Dr Sheena Hudson PhD Scholarship

Study area(s): Humanities and Social Sciences; Science
Scholarship level: Doctoral
Closing date(s): 1 March 2024
Tenure: One year
Number offered: One
Value: $20,000 (subject to funds available)

History and purpose

This Scholarship was established through the Victoria University of Wellington Foundation in 2017 with a bequest left by the late Dr Sheena Hudson.

Dr Hilda Sheena Hudson, known as Sheena died on 29 March 2017 of cancer. She was a devoted wife, a teacher, a researcher and traveller – a lover of the New Zealand bush and mountains.

A fascination with her work for over 30 years as a selection adviser at Volunteer Service Abroad led her to begin a PhD thesis through Massey University on motivation, experiences and perceived career effects of volunteering overseas. She interviewed 48 volunteers in the 2001 cohort before, during and after their volunteer assignments. Her 314 page thesis identified the necessary personality characteristics to volunteer overseas, especially openness and agreeability, as well as the effects the assignments had on the volunteers. Sheena felt her thesis led to a love of research and that in researching volunteers' careers she discovered a new career for herself.

The purpose of the award is to assist post-graduate students studying part-time for a PhD in the fields of Social Science or Geography, specifically:

  • Sociology
  • Criminology
  • Anthropology
  • Social Policy
  • International Relations
  • Human Geography / Development Studies
  • Psychology

Eligibility

  • Candidates must be enrolled or intending to enrol in a PhD at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington during the tenure of the scholarship.
  • The Scholarship will be offered to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents only.
  • Students transferring from other universities are eligible to apply.

Selection Criteria

  • The scholarship will be awarded primarily on academic merit.
  • Financial hardship will also be considered.

Application process

Applicants must meet the entry requirements for Doctoral study at Victoria University of Wellington. Please refer to the Wellington Faculty of Graduate Research.

New Doctoral applicants should complete the Doctoral Admission and Scholarship online application and clearly indicate they wish to apply for the Dr Sheena Hudson PhD Scholarship.

Applicants may be requested to supply evidence of financial hardship if applicable, and any other documentation they wish to be considered by the committee, such as personal statements or character references, to assist their application.

Selection process

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington Research Scholarships Committee.

Additional information

  • A previous recipient of the award is eligible to apply again and this scholarship may be awarded to the same candidate in subsequent years, but all applications will be considered on an annual basis.
  • The Scholarship recipient may also hold other awards concurrently.
  • A thank you letter must be written to the donor within one month of receiving the scholarship.
  • Progress Report must be submitted at the end of each year outlining their progress.
  • The Scholarship will be paid in monthly instalments directly to the student

Regulations and conditions

  1. A completed online application must be submitted by 4:30pm on the closing date. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Any required supporting documentation (including references) must also be received by 4:30pm on the closing date in order for the application to be considered.
  2. All offers of the Scholarship will be conditional upon the recipient being enrolled in a part time programme (as stipulated by Studylink as part time, within the criteria and tenure of the scholarship. No payment of the Scholarship will be made until this condition is met.
  3. The Scholarship cannot be deferred to a later year.
  4. The Scholarship may be held in conjunction with other awards.
  5. Should the recipient withdraw from Victoria University of Wellington during the tenure of this scholarship or fail to achieve a satisfactory progress, partial repayment of the Scholarship will normally be expected. Recipients must advise the Scholarships Office if they intend to withdraw.
  6. Recipients are expected to act as Ambassadors for the University and participate in appropriate events or marketing if requested.
  7. At the discretion of the Deciding Authority, the application of the terms and conditions of the Scholarship may be modified in special circumstances or to avoid hardship to any candidate for the Scholarship.

Contact

Scholarships Office
scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz
Phone 0800 04 04 04