Stephanie Tiseli and Sione Kaufusi: A shared journey, graduating side by side
For Stephanie Tiseli and Sione Kaufusi, returning to study was a shared decision grounded in faith, family and support. “As husband and wife, we support each other,” Sione says.
Both originally from Auckland, Stephanie and Sione recently completed their postgraduate studies at Massey University. Stephanie graduated with a Master of Health Service Management, while Sione completed an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA). Studying full time while working full time and raising a young family was no small commitment, but the flexibility Massey offered made it possible.
“We decided to come to Massey because of the innovative ways study is delivered. The online and mixed modes were exactly what we needed as full-time workers,” they explain.
Their postgraduate journey didn’t begin at the same time. Sione started one semester earlier, and Stephanie followed soon after.
“He actually brought us into this,” Stephanie laughs. “I saw that it worked for him, and I thought, why not me as well?”
For Sione, studying together as a couple came naturally. “As husband and wife, we support each other. Family is really important to us. As Tongans and as Pacific people, we’re passionate about learning and further study,” he says.
Balancing work, study and family life came with challenges, but faith and community played a central role in helping them through.
“There were a lot of challenging moments. But all credit goes to God. Our faith has been a huge blessing in helping us navigate everything.”
Their motivation extended beyond themselves. With one young son, they were conscious of the example they were setting.
“He sacrificed just as much as we did. We’re trying to be living role models. Not just for him, but for our future generations.”
Graduation day itself was deeply emotional. For Sione, the highlight was the support he received from Stephanie and their wider family. “Family support is key,” he says.
For Stephanie, the moment carried extra meaning. “Graduating together as husband and wife was the highlight,” she says. “We met as undergraduates and didn’t graduate together back then. To now come back and graduate together at master’s level, it’s a big milestone.”
Looking ahead, both Stephanie and Sione are clear about what comes next. They plan to invest their time, energy and new skills back into their island communities.
“We feel a responsibility to use our degrees where we can make a difference. We’re taking everything we’ve learned at Massey and putting it into our bag of tools and bringing that back to our communities to help create positive change.”