The Hatch Student Living Story
Our Whakapapa
1977
Our campaign begins
Nearly half a century ago in 1977, a public meeting is held in Hamilton to raise funds to provide quality student accommodation for rural students to attend what was then the Waikato Technical Institute.
Led by the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers (now Rural Women NZ), a four-year fundraising campaign begins to raise funds to provide accommodation for rural students attending Waikato Technical Institute.
1983
The Student Village opens
The campaign gains enough community support for the government of the day to subsidise the community funds raised to build the Waikato Technical Institute Student Village on Collingwood St.
The Student Village officially opens on 15 March 1983 and is believed to be the first student accommodation to be associated with any technical institute in New Zealand.
A charitable trust (Waikato Polytechnic Student Residence Trust Board) is established to run the student accommodation.
2015
The Wintec Apartments is created
Together with Wintec, a new hall of residence – Wintec Apartments – is established by the Trust in 2015 for more mature students. This coincides with significant growth in the number of international students enrolling at Wintec.
Between one and two thirds of the Apartments are home to international students.
2017
Eco Village opens
Eco Village at Rotokauri Campus becomes the third Wintec accommodation facility on offer.
2020
Hatch wins Not-For-Profit Award
Hatch wins the Not-for-profit Award at the 2020 Waikato Business Awards