A relative newcomer to tertiary study, Napier’s Marianne Gannaway is setting a cracking pace.

Last week, the mother-of-two was feted as the first student to graduate from EIT Hawke’s Bay with a Certificate in Business.

Marianne gained her certificate in better than double quick time, completing the 34-week, full-time programme in just 13 weeks.  Her achievement was celebrated with a special afternoon tea at the Maraenui Learning Centre, which has been her study base.

EIT chief executive Chris Collins presented Marianne with her certificate and a bouquet of colourful flowers.

“I’ve been fairly obsessed over it,” Marianne says of her study effort.  “Once I started, I wanted to keep going.   I found it good having the support at the Maraenui centre – Angela Houkamau, the centre’s coordinator, was wonderful.   Lecturer Gay Robertson was also very helpful.” 

Angela Houkamau says there was no stopping Marianne, who juggled her study with part-time jobs and running a household with the support of her partner, Dave.

“She was so enthusiastic and committed that she simply flew through her assignments.”   

Marianne developed a taste for study as the first to achieve EIT’s National Certificate in Computing (Level 3).  Now the mother of Ruby, 15, and Ira, 13, is seriously considering staircasing to EIT’s National Diploma in Business – a programme she can study part-time and online.

Marianne was setting a wonderful standard, Mr Collins told those attending the celebration.

“This achievement says something about her self-direction and self-motivation.”

Mr Collins also paid tribute to the families of students like Marianne.

“They make a difference in getting around people who succeed.” 

EIT was looking forward to many more students completing this programme in coming years, Mr Collins said.