Meet Sahiti Peddisetti, a fourth-year student at Lincoln University in New Zealand pursuing a Master of Science in Food Innovation. With her passion for arts and culture, she has been an inspiration to many, working to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment on campus.
Peddisetti was awarded the Cultural Excellence Person of the Year Award and a Gold Award for Cultural Excellence in 2022 at the Lincoln University Blues and Golds Award Ceremony.
“From childhood, my parents encouraged me to participate in Indian cultural events. I also enjoyed working with people and planning such events. Since high school, I’ve been actively involved in arts and cultural committees and always applied for every opportunity that came my way. I think I followed the same passion through university,” she told The Indian Weekender.
Peddisetti has also received recognition for her efforts towards fostering a sense of community and camaraderie amongst Lincoln University’s international students, with initiatives to connect and support them during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.
Peddisetti has been at Lincoln University since 2020. She completed a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Food Science in 2022, and returned to pursue her post-graduation. The Indian Weekender spoke to Peddisetti about her student life and experience of planning cultural events and celebrations of different ethnicities at her university.
Peddisetti was born in Auckland but grew up in Christchurch. She credits her family, especially her father, for keeping her involved in cultural and artistic activities. “He has a great passion for organising badminton tournaments and other cultural activities. He is always the source of motivation and confidence,” she said.
Throughout her time at Lincoln University, Sahiti has been actively associated with several student clubs and societies. She has been a part of the Agriculture and Life Sciences Society, Te Roopu Wheako Tauira, and the Lincoln University International and Cultural Society (LUICS).
“I have been a part of the executive team for the Agriculture and Life Sciences Society, which is a student club established in 2022, aimed at connecting like-minded students in the AGLS faculty. In addition, I am a part of Te Roopu Wheako Tauira, the Student Experience Team (SET) at Lincoln University. Through SET, I facilitated and participated in Mental Health Awareness Week and NZ Chinese Language Week events,” she said.
As the president of LUICS, she was instrumental in organising cultural events like Eid celebrations, cultural quiz nights, fun events like spicy noodle challenges, and weekly badminton sessions.
She believes that events hosted by both clubs and the university incorporate diverse concepts and views from different perspectives.
“The entire process of brainstorming, planning and executing events helps people from different backgrounds to share their perspectives and experiences, which fosters a sense of belonging in the International students,” she said.
Her experiences in leadership, events and clubs have significantly changed her outlook on cultural diversity. As the president of LUICS, she was able to provide better input into the way her club functioned and had the chance to represent Lincoln at various university events and panels.
“I’d say that I find this experience very special since I sit somewhere in between domestic and international due to my upbringing and experiences as a Kiwi-born Indian,” she said.
Describing her current role, she says, “As a class representative, I actively provide feedback to the university by closely communicating with the faculty dean, LUSA, course examiner and classmates. I also volunteer as a Student Buddy and Mentor, assisting new students at Lincoln University. At present, I am the mentor for LUICS executive team, supporting the new executive committee in their roles. And finally, I sit on the AGLS Society executive committee as a Postgraduate Representative,” she said.
Peddisetti believes studying at Lincoln University has been a great experience and has helped her grow as a person. She is thankful to the leadership at Lincoln for giving her lots of opportunities and mentoring her.
“I also look up to the amazing wahine (women) in leadership and research at Lincoln, such as my supervisors and staff members who contribute to the community through service,” she said.
Advising international students to get involved with student clubs or organising cultural events on campus, she said, “Just go for it! It’s a great feeling when you connect with different people, and an amazing opportunity to learn about other cultures. It makes a great CV, but also helps build your interpersonal skills and learn how to work in a team effectively.”
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