“Once you realize how much potential you have you can go anywhere” and that is exactly what Dilworth helped Harrison Dudley-Rode to discover.
Harrison, a former Dilworth student and Staples Education Foundation (SEF) scholar, always had a great passion for sport, which he was able to cultivate throughout his time at the school, while at the same time making the most of the opportunities provided by the school academically, gaining a broad range of skills and interests.
After graduating, he took on another opportunity offered by the school, spending a year abroad in Ireland as an international tutor. While overseas he was able to see the world from a different perspective and learn more about himself - an experience he recommends strongly to current Dilworth students.
Although he didn’t take a direct pathway to his final area of study, Harrison believes that all the opportunities he had throughout his years at Dilworth, and while overseas, led him to where he is now, a recent graduate of a bachelor’s degree in science, majoring in Physiology.
“My intended career path has changed many times since leaving school, from Engineering to Medicine and finally, where I am now, which seems to meet a nice balance between being strongly intellectually challenging, while also very practical and hands on. “
The Staples Education Foundation Scholarship was another great opportunity he was able to get from being a Dilworth Student.
“The SEF scholarship and community helped me to follow my passions within sports and allowed me to continue to compete at a high level without the added financial pressure that university brings. It meant that I could continue to do the things I wanted outside of university without needing to maintain a constant part-time job which allowed me to concentrate more on what really mattered.”
One of the aspects of the scholarship that Harrison enjoyed the most was being able to have a mentor, who was a great help in connecting him with people in the areas of business and sports, as well as helping him raise funds to go and compete in the Ironman World Championship. But it was also the opportunity of having a great person to chat with -and get great advice from - that he valued most.
Harrison is continuing his studies for one more year at AUT, doing a Masters in Sport, Exercise and Health with a focus on Performance Physiology. He would like to help push the boundaries of athletic performance and create a new pathway for aspiring athletes to train more smartly and realise their potential.
His recommendation to any Dilworth student who is lucky enough to receive the Staples Education Scholarship in 2023, is to take every opportunity that the Foundation offers and connect with as many people as possible.
Harrison exemplifies how taking all the opportunities provided to students by Dilworth School and the Staples Education Foundation can ultimately lead students in pursuing their passions, just as it did for him.