Pitching in for Pacific at Otago celebration

University of Otago Pacific development director Dr Tasileta Teevale (centre) takes a close interest as student helpers Charles Radclyffe and Jasmine Wright prepare gift bags for participants in campus walking tours yesterday afternoon.

The tours were organised as part of "Pacific at Otago" celebrations of the university's 150th anniversary.

Many alumni have travelled to Dunedin for the Pacific events, including Deputy Head of State of Samoa Tapusatele Le Mamea Ropati Mualia.

As part of a two-day programme of Pacific-related anniversary events, a nine-hole Pacific Masters Golf tournament was held at Chisholm Links yesterday morning.

Dr Teevale said more than 1000 Pacific students were studying at Otago University, about half of them in the health sciences.

Pacific student numbers had continued to rise strongly since she began working at Otago University five years ago, when the Pacific student roll was about 400.