Co-op smooths university path for student

Lockhart, 19, is currently in her second year of study towards a Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce and says the $5000 scholarship money will go a long way in helping her complete her degree.

“Everyone knows the expenses at university can add up, especially when you’re living away from home, so it was pretty awesome to receive the phone call telling me that most of my fees would be paid by the scholarship,” she says.

She was encouraged to apply for the scholarship by a friend who was a former recipient and said it was attractive because of the opportunities it provides.

“What really stood out to me about this scholarship was that it’s not just about the money – Ravensdown encourages you to become a part of their community through their paid work opportunities. You get the chance to meet with some great people in the industry, which is really helpful when you’re starting out in your career,” she said.

Lockhart is originally from a small sheep and beef farm in Feilding, but chose to head south to attend university because she wanted an adventure.

“I went to high school in Palmerston North and so Massey would have been the natural choice, especially because my Dad is a senior lecturer there. But I wanted to experience new things, so I’m really glad I made the decision to come down to Lincoln.”

This year Ravensdown has awarded four scholarships to assist students with their tertiary studies, with a combined value of up to $30,000. The scholarships also include additional opportunities for paid holiday work and training.

Bruce Wills, a director of Ravensdown, and the Ravensdown Hugh Williams Scholarship Committee chair, says awarding these scholarships is about developing future leaders in the agricultural sector.

“We want to ensure there is plenty of support available to budding agricultural professionals and this scholarship is a part of that,” he said.

“This scholarship is not just for the benefit of Sarah; it benefits our whole industry to invest in the next generation of agricultural professionals.”

The scholarship was established to commemorate the service and dedication of the late Hugh Williams, who was a Ravensdown director from 1987-2000. One scholarship is awarded each year and the successful applicant receives $5000 for each year of study remaining. In addition, the recipient is offered the opportunity of paid holiday work at Ravensdown.

The Ravensdown Hugh Williams Scholarship is intended to encourage undergraduate study in an agricultural or horticultural degree and is open to the children of Ravensdown shareholders who are undertaking full time undergraