Lute Tamali'i tops Foundation Year

By Deidre Fanene 08 December 2016, 12:00AM

She’s done it again. This time, aspiring civil engineer, Lute Tamali’i Mundia, who topped Robert Louis Stevenson School last year, is the Dux of the Foundation Year at the National University of Samoa (N.U.S) for 2016.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer, she said she’s very pleased and proud of her accomplishment.

Lute Tamali’i Mundia is the second to the youngest child of Niu and Lawrence Mundia. She hails from the villages of A’opo, Vaitele-fou and Zambia.

 “I’m really overwhelmed,” she said. 

“I worked really hard but at the beginning I didn’t really expect to be the top student.

“I kind of cruised along until mid semester when I felt that it’s not good to just cruise along at school and that I have to work hard.

“So being in this position right now is like a really big crown for me because I thought I couldn’t do it but I guess I could. And that’s the same for everyone else who thinks they can’t do anything. My advice is anything is possible if you work hard.”

The 19-year-old said she is thankful she has a brother in the same year who pushes her.

“One of the challenges is definitely having to compete with my brother because we are in the same year but other than that all the Science students are really smart and just as capable of getting this position,” she said.

 “But what got me through was my mother who really encouraged me to continue working hard even though I felt like giving up at most times.”

She went on to say that her motivation is being independent.

“What really motivates me is actually not motivation when my parents forcing me to do school work but I like doing things on my own,” she said.

“So when I feel like I can accomplish something on my own it makes me feel independent.

“So with this is trying to get the grades that I have gotten makes me feel like I didn’t have to rely on my parents to force me to do school work or my siblings to encourage me to do work all the time.”

So what’s the next step?

“Hopefully I’ll be going to Australia to study civil engineering and I’m looking forward to that journey,” said Ms. Mundia.

“I know it’s going to be another challenge and it doesn’t end here but for now I am just going to celebrate this achievement.”

By Deidre Fanene 08 December 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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