University of Auckland graduate Maselina Tufuga has drawn on her skills as a Waka Ama athlete to earn a Postgraduate Diploma in Business.
After years of balancing study with training, international competition, and a full-time role at the University’s Tai Tonga campus in Manukau, she graduated on 12 May—watched proudly by her family at Spark Arena, including her parents, Tufuga Lauvale Silao Silga and Fiapaplagi Kaisalina Tufuga.
Maselina (Leulumoega, Fasito’o Tai, Asau, Faleapuna/Sāmoa and Tonga) recalls her “all gas, no brakes” lifestyle, including competing at the Waka Ama World Sprint Champs in Hawai’i last August—with a paper due the day before racing.
“I remember asking the team to keep it down because I was recording a presentation due that night!”
While juggling her many commitments—including being a mother to 14-year-old son Luke—she nearly forgot to tell family she was graduating.
“It’s just so hard to be in the spotlight. But I am grateful and super proud of myself,” she laughs.
Luke, her son, introduced her to Waka Ama. A former competitive netballer, Maselina had ruptured her Achilles tendon several years ago.
“I joined a local team in Māngere Bridge and competed in my first Waka Ama Nationals in 2021—and what a journey it’s been since. In just four years, I’ve paddled my way to two world championships: the long-distance event in Sāmoa and, most recently, the club sprints in Hawai’i.
I picked up a paddle… and it just went hand in hand with my studies. We use a lot of Waka Ama terms—about paddling, being in sync—and it’s also in our DNA,” she says, reflecting on her Pacific heritage.
One of the highlights of competing in Sāmoa was having family members travel from their village to support her.
“When I paddled for Sāmoa, my whole family came out to town—you know, they rarely leave the village. It was about a 45-minute drive. There were flags and everything. There were aunties I hadn’t seen in ages. I was all over their social media—it was so great.”
Getting Down to Business
In her leadership role as a Team Leader at the Student Hubs, Maselina decided to further her studies at the University’s Business School, finally choosing a path aligned with her true interests—after initially beginning a Bachelor of Arts degree.
“My strengths were always in accounting, economics, and mathematics. I don’t know why I didn’t switch to commerce back then.”
She also noticed how few Pacific people were represented in the business space—something she hopes to help change.
“It wasn’t until I came across my lecturer, Dr Sisikula Sisifa, that I felt a sense of relief. There was someone Pacific—she was so down to earth and incredible. She’s encouraged me to pursue research later on, and when the time is right, to do a Master’s and write about Pasifika in the business space.”
Maselina hopes her next chapter of study will be less stressful.
“It was a good time in my life, but I do not recommend doing study that way. I didn’t take the advice to get in touch with my course coordinator, and I tried to do everything at once… and I think for our people, we often do a lot of that. I remember someone in my class saying—‘Why don’t you just give something up?’”
“I remember thinking, if you only knew—in the Pasifika world, you cannot just stop. Stop looking after your parents? Stop paying this bill? Stop doing that? It’s literally go, go, go.”
“It wasn’t easy—training, study, and family commitments almost took a toll. But it all worked out, and now I can look back and reflect on my achievements.”
Now in her third year as Team Leader at Tai Tonga, Maselina leads a dedicated team supporting students and the wider community throughout their academic journey.
“Recently I’ve been giving our Pasifika people a little nudge to shoot for leadership roles. They are the most natural leaders I can think of. We are in a world where it is all about people and culture—and we do it so naturally.”
“We are in a world where it is all about people and culture—and we do it so naturally.”
