Agricultural and horticultural students win scholarships

Massey agricultural and horticultural students were awarded scholarships at a presentation evening on the Manawatū campus last week.

Massey agricultural and horticultural students were awarded scholarships at a presentation evening on the Manawatū campus last week.

A total of 120 undergraduate and postgraduate students received funding from a range of sources to help them continue their studies.

Horticultural students did particularly well on the night, with many of the undergraduate students receiving funding. This was helped by a new scholarship funded by the will of Noeleen Olson and invested with the Massey Foundation. Miss Olson was a teacher at Roslyn School in Palmerston North for 28 years and an enthusiastic member of the local horticultural society. A total of $40,000 of scholarships funded by Miss Olson were presented to horticultural students.

Several commercial companies were represented on the night, with horticultural students receiving funding from Zespri, Horticulture New Zealand and FruitFed Supplies. The companies are keen to encourage more students to study horticulture at Massey University to meet the challenges faced by the industry.

Agricultural students were also well funded throughout the event by sponsors including FMG, Agcarm, Norwood and Ravensdown. Those students interested in environmental issues within agriculture received scholarships from Horizons Regional Council and the QEII Trust, among others.

The Lord Bledisloe Prize is presented each year to one student who has the best grades after two years of study at Massey University in agriculture, horticulture or agribusiness. This year’s award recipient was Hope Mauchline from Whanganui.

Presentations were made to students receiving funding from the Ann Sinclair Charitable Trust, the Harwood Farm Trust, the Sydney Campbell Trust and the C Alma Baker Trust.