Shivani Agrawal

Success at an impromptu poetry writing competition at age 13 made Shivani Agrawal realise she had a talent for writing she could pursue.  

“I had a little diary. I would write poems in it, especially when I had a disagreement with a friend,” she says. 

Five years later her competition success led to her researching writing degrees, and Shivani found herself moving out of home, away from her family to a new country and the University of Waikato by herself.  

“I saw positive things about the University's writing programme online. I always wanted to do something with media or communications. When I searched, ‘how do I study writing?’, this was one of the programmes that popped up.”

Shivani had never heard of Waikato and knew very little about New Zealand, other than being a big fan of cricketer Daniel Vettori.

The unknown didn’t stop Shivani, and she encourages others to challenge themselves as well.

She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Professional Writing from the University. 

“I really admire the craft of Tracey Slaughter, Senior Lecturer in English and Writing Studies, and Catherine Chidgey, Associate Professor of English and Writing Studies, who have been my mentors throughout my writing journey right from my bachelor's to my master's. Also, I appreciated the opportunity to be in a city that has a writing community.” 

Shivani enjoyed her experience at Waikato so much that after gaining work experience and navigating the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and despite receiving an offer from Portland State University in the US, she returned to Waikato for her master’s.

I wondered, should I do something scary and exciting again, or go somewhere I knew had a solid foundation and a programme waiting for me? I came back, and it was the best decision I ever made. 

Shivani’s advice for future students is to have fun, stay open to learning and constructive criticism, and attend your lectures.

“I took Creative Writing Voice and Image with Tracey Slaughter and Creative Writing Nonfiction with Catherine Chidgey, and they really shaped me as a writer. I enjoyed the workshops with small groups, sharing work and giving feedback were invaluable."  

“It was a non-judgmental space where encouragement and diverse perspectives made me realise I was a better writer than I thought.” 

Ideally, Shivani would like to be a full-time creative writer, but in the meantime, she is grateful her degree can translate into many different opportunities.

“Right now, I work in healthcare communications, where I am able to apply the skills I developed through my degree in a practical workplace, drawing on both empathy and strategy."

Alongside the professional application of her degree, Shivani still finds ways to nurture her creativity. 

“I am currently an assistant judge for the Sargeson Prize for the second time, and recently also had the wonderful opportunity to perform at the Hamilton Arts Festival 2026 on a stage curated by Tracey Slaughter.”