Celebrating the 2026 UC GWC Trust Board Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to Christina Sieberhagen and Heidi Van Der Peet!
Graduate Women Canterbury is proud to celebrate two recipients of the UC GWC Trust Board Scholarship: The honours and taught postgraduate recipient is Christina Sieberhagen and our third-year recipient is Heidi Van Der Peet.
The scholarship was established to support female students at the University of Canterbury to complete bachelor’s degrees, bachelor’s with honours degrees, and non-thesis postgraduate study. It continues a long history of support for women in education, replacing the New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women (Inc.) Canterbury Branch Trust Board Scholarships, which were first established in 1994.
For both Christina and Heidi, receiving the scholarship has meant more than financial support. It has also provided recognition, encouragement, and a reminder that their hard work, curiosity, and commitment to their studies matter.
Christina Sieberhagen: Protecting the places we love
Christina Sieberhagen is studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science, majoring in Environmental Contamination, and is about to begin her Honours year.
Her pathway into environmental science began early, shaped by time spent outdoors with her whānau and a deep connection to the moana. Swimming, windsurfing, sailing, surfing and snorkelling were all part of her life growing up, and those experiences helped her understand how closely people are connected to the natural environments they love.
Christina remembers seeing Greenpeace billboards on the way to primary school that raised awareness about oil drilling. As someone who already loved the water, those messages helped her understand how environmental issues can affect not only the places we care about, but also the wildlife that call those places home. Receiving the Trust Board Scholarship has made a practical difference as Christina begins Honours study. She says it means completing Honours will cost effectively half of what it otherwise would have. “Of course, being a student, every bit helps,” she says. “I think on a bigger scale receiving the scholarship serves as motivation and reinforces that I am on the right path.”
Christina describes the scholarship as gratifying recognition and says it has bolstered her confidence going into what she hopes will be the “victory lap” of her university journey. Her time as an ākonga has not always been straightforward. One of the biggest challenges was finding where she fitted. With so many options available after high school, choosing what to study felt difficult. She began at a different university, in a different study direction, before realising she needed to find a place and degree that suited her more fully.
That move eventually brought her to UC and to a degree she loved. Christina says finding the right environment helped her build balance, support her hauora, and grow into interests she may not otherwise have pursued. A good friend played a major part in that change. During Christina’s first semester of study, when she was unsure of her direction, that friend shared her own experience at UC and encouraged Christina to look beyond what felt comfortable. “Without that friend I would have never moved to Christchurch, started at UC, and completely changed the direction of my life,” Christina says. Since moving to Christchurch, that friend has remained someone Christina could talk to, bounce ideas off, and spend time with, especially as Christina went straight into flatting rather than the typical halls experience.
When asked what she is most proud of, Christina does not point to one single academic moment. Instead, she is proud of maintaining balance across her studies, extracurricular activities, several jobs, outdoor adventures, holidays, social life, physical health, and quiet time for herself. “As a student, it is always a juggling act no matter what your priorities are,” she says. Christina’s advice to future ākonga is thoughtful and practical: what you say no to is just as important as what you say yes to. She encourages students not to be driven by FOMO or by what their peers are doing, but to leave space for the opportunities that are right for them. “Being involved with the things that juice you will save you from burnout down the line,” she says.
After her studies, Christina’s overarching goal is to make a positive difference through her career. She is interested in travelling, gaining work experience overseas, and using those experiences to help choose the pathway she wants to pursue. For Christina, striving for excellence is about fulfilling potential, challenging herself, and putting her energy into work she cares about.
Heidi Van Der Peet: Engineering meaningful solutions
Heidi Van Der Peet is in her third year of a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with Honours.
Before university, Heidi spent two years working in adventure tourism, where she worked with interesting technologies in the outdoors space. That experience helped shape her direction. With a natural interest in maths and science, she was inspired to explore how she could approach the outdoor industry through a mechanical engineering lens. Since beginning her degree, Heidi has discovered just how broad engineering can be. Looking ahead, she hopes to work in design, in a role that collaborates across a variety of industries to create meaningful solutions.
For Heidi, receiving the Trust Board Scholarship has been both financially helpful and personally affirming. “Receiving this scholarship is not just financially beneficial — it is also an affirming acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication that I have put into my studies,” she says. The scholarship has given her motivation to stay focused and continue building her engineering skillset. Like many students in demanding degrees, Heidi has had to learn how to balance her commitments. Engineering requires focus and effort, but she has also learned that wellbeing matters. Intentionally making time for hobbies such as tramping, biking, and skiing has become an important part of staying well while doing her best academically.
Heidi is quick to acknowledge the people who have supported her educational journey. She has been taught by teachers and lecturers who encouraged her curiosity and passion for learning. Her parents have had the greatest influence, providing her with a strong education and encouraging her to pursue her career aspirations. One of Heidi’s proudest achievements so far has been co-founding UC Girls Outdoors in 2025. The university club gained more than 400 members in its first year and created a community for female university students who share a passion for outdoor adventures. “Building a community of female university students who share a passion for outdoors adventures has been incredibly rewarding,” Heidi says.
Her advice to future ākonga is to take time to learn about what interests them before choosing what to study. For Heidi, passion gives purpose and dedication to learning. That sense of purpose also shapes how she thinks about academic excellence. Striving for excellence reflects her passion for mechanical engineering and her motivation to gather the skills and knowledge she needs to become a capable, well-rounded engineer in industry.
Recognising excellence, confidence, and possibility
Christina and Heidi are studying in different fields, but their stories share clear themes: curiosity, resilience, courage, and a strong sense of purpose.
Both have found direction through the things they care about deeply. For Christina, that connection began with the moana and a desire to protect the environment. For Heidi, it grew from outdoor adventure, technology, and the possibility of designing meaningful solutions.
Both have also learned that study is not just about academic performance. It is about balance, community, wellbeing, support, and having the confidence to follow a path that feels right.
Graduate Women Canterbury warmly congratulates Christina Sieberhagen and Heidi Van Der Peet on receiving the UC GWC Trust Board Scholarship. Their achievements reflect the purpose of the scholarship and the wider work of Graduate Women Canterbury: supporting women to access education, pursue excellence, and create meaningful change through their studies and future careers.