Congratulations to Tate Redgrave, who has won the 2025 Southern Hearing Charitable Trust scholarship.
Each year, the Southern Hearing Charitable Trust (SHCT), in partnership with Forsyth Barr, awards a $5,000 scholarship to support a Cochlear Implant (CI) recipient in tertiary study.
Tate was presented with her award in April, with David Kent (Southern Hearing Charitable Trust Board Chair), Neil Heslop (SCIP CEO), Jonathan Davidson and Nikki Jacobson (Forsyth Barr) in attendance. Her mum Kylie, nanny Trish, and Great Aunty Lana were also by her side.
Tate’s story is one of determination and resilience.
In primary school, she was the only Deaf cochlear implant user—navigating classrooms where communication didn’t always come easily and opportunities to learn New Zealand Sign Language were limited. “Being profoundly Deaf and raised in a hearing environment, I often felt caught between two worlds,” Tate shares.
Tate and her family
Tate learned to rely on herself, building independence and confidence along the way. “Communication barriers and limited understanding… pushed me to become independent in the classroom,” she explains.
Outside the classroom, Tate discovered a passion that would further shape her mindset. “Taekwondo is more than just a sport to me,” she says. “It is a discipline that has ingrained in me the core qualities of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and an indomitable spirit.” After five years of training, she earned her second Dan Black Belt.
Tate has since competed in national tournaments across New Zealand and internationally on the Gold Coast in Australia. “It proved to me that hearing loss and disabilities do not limit what I can achieve,” she says.
Now, Tate is preparing for her next chapter at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, where she plans to study a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Development Studies and Philosophy. “I want more than just a degree,” she explains. “I want to study something that will broaden my mind… and help others succeed.” Her goal is to better understand global challenges and contribute to solutions around inequality, poverty, and injustice.
The $5,000 scholarship will help make that possible. “[This support] will let me focus on my studies and continue to represent the Deaf community with pride,” Tate says.
Congratulations, Tate! We are looking forward to hearing about what you achieve next.
Main picture (L-R) Neil Heslop (SCIP CEO), David Kent (Southern Hearing Charitable Trust Board Chair), Tate Redgrave (Scholarship recipient), Jonathan Davidson and Nikki Jacobson (Forsyth Barr).