Former Bethlehem College student Lauryn Maxwell is going to India and Japan in 2025 for two six-week internships thanks to receiving two Prime Minister’s Scholarships.
Former Bethlehem College student Lauryn Maxwell is going to India and Japan in 2025 for two six-week internships thanks to receiving two Prime Minister’s Scholarships.
A university student from Tauranga is going to India and Japan this year for two six-week internships after receiving two Prime Minister’s Scholarships.
Former Bethlehem College student Lauryn Maxwell finished her four-year Bachelor of Science degree majoring in psychology at the University of Auckland in November. She also did a certificate in Māori and Indigenous development at AUT part-time.
This year, she will do her post-graduate studies in public and Māori health at the University of Auckland, bookended by the internships.
Maxwell told the Bay of Plenty Times she was “so grateful” to have received the scholarships for one individual and one group internship.
“I never, ever thought I would get anything like this before,” the 22-year-old said.
“Because of my psychology background, I’m going to be taking more of a mental health approach to the people who are more susceptible to getting Aids and HIV.”
Former Bethlehem College student Lauryn Maxwell is going to India and Japan in 2025 for two six-week internships thanks to receiving two Prime Minister’s scholarships.
Maxwell said she could not have done the internship without the scholarship.
She paid a $500 student contribution fee and the scholarship covered all other costs.
Maxwell said she was most looking forward to “navigating the culture shock”.
“I’m interested to kind of see how that will apply in the workforce.”
She was also looking forward to connecting with the local community.
A ‘customised’ internship
In November, Maxwell will go to Tokyo for her individual six-week internship focused on public health, which would be “customised” based on her studies and career goals.
She will also do a cultural immersion programme, involving attending seminars, conferences, networking events, “and just connecting with the community more”.
“I think to get the most knowledge out of the trip, it’s so beneficial to further connect with the people of Japan.”
Maxwell was looking forward to learning about Japan’s public health sector.
“Japan is known for being very modern, clean, and also very safe ... so I’m interested to see how that kind of seeps into their public health frameworks and initiatives.”
Maxwell applied for the Japan trip last July but thought she was unsuccessful because she had not heard back for a while.
Meanwhile, she saw her university advertise the India trip.
“I thought, ‘You know what, I just want something to be able to get me overseas to experience this’.”
She applied for the trip, was interviewed, and was offered it three days later.
Maxwell had not heard back about the Japan trip, so she accepted it.
A month later she found out about Japan and was also “stoked”.
Where else are scholarship recipients going?
In a statement, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds said 119 recipients had been awarded Prime Minister’s Scholarships for education experiences abroad.
“Expanding New Zealand’s global engagement through world-class international education is a key Government priority,” Simmonds said.
“We are committed to building deeper ties with the world and ensuring our nation remains globally competitive.”
Scholarship recipients are going to destinations including Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Greater China, India, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Chile for study and internship programmes.
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“The Prime Minister’s Scholarships offer a fantastic opportunity for New Zealanders to foster lifelong connections as they learn and grow their understanding of cultures and business practices across Asia and Latin America,” Simmonds said.
She said 324 applications were received which was “unprecedented” and showed the “growing enthusiasm for international education” and the value of these scholarships.
In the next year, the scholars will embark on semester exchanges, medical electives, language immersion and Indigenous integration programmes, internships, and research projects in areas such as music, education and zoology.
“These scholarships foster an exchange of ideas, culture, and expertise, enriching both New Zealand and our international partners. They also showcase the strength of our education system on the world stage.”
The Education NZ website said Simmonds announced the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia 2024/2025 group awardees on July 4.
Twenty scholarships were awarded to groups to gain educational experiences across Asia and Latin America, including the University of Auckland for the global internship programme at the Global Career Centre in Mumbai.
