17-year-old student awarded prestigious Girdlers’ scholarship to Cambridge

Nina Jeffs who turns 18 next week has been awarded a life-changing Girdlers’ Scholarship to Cambridge University in the UK where she will study Human, Social and Political Sciences.

Nina’s career goal is to lead international development and relationship building projects to generate positive change.

She says, “My future role will be in advancing New Zealand’s interests in the world by facilitating cultural exchange, humanitarian action and trade development. In so doing I would aim to help New Zealand gain mutually beneficial global relationships and greater international standing”.

Last year Nina attended Auckland’s ACG Senior College where she was a top scholar, Head Leader (Head Prefect), Media Leader, Valedictorian and won awards for leadership and entrepreneurship.

Outside of school she has tackled controversial issues in debating competitions, where she has won awards including at the Model United Nations Security Council Auckland Region event.  Through these skills she was selected as a member of the New Zealand delegation to the UN Youth Australia National Conference last year.  She was also highly commended in the National finals of the Confucius Institute Chinese Speech and Cultural Competition.  She is a keen footballer and has played for the Western Springs Football Club Team for 9 years, reaching the Premier Division.

Nina’s interest in international relations and development was sparked by helping to build a community centre in a Nepalese village while on a ‘Youth to Everest’ trip in 2014.

“For me this experience demonstrated how my actions as a privileged New Zealand visitor could make a significant difference to the lives and humanity of others, and how willing people were to reciprocate with their limited resources.”

She also raised funds for, and went to Vanuatu to provide hands-on help with restoring village schooling after the devastating impact of Cyclone Pam. She has a strong interest in other cultures, which she has developed over the past six years while studying Mandarin Chinese.  She was selected for a Chinese-government funded educational trip to China and was the lead student Mandarin speaker for the delegation.  She will continue to advance her Chinese language at Cambridge while studying international relations, development and politics.

The prestigious Girdlers’ Scholarship, valued at approximately £32,000 (NZ$68,400) a year, will pay for Nina’s university and college fees and contribute to her living costs while studying.

This is the 52nd Scholarship that the Worshipful Company of Girdlers has awarded to a New Zealand student.

In announcing the decision on behalf of the Company, Past Master Ian Seaton says, “We are delighted to make this award to Nina as she embodies the qualities we seek.  She has the academic ability and the maturity to perform well at Cambridge.  She also has a very strong sense of social responsibility and has demonstrated this with her actions in Nepal and Vanuatu. We will watch Nina’s progress with interest and support her during her time at Cambridge.”

Universities New Zealand, formerly the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, administers this scholarship in addition to around 40 other undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships each year.

Background

The Girdlers’ Company, which dates back to medieval times, was a fraternity of craftsmen, who came together for religious observances, mutual assistance, and guarded the secrets, standards and conditions of their craft.

While the Girdlers’ Company no longer practises its craft, it still presents the sword belt and stole for each Coronation.

The Scholarship is open to Year 13 secondary school students who have attended secondary school in New Zealand and are New Zealand citizens or have permanent resident status.

More information about this and other scholarships administered by Universities New Zealand is available at http://www.universitiesnz.ac.nz/scholarships