Tessa Norton Campbell

Hailing from Rotorua, Tess recently finished a Bachelor of Science majoring in Chemistry but her study journey continues - she’s now working towards a Graduate Diploma in Teaching so she can reach her goal of being a high school Science teacher.  “Teachers and lecturers have played a huge role in helping me reach my potential and I’d love to be able to give back in the same way, supporting other budding scientists of the future to follow their instincts.”

Tess attended Rotorua Lakes High School and chose to pursue a Science degree at Waikato so she could stay relatively close to her family and study in a quieter, more humble University environment.

If there was one message she would like to leave with those considering a similar study path it is this: “Science doesn’t have to be scary.  I was always naturally really curious about the world around me and it was this curiosity and belief in myself that propelled me to keep learning.  That and an awesome support network."

“There’s always been a bit of a stigma which makes a career in science seem off-limits, but that’s really not the case and I’m a living and breathing example of that.  It’s a great degree that opens up a lot of doors and can take you in a lot of different directions."

There were times through her studies when Tess felt really challenged by the course content and overwhelmed by deadlines.  She got through these times thanks largely to her awesome support network and some incredible staff who invested time in getting to know her.

She has some simple advice for prospective students: "Get to know everyone, including your lecturers. You'd be surprised how helpful and awesome they all are."