Rate My Professor Michelle Taiaroa-McDonald

In her leadership position, Taiaroa-McDonald emphasizes manaakitanga, fostering a sense of whānau and home away from home for Māori tauira amid record enrolments exceeding 2,400 students. The Centre delivers comprehensive services such as academic coordination and tutoring, the Kā Rikarika o Tāne mentoring programme for male students, registered counselling, chaplaincy, pastoral care, and community liaison support through a dedicated team of kaitakawaenga, kaiwhakahaere tari, and other specialists. Her approach maintains the foundational kaupapa established by predecessors like Pearl Matahiki, who served for 18 years, while extending tautoko from a mana whenua perspective to ease the transition for students from distant regions. Additionally, Taiaroa-McDonald contributes to external committees, including the Māori Advisory Rōpū and Otago Local Advisory Committee for Fire and Emergency New Zealand, enhancing her impact on Māori community outcomes.