Five students from Devon have recently been awarded scholarships at a presentation which saw more than £200,000 awarded to 99 pupils
Michael Brown, 19, from Exeter; Ross Edwards, 22, from Gulworthy; Kate Jones, 20, from Winkleigh; Rosa Malseed, 21, from Newton Abbot; and Thomas Oates, 19, from Plymouth were all awarded financial support at the recent Harper Adams University Development Trust Scholarships presentation.
Some students will also be provided with employment during the sandwich year of their degree programmes.
Michael, a second year BEng Honours Agricultural Engineering student, who previously attended Blundell’s School in Tiverton, received the Lord Stafford Scholarship.
Says Michael: “I would like to thank Lord Stafford for this award, and also the Harper Adams University Development Trust for the work involved in making the application process possible. This award means a great deal to me as I will be going on my work placement next year. I will be able to get fully involved and make the most of the placement process. This financial backing will help me progress in my studies at Harper Adams.”
Upon graduation, Michael, who is chairman of the Harper Adams 4x4 Club, wants to work within the design and development aspect of a tractor and machinery manufacturer.
Ross is a final year Velcourt Dairy scholar, due to graduate this summer with BSc Honours in Agriculture. A former Tavistock College student, Ross says: “I am very grateful for Velcourt to be supporting me in my final year of my studies at Harper Adams. After completing my placement year on a Velcourt dairy and really enjoying it, I will be going back to join them on the trainee farm managers scheme in spring 2015.
“I intend on going travelling to Australia and New Zealand after graduating, as Velcourt have given me the opportunity to do so while holding my job offer open.”
As part of his scholarship, Ross spent his placement year working on a 3,800 acre estate on the south coast of Dorset: “Having come from a beef and sheep background, placement gave me a good insight into the dairy sector,” adds Ross, who has his own flock of pedigree Texel sheep and enjoys the breeding and selling of the progeny.
Kate, who moved to Winkleigh from Canada before starting her studies, won the British Poultry Council Scholarship, awarded by Cargill Meats Europe. Kate, who is currently on the BSc Honours Agri-Business course at Harper Adams, says: “I am absolutely thrilled to be awarded this scholarship. It will reduce the financial burden of University, while enabling me to get experience in an industry I’m really interested in.
“This scholarship will also assist with my living expenses while living in Hereford next year for my placement with Cargill. I will be working and assisting in trials at various Cargill sites ranging from the breeding farms, rearing farms, hatcheries, broilers as well as spending time in the office. I am hoping to pursue a career in the poultry industry after completing my time at Harper Adams.”
Rosa is a final year Dalehead scholar, studying agriculture with animal science and previously attended Okehampton College. Rosa says of her scholarship: “I am very grateful. It means I can afford to expand my knowledge of the industry by attending conferences and study tours. This spring, I am off the Netherlands to visit leading research farms on ruminant and swine nutrition.
“Last year, I was on placement with the Lamb Procurement team at Dalehead Foods in Pembrokeshire. Dalehead Foods is a division of Tulip, and solely supply Waitrose with all their pork, bacon and lamb. I worked closely with the Lamb Procurement Manager and I also had many of my own projects to undertake. I was made very welcome from the start, and being part of a small team I had the opportunity to get involved in most things going on.
“I spent time out on farm meeting producers, I visited the abattoirs and as part of one of my projects worked in the factory yielding lambs and met the entire Meat Buying Team at Waitrose on many occasions. I gained valuable experience and learnt new skills which will benefit me in the short term and in the longer term with my career.”
Thomas is a BPEX pig industry scholar, supported by Wayland Agriculture. The former Plymouth College student says: “The pig industry excites me massively as there are opportunities to excel and be fascinated by the subjects within pig farming.
“Although I have never worked with pigs, while working with beef cattle I became most interested in improving performance through genetics and nutrition. I am very enthusiastic and excited by the opportunity to work with both indoor and outdoor pig production systems at Wayland Farms.”
