About 750 Maori and Pasifika Auckland tertiary students will celebrate their academic achievement this week.
Graduates and their supporters will converge for the University of Auckland's Autumn Graduation during 10 ceremonies on Monday 5 May, Wednesday 7 May and Friday 9 May.
Among them is the first Pacific woman to gain a PhD in classics and ancient history, and a young Maori man who has turned his life around through study and will graduate with a postgraduate diploma in arts in criminology.
Another top student who will graduate on Monday is Hana Turner.
The fair-haired, blue-eyed woman of Ngati Ranginui descent says she discovered the true extent of stereotypical and racist attitudes within some Auckland schools when she surveyed teachers about their expectations for their pupils' success.
She will gain her Masters in Education on Monday.
