Student Choice Awards

UCSA Student Choice Awards 

Since 1995, the UCSA Student Choice Awards (formerly Staff of the Year Awards) have given students the opportunity to nominate staff members who have gone above and beyond and made a real difference. This encompasses lecturers, supervisors, administrators, and other non-academic staff members on campus.

The Student Choice Awards offers an opportunity to celebrate these dedicated and committed individuals in a fun way.

The 2025 Student Choice Awards took place on Friday, 26th of September in Haere-roa. Thanks to everyone who submitted their nominations and congratulations to all the finalists and winners!

2025 Finalists and Winners

 

Faculty Lecturer Awards

Toi Tangata | Arts Faculty

Winner:

  • Assoc. Prof. Enrica Sciarrino

Finalists:

  • Dr. Josephine Varghese
  • Prof. Donald Matheson
  • Assoc. Prof. Patrick O'Sullivan
 
Te Kura Umanga | UC Business School

Winner:

  • Dr. Ellie Norris

Finalists:

  • Dr. Simone Schwoerer
  • Ms. Nadine Marshall
  • Dr. Eldrede Kahiya
 
Te Kaueka Ako | Education Faculty

Winner:

  • Dr. Jean Kim

Finalists:

  • Dr. Shweta Sharma
  • Dr. Valerie Sotardi
 
Te Kaueka Pūhanga | Faculty of Engineering

Winner:

  • Dr. Nicholas Lam

Finalists:

  • Mr. Robert Culling
  • Mr. Kailan Paul
 
Oranga | Health Faculty

Winner:

  • Dr. Rachael Dixon

Finalists:

  • Dr. Jalal Mohammed
  • Dr. Glenn Fyall
 
Te Kuapeka Ture | Law Faculty

Winner:

  • Prof. Christian Riffel

Finalists:

  • Mr. Simon Dorset
  • Dr. Ricky Lee
  • Prof. John Hopkins
 
Te Kuapeka Pūtaiao | Science Faculty

Winner:

  • Dr. Amy Osborne

Finalists:

  • Ruth Ramsay
  • Mr. Kenny Ardouin
  • Prof. John Dalrymple-Alford
 

Support Staff Awards

Postgrad Supervisor of the Year

Winners:

  • Prof. Ian Shaw
  • Dr. Andrew Vonasch

Finalists:

  • Prof. Stephan Lukosch
  • Dr. Jean Kim
 
Superstar Award

Winner:

  • Siti Karina

Finalists:

  • Assoc. Prof. Christopher Hann
  • Dr. Mengping Cheng
  • Ms. Alison Lowery
 
Great Character Award

Winner:

  • Prof. Ian Shaw

Finalists:

  • Dr. Josephine Varghese
  • Assoc. Prof. Enrica Sciarrino
  • Assoc. Prof. Lyndon Fraser
 
Wellbeing Champion Award

Winner:

  • Assoc. Prof. Enrica Sciarrino

Finalists:

  • Prof. Philip Schluter
  • Dr. Shweta Sharma
 
Support Services Staff Member of the Year

Winner:

  • Siti Karina

Finalists:

  • Caroline Syddall
  • Angus Howat
  • Jordon Milroy
 
Admin of the Year

Winner:

  • Dr. Mengping Cheng

Finalists:

  • Juliet Samandari
  • Alison Lowery
  • Jasmine Clark
 
Technical Staff Member of the Year

Winner:

  • Edsel Villa

Finalists:

  • Randall Grenfell
  • Kim Doherty
  • Aidan Moody
 

Overall Lecurer of the Year

  • Dr. Nicholas Lam

2024 Winners

Faculty Lecturer Awards:

Faculty of Arts:
Masayoshi Ogino

UC Business School:
Anna Earl

Faculty of Education:
Jean Kim

Faculty of Engineering:
Jeremy Watson

Faculty of Health:
Rachael Dixon

Faculty of Law:
Simon Dorset

Faculty of Science:
Ashley Garrill

Admin of the Year:
Whaea Karen Murphy

Postgraduate Supervisor of the Year:
Jean Kim

Support Services Staff Member of the Year:
Gemma Harte

Technical Staff Member of the Year:
Craig Galilee

Superstar Award:
Jean Kim

The Wellbeing Champion Award:
Daniel Holland

Overall Lecturer of the Year:
Rachael Dixon

2023 Finalists and Winners

2023 Finalists and Winners

 

Faculty Lecturer Awards:

Faculty of Arts:

Winner:

  • Donald Matheson

Finalists:

  • Linda Jean Kenix
  • Masayoshi Ogino
  • Phillip Borell
 
UC Business School:

Winner:

  • Ekant Veer

Finalists:

  • Alistair Hodson
  • David Stiles
  • Russell Wordsworth
 
Faculty of Education

Winner:

  • Andrea Delaune

Finalists:

  • Briarne Oldham
  • Huhana-Suzanne Carter
  • Rachel Maitland
 
Faculty of Engineering

Winner:

  • Adrian Clark

Finalists:

  • Michael Langton
  • Phillipa Gourdie
  • Rachael Wood
 
Faculty of Health

Winner:

  • Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll

Finalist:

  • Piet Van Hasselt
 
Faculty of Law

Winner:

  • Cassandra Mudgway

Finalists:

  • Helen Farley
  • Jarrod Gilbert
  • Stephen Todd
 
Faculty of Science

Winner:

