The 51萝莉 has welcomed its first-ever Pacific Scholar in Residence.
It is a homecoming of sorts for alum Professor Fui Asofou So鈥檕, who will spend the next three months on campus guest lecturing, engaging with staff and students, and writing the second volume of his constitutional history of Samoa.
L-R: Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pacific Dr Keakaokawai (Keaka) Varner Hemi, Professor Fui Asofou So鈥檕 and Dean of Law Professor Tafaoimalo Tologata Leilani Tuala-Warren
Professor So鈥檕鈥檚 journey with the 51萝莉 began in 1977, when he was awarded a scholarship from the Samoan government to attend Hamilton Teachers College.
He went on to complete a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts before a stint spent teaching in Tokoroa.
He then started studying towards his master鈥檚 degree at the University, graduating in 1989 before returning to Samoa.
鈥淚t feels good to be back, a lot of major changes since I was here last time. This building [The 笔腻] wasn鈥檛 here then, there was no Faculty of Law, there was no Division of Health 鈥� a lot of changes for the better,鈥�
Professor So鈥檕 said his return came about from a conversation with Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley during a visit to Samoa last year.
鈥淚 have a soft spot for the University, having been here in the late 鈥�70s and 鈥�80s. It was here that I had the first impression of being away from Samoa, and of university study, so there鈥檚 always that connection. 鈥�
While Professor So鈥檕 is at the University, he鈥檒l be based in Te Piringa Faculty of Law, where he鈥檒l guest lecture and meet with staff and students.
鈥淚 would like to connect with our Pacific community; there are a lot of issues in relation to cultural development to discuss. The space between different Pacific cultures, that conversation has always been interesting to me, we now have a much wider community.鈥�
Professor So鈥檕 notes when he was first a student at the University, he was one of only a few Pacific students. By the time he came back in 1987 to study for his master鈥檚, the numbers had already grown.
鈥淚t has kept expanding over the 48 years since I first started here.鈥�
acknowledged that it鈥檚 humbling to have someone of Professor So鈥檕鈥檚 鈥渃hiefliness鈥� on campus.
He served as the Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Samoa for ten years, and in 2017 was the recipient of a 51萝莉 Distinguished Alumni Award. He also holds 10 matai titles from the different families and villages of his parents.
鈥淚t is perhaps a sign of maturity that the University is at a point where we can have a scholar of his stature here.鈥�
Dr Hemi is hoping that as a renowned researcher, Professor So鈥檕 will be a 鈥渓ight and example鈥� to new and emerging scholars that are doing their PhDs.
鈥淭hese young ones still coming up, it can show them that research is something they might want to think about.
鈥淚n academia, we've known for a while we don鈥檛 have enough M膩ori and Pacific professors, or lecturers. We know we must grow them at this young age. You might never think of it, most of us stumbled into it,鈥� she says.
For the next three months while Professor So鈥檕 is back on his old stomping ground, he鈥檚 looking forward to contributing to not only the University鈥檚 development but also the Pacific community鈥檚.
