MBA graduates celebrate success

Directors, managers and senior staff from companies including Saatchi & Saatchi, KiwiRail, Fonterra, Telecom and the ANZ are among the 48 students who have graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Massey University this year.

The cohort, from around New Zealand, marked a milestone in their professional careers at a ceremony in Palmerston North.

Student Lynda Davison, a management consultant, was among ten who achieved a distinction – despite this being her first foray into tertiary education.

Ms Davison, who has no university qualification, says making the top grade was a perfect way to thank Massey for accepting her into the programme as an equivalent status student.

“It's great to achieve distinction, it certainly isn't an individual achievement though. Family, friends and a supportive cohort/study group are paramount,” she says.

Top student was Laura Aileone, a project manager at District Health Boards New Zealand, who received her award from Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Business Barrie MacDonald.

There were 17 students from the Auckland region, 12 from Palmerston North, 11 from Wellington and eight from Christchurch of whom four received a distinction.

Guest speaker at the graduation dinner was former New Zealander of the Year Sir Ray Avery.

MBA programme director Andrew Barney paid tribute to his predecessor Professor Martin Devlin, who was honoured with an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in June, and spoke about the programme extending into Southland.

The MBA graduates of 2011 join a Massey MBA alumni of 2,500 people in senior positions in New Zealand and around the world.