AUT Edge Award offers great experiences

By going outside his comfort zone and getting involved in a range of activities through the AUT Edge Award, Jefferson Chen says he gained more than he could ever have imagined.

“I learned to think about what I have of value to others and others to me and how to be inclusive, accountable and credible. I also learned the importance of sustainability and the environment, all new to me, but things I now value very highly.”

Overall Achievement Prize winner

Overall prize winner of the AUT Edge Award, Jefferson was an outstanding Edge Award participant attending a whopping 36 employability events while encouraging others to take on the award as well. He also did extensive volunteering and leadership activities, including establishing two clubs, AUT NOW and AUT ACG (Animation, Comics, Gaming Club). One engages students in volunteering for sustainability and environmental organisations, while the other provides a space for students “to be themselves and share”.

Katie MacDiarmid, Digital Business Operations for NZME who sponsored the overall AUT Edge Award achievement prize, says NZME continues to sponsor the prize to celebrate students who are making an extra effort. She was delighted to present the prize to Jefferson.

“These awards and Jefferson epitomise the values of taking action, being bold and never settling for less; values NZME also follow.”

Jefferson says the award taught him the value of collaboration, the importance of engaging and of sharing the good and the bad with others.

He was one of 54 students to graduate with the AUT Edge Award in December.

Along with NZME four other industry partners sponsor prizes to encourage students to widen their activities beyond study; Chartered Accountants of Australia and NZ, SEEK Volunteer, Auckland Council and Intercontinental Hotel Group.

CAANZ Leadership prize winner

Sharleen Shergill, who won the Leadership prize, says the award encouraged her to take the initiative more. And she did, chalking up 234 hours of leadership (minimum requirement was 18!).

A highlight for Sharleen was representing AUT at the United Nations for University Scholars Leadership Symposium. She was also student representative for her papers, AUT Debating Society executive, management Consulting Club executive, president and media executive for the AUT Mooting Society and CEO of Futurelab.

“It is better to have tried than do nothing and regret it later,” she says.

Auckland Council Social and Community Impact prize

Social/community impact prize winner Sara Bekhit represented Aotearoa at the United Nations Periodic Review. She also became very involved in Women in Urbanism, a movement designed to make Auckland a safer place, helping launch an anti-harassment campaign that encourages people who witness harassment to stand up and speak out.

“To decrease or solve the harassment issue, you first have to acknowledge there is a problem and stand up for it, because people turn a blind eye. That is where we start,” says Sara.

IHG Personal Growth Prize

Personal Growth prize winner Reagen Leith says she gained a new sense of purpose and fulfilment through helping people and connecting with diverse people from different backgrounds.

Reagan spent many hours gardening and doing maintenance for a community housing organisation, starting with 12 houses and expanding to nearly 50.  She allowed time to also interact and chat with the community and joined the organisation’s advisory board to develop community events and support diversity groups. All these activities developed her confidence and sense of purpose.

“I hope I can continue to grow as a person and be a leader for change. I hope to embody that as a student, mother, volunteer, board member and - eventually - a future employee.”

SEEK Volunteering prize

Winner Vaanipriya Diwan did over 110 hours of volunteering across nine organisations as varied as Fair Trade Festival, New Zealand Game Developer’s Conference, TEDxAUCKLAND and Chromacon. She also volunteered as a student ambassador for her leadership hours.

Working outside of your comfort zone is a challenge, she says, but through volunteering she has learned to be patient, work with others and build new friendships and networks.

AUT Edge Award keeps delivering

AUT Director of Student Employability Anna Williams says the AUT Edge Award continues to go from strength to strength. By the end of last year 258 Edge Award graduates – including the 54 that graduated recently in December – have completed the award. Another 2890 students are currently enrolled in it.

“We have huge respect for all the students who spend hours in this programme, volunteering, attending workshops etc, while managing academic study, family, friends - and often part time jobs.  Time and time again we hear of students who directly attribute their AUT Edge journey with receiving job offers, and meeting people who will be critical in their career post university.”

Anna says the interest in and the success of the AUT Edge Award programme has led to the set up of a second co-curricular award in September for AUT postgraduate students. Beyond AUT Award has been designed specifically for postgraduate students looking for ways to take a deeper look at leadership and expand on employability skills.

Email to find out more about the AUT Edge Award and the Beyond AUT Award.

Jefferson Chen and others finishing a beach clean up, AUT Edge Award 2019