Maureen Mariner Fepuleai

Position

Lecturer Academic Research; BAC Practicum Facilitator

Teaching area

Counselling

Biography

Maureen?is a graduate of the?BAC?programme, having returned to study as a mature student many moons ago. Maureen is the proud Mum of five adult children (and adopted in-laws) and?seven?(and counting) grandbaby-heartbeats.

After graduating?with her counselling degree, Maureen decided to follow her passion for addressing family and sexual violence issues within her Samoan community. She completed her?Master’s?research study with?Te?Wananga o Aotearoa, focusing on the Samoan cultural practice of?Feagaiga.

Maureen?started her doctoral studies with?UoW, later transferring to the University of Otago where she graduated in December 2025 with her PhD.??She?understands the pressures, fears, and challenges of being a?mature?Pasefika?student.

In her spare time, Maureen?wears multiple hats that focus on aiga (family), church,?community?and wellbeing?service.

Why I love MIT

I love MIT because this is where I started to find my voice again. The lecturers we were blessed with, during the time I studied,?encouraged?and challenged me to heights that I never thought possible before I started my study journey with MIT.?To say I?am?grateful?I chose MIT as my?port of return?to study years ago,?is?an understatement.

I love MIT because we are?located?within the?Pasefika?Heart of Aotearoa New Zealand. We are in South Auckland; the largest population of?Pasefika?in Aotearoa. This location makes it accessible so they can heed the call to enter through our doors?and feel welcomed; to find?their own voices,?establish?and nurture their own identities, discover and magnify their talents, skills, and magnificent gifts.

I am now on the other side of the study space, as a staff member of the School of Health & Counselling, and I remember each day in this role to provide for our students, the same (if not more) level of genuine care,?empathy,?safety, support,?professionalism?and?mana-enhancing?challenge, as I was given during my time as a student of the BAC?programme.

Publications

Research interests

  • Pasefika.?Disability.?Pasefika?and Education. Family and Sexual Violence. Indigenous. Wellbeing.?Pasefika?Identity