Fanaafi Aiono-Le Tagaloa prepares to graduate in December 2009, as the first Samoan-born person to gain a doctorate in law from Otago University. Compared with Asian and European New Zealanders, a far lower proportion of Pacific people have earned university degrees. Aiono-Le Tagaloa's success was hard-won. She faced financial challenges and took a break to earn money back in Samoa, so she could continue studying. She also received support from her family and from a university scholarship.