  • Heather Purdie

Finalists:

  • Ashley Garrill
  • Jacinta Cording
  • Rua Murray
 

Special Awards

Superstar Award

Winner:

  • Marina Filipovic

Finalists:

  • Briarne Oldham
  • Laura Meriluoto
  • Rachael Wood
Great Character Award

Winner:

  • Jack Copeland

Finalists:

  • Douglas Campbell
  • Nell Mooney
  • Phillip Borell
The Wellbeing Champion

Winner:

  • Rachael Wood

Finalists:

  • Hilary Kingston
  • Jonie Chang

Support Staff Awards

Postgraduate Supervisor of the Year

Winner:

  • Stephan Lukosch

Finalists:

  • Phillip Borell
  • Rachael Wood
Technical Staff Member of the Year

Winner:

  • Leigh Beattie

Finalists:

  • Craig Galilee
  • Randall Grenfell
Administrator of the Year

Winner:

  • Louise Clark

Finalists:

  • Karen Murphy
Support Services Staff Member of the Year

Winner:

  • Laura Xavier

Finalists:

  • Charis Shepard
  • Janina Good
Overall Lecturer of the Year

Winner:

  • Adrian Clark (Engineering)

Finalists:

  • Andrea Delaune (Education)
  • Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll (Health)
  • Cassandra Mudgway (Law)
  • Donald Matheson (Arts)
  • Ekant Veer (Business)
  • Heather Purdie (Science)
 

We would like to express our gratitude to all students who participated in the nomination process. Your involvement has helped us shine a spotlight on those who truly stand out.

Once again, congratulations to all our finalists and winners! 🎉

2022 Finalists and Winners

Faculty Lecturer Awards

Faculty of Arts

Winner:

  • Phillip Borell

Finalists: 

  • Lyndon Fraser
  • Sergio Esteban Redondo
  • Philip Armstrong
 
Faculty of Business

Winner:

  • Herb de Vries

Finalists:

  • Matthew Scobie
  • Kuntal Das
  • Philip Gunby
 
Faculty of Law

Winner:

  • Ruth Ballantyne

Finalists:

  • Annick Masselot
  • Jarrod Gilbert
  • Christian Riffel
 
Faculty of Education

Winner:

  • Nikki Tod

Finalists:

  • Rachel Maitland
  • Phillip Borell
  • Tracey Millin
 
Faculty of Health

Winner:

  • Nick Maitland

Finalists:

  • Michelle Poulsen
  • Piet van Hasselt
  • Tracy Clelland
 
Faculty of Engineering

Winner:

  • Nicholas Lam

Finalists:

  • Paul Docherty
  • David Evison
  • Christopher Price
 
Faculty of Science

Winner:

  • Matthew Stott
  • Seth Harty
  • Angus McIntosh
  • Ashley Garrill
 
Lecturer of the Year

Winner:

  • Phillip Borell
 

Finalists:

  • Herb de Veries
  • Ruth Ballantyne
  • Nikki Todd
  • Nick Maitland
  • Nicholas Lam
  • Matthew Stott
 

Support Staff Awards

Postgraduate Supervisor of the Year Award

Winner:

  • Stephan Lukosch
 

Finalists:

  • Martin Holland
  • Erin Harrington
  • Nicholas Wright
 
Administrator of the Year Award

Winner:

  • Jasmine Clark

Finalists:

  • Lindsay de Heer
 
Technical Staff Member of the Year Award

Winner:

  • Edsel Villa

Finalists:

  • Craig Galilee
 
Support Services Staff Member of the Year Award

Winner:

  • Micky Lu

Finalists:

  • George Haswell
  • Jonie Chang
  • Charis Shepherd

Special Awards

 
Superstar Award

Winner:

  • Valerie Sotardi

Finalists:

  • Donald Matheson
  • Nicholas Lam
  • Gina Tillard
 
Great Character Award

Winner:

  • Gary Gin

Finalists:

  • Piet van Hasselt
  • Phillip Borell
  • Elizabeth Toomey
 
The Wellbeing Champion Award

Winner:

  • Ari Nicholson

Finalists:

  • Annie Potts
  • Tracey Millin
  • Ruth Ballantyne
 

Exec Special Awards

Winners:

  • George Haswell and Katie Mills (COVID-19 Response Team)
  • Jeanine Tamati-Elliffe and Rīpeka Tamanui-Hurunui - (Te Waka Pākākano Team) – Te Akatoki Exec Award
  • Viane Makalio (Event Specialist) – Te Akatoki & CUSSA Award

2021 Winners

Lecturer of the Year – College of Arts: Phillip Borell 

Lecturer of the Year – College of Business and Law: Ruth Ballantyne 

Lecturer of the Year – College of Education, Health and Human Development: Rachel Maitland 

Lecturer of the Year – College of Engineering: Phillipa Gourdie 

Lecturer of the Year – College of Science: Greg O’Beirne 

Overall Lecturer of the Year –​ Phillip Borell 

Administrator of the Year – Alison Lowery 

Great Character – Eric Mouhica 

Postgraduate Supervisor of the Year – Anushia Inthiran 

Superstar Award – Heather Wolffram 

Support Services Staff Member of the Year – Jonie Chang 

Technical Staff Member of the Year –​ Siale Faitotonu 

The Wellbeing Champion Award –​ Ruth Ballantyne