Emma Kinney, a second-year student in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, is this year’s recipient of the Sophia Michelle McMillan Crestani Memorial Scholarship.
There was only ever one subject for second-year mathematics student Emma Kinney, who is the 2025 recipient of the Sophia Michelle McMillan Crestani Memorial Scholarship.
Well, that’s not entirely accurate as at school Emma lapped up every subject, but mathematics always topped the list.
It was a passion seeded when Emma, who was brought up on a farm near Hyde, was in primary school. For an hour each day after school she completed a United States-based extension maths programme, and by Year 8 she was achieving high-school level maths.
However, it wasn’t until her final year at high school in Ranfurly that Emma started to recognise cracks in the way maths was taught, particularly as she didn’t have a maths teacher on site.
"I completed my final year of NCEA calculus and statistics courses with just a single weekly Zoom call. For the rest of the week, my learning was purely independent. Although it was far from ideal, I treated the situation as an opportunity to strengthen my resilience and self-discipline," Emma says.
She also observed widespread disgruntlement with the subject among other students, such as questioning the relevance of learning particular elements of the curriculum.
So, when Emma enrolled to study mathematics at the University of Otago, she was driven to do something about it. With a natural skill for teaching, including experience as a tutor and a qualified swim instructor, she decided to draw on her ideas and inspiration to create her own path.
Starting with a blank page during a study break, Emma distilled her thoughts into five priority themes that she felt were critical to the learning of mathematics.
"I wanted to build something that reflects what I believe in, aligns with students' needs, and enables teaching to be more responsive and personalised. The approach recognises individual learning styles and adapts teaching support to optimise learning growth."
The resulting Horizon Learning Model sits at the heart of Emma’s new business Horizon Tutoring & Coaching, which launched this year and is now supporting school and tertiary-level students across New Zealand.
Emma says she creates a space for students to learn in a way that is engaging and meaningful for them. “Tutoring students who need it most is how I believe I can make a real, national impact and that’s what drives me every day.”
Emma was awarded a mentorship with leading New Zealand business growth expert Darren Pratley at the recent Summit Youth Business Conference in Christchurch.
Her enterprising approach has also created other opportunities for leadership and business that Emma has seized with gusto. Through her involvement with King’s Trust Aotearoa New Zealand, Emma is currently in the first cohort of an extended programme with selected entrepreneurs across New Zealand, as well as a private mentor.
And during her recent attendance at the Summit Youth Business Conference in Christchurch she was awarded a mentorship with leading business growth expert Darren Pratley.
As this year’s recipient of the Sophia Michelle McMillan Crestani Memorial Scholarship in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Emma’s success in mathematics continues to expand.
“I really value this scholarship in memory of Sophia as it is rare to see females pursuing pure mathematics degrees. I also align closely with her commitment to community, as helping others is something I am passionate about and strive to embody throughout my journey."
Emma is now revelling in her studies in mathematics, with a minor in physics, which she describes as applied maths. She also serves as a class representative, which allows her to assess and reflect on the learning environment.
"It's a privilege to learn from lecturers who are so passionate about their subject. You will always find me sitting in the front row, making the most out of every class - almost as if I'm catching up for lost time.”
- Kōrero by Guy Frederick, Sciences Communications Advisor