Rhoda Habtom Tesfazghi

2nd-year student, Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching)

She absolutely loves studying education, says Rhoda Habtom Tesfazghi who is currently in the second year of her Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching).

“I chose this degree because I had such good role models in my teachers when I was growing up. I now want to be that role model for future students, especially for refugee students. I love having an influence on future generations – it’s such a rewarding job seeing children grow and become happy learners.

“In my studies so far, I’ve been able to gain knowledge on many things, including child psychology, learning disabilities and different cultures. I love watching children learn new things and watching how excited they become once they understand something. I’d 100% recommend teaching to everyone.”

Supported to thrive
Rhoda says that AUT stood out when she was deciding where to go to university.

“After looking at different universities, I chose AUT because I found that it had the most diverse student base, and the staff were very kind and understanding. The admissions staff supported me a lot during the application and enrolment phase, and I just knew that the professors would be the same.”

She is grateful for the Sir Robert Jones Refugee Daughters’ Scholarship she was awarded to support her studies, says Rhoda who arrived in New Zealand when she was five, after her family had escaped to Sudan from their home country Eritrea.

“This scholarship has allowed me to study without the worry of financial stress. It also gave me a chance to connect with people who can support me in my studies in different ways.”

Advice for other students
Now in the second year of her studies, Rhoda has some great advice for other students.

“Use all the services that the university has available, and don’t be afraid to talk to your professors; after all they’re here to help you. No one wants to leave anyone behind.”

She herself has certainly made the most of the support services available to students.

“I’ve used the student peer support system at the AUT South Campus, and they were super helpful when I needed help with assignments and helped me create a meaningful timetable.”