

Sarah Byrne

Student Music Therapist at the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust & 2023 recipient of The KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award sponsored by Mr. Ellis Coxon & supported by The Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust. 

Sarah is based in Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty and has started her second semester of the Master of Music Therapy Programme at Victoria University in Wellington.  She will be working with the regional Bay of Plenty Raukatauri team during her placement.

Sarah grew up learning classical piano and enjoys working with a variety of instruments as well as voice. Alongside her music studies, Sarah has a post-graduate degree in primary teaching.  As a teacher, she has experienced first hand the power of music in the classroom environment to support children with emotional and behavioural issues, and is is especially passionate about the ability of music to improve the wellbeing/hauora of our tamariki.

Having worked in a number of community-focused organisations previously, Sarah believes music therapy has a special role to play in supporting self-expression and identity building for people of all ages and backgrounds.  She hopes through her connections with the teaching and music communities in her area to be able to expand the role of music therapy in schools.

Outside of music therapy, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, reading and exploring the wonderful nature of New Zealand.

Sinead Hegarty – Master of Music Therapy Awardee

Sinead Hegarty

Student Music Therapist at the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust & 2023 recipient of The KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award sponsored by the Gattung Foundation & supported by The Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust. 

Sinead lives in the Hawkes Bay and is in her final year studying for a Master of Music Therapy degree at Victoria University. This scholarship comes with a monetary award of $8,000 and a minimum 750 hour placement with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust. Sinead has chosen a highly important topic for her Masters research, based around how music therapy might be used to support community wellbeing during times of high stress and instability. We are thrilled to support Sinead’s journey towards a career in music therapy.

“I am beyond grateful to be selected as a recipient, I am excited and privileged to be able to carry out my final year of Masters research and placement in my home town. Due to the impact Cyclone Gabrielle has had on Hawkes bay, I am interested in looking at the role of music therapy in building and strengthening communities significantly impacted. I am particularly interested in trauma-informed, community based and bicultural ways of working. Through my placement with Raukatauri and support from this scholarship I hope to deepen my understanding of my emerging practice and develop an authentic way of working as a music therapist to support individuals and communities to access inner resources and tools to support healing and wellbeing. I feel empowered and well supported by this scholarship and the inspiring team at Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.” Sinead

Sinead’s musical background is predominantly in guitar, singing and song writing, having completed a diploma of music from Hawkes Bay’s Eastern institute of technology. Sinead enjoys the relational aspects of music and aims to develop a practice that facilitates safe and inclusive spaces for people to experience a genuine sense of belonging.

Through her study so far, Sinead has experience working with adults with intellectual disability and adults and adolescents experiencing complex mental health challenges.

Before studying music therapy, Sinead completed a bachelor of science in genetics at Otago and afterwards travelled overseas, living in Spain and Morocco. Sinead has a deep respect for non-western world views and believes in the importance of inter-cultural dialogue. Sinead hopes to continue developing cultural competency through her placement and professional development with Raukatauri.

New Master of Music Therapy Award collaboration of The KEECT, Gattung Foundation & Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust

December 20, 2022

We are thrilled to announce a new award “The KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award” sponsored by Gattung Foundation and supported by the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust (RMTT). The purpose of the award is to improve diversity within the music therapy profession by opening doors for Māori and Pasifika women.

Music Therapy is the planned use of music to assist in the healing and growth of people with emotional, intellectual, physical or social challenges.   A career in Music Therapy offers challenge, opportunity, and distinctive rewards to those with a strong musical background interested in working with people of all ages with various disabilities.  Music therapists have extensive training in music, psychology and human development.

The recipient of The KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award will receive $8,000 for one year of full-time study, and if they are in their second year of study, it will also include a minimum 750 hour placement with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre.  Raukatauri is committed to supporting students on placement into employment and intends to extend that commitment to recipients of this award.

RMTT Clinical and Centre Director Jen Glover (left) said she has been disheartened by the lack of Māori music therapists working in Aotearoa.

“Our experience in expanding to areas such as the Far North and the Eastern Bay of Plenty in recent years has made it clear to us that there are passionate wāhine musicians living around the country who would make amazing music therapists if they could be supported in their studies,” she said.
“We’re confident that the award will make a real difference in increasing the diversity of our field, and improving access to music therapy services around the country.”

Gattung Foundation spokeswoman Angela Gattung (pictured below left with her sister and co-founder Theresa Gattung) said the foundation was born out of a shared spirit to enable others and make real change.

“We support causes that touch us deeply and make a tangible difference – especially for Māori and Pasifika women,” she said.
“The aim of the scholarship is to inspire Māori and Pasifika wāhine musicians to consider taking up a career in music therapy, filling the need for more music therapists, whilst increasing diversity in the profession.”

The Kate Edger Trust feels this award aligns beautifully with namesake Kate Edger’s own skill and passion for music.  She was a gifted singer and played the piano and violin, performing publically at concerts with her siblings.  Her own children were also noted for their ‘gifted musical abilities’.

Full-time wāhine students, preferably of Māori and Pasifika ethnicity, studying a Master of Music Therapy can apply for the scholarship.

Applications for the award close on January 31, 2023.