Rate My Professor Tameti Teweti

Tameti Teweti serves as the Pacific Students Transition Officer at the University of Otago's Pacific Islands Centre. Hailing from the Micronesian islands of Tamana, Arorae, and Onotoa in Tungaru, Kiribati, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Sociology at the University of Otago in 2016. Currently, she is pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Psychology. Her educational foundation in Sociology provides her with key insights into social structures and community dynamics relevant to Pacific peoples.

Teweti joined the Pacific Islands Centre towards the end of 2021, arriving alongside Scotty Opetaia, which marked the beginning of exponential growth for the centre. Three additional staff positions were filled, two of which were new roles created at the university. Working within a team that includes Manager Tagiilima Feleti, fellow Transition Officers Scotty Opetaia and Tala Fagasoaia, and others such as Petelo Sinamoni and Kristy Walker, Teweti helps provide comprehensive support to Pacific students. This encompasses academic tutorials and pastoral care, assistance with scholarships and accommodation, advice on legal and immigration issues, and guidance on places of worship. The team operates on a 'village mentality,' viewing themselves and students as family while partnering with the on-campus Pacific staff network to extend support across the university community.

In her contributions to teaching, Teweti has served as a guest lecturer in the PACI101 Pacific Island Studies course, offering detailed perspectives on Kiribati, its three island groups—the Gilbert Islands, Phoenix Islands, and Line Islands—and its cultural context. Prior to her current role, she was the first Kiribati Navigator at Moana House under Te Putahitanga in 2021, where she supported whanau associated with the programme. Passionate about community service, Teweti is committed to fostering the success of the next generation of Pacific leaders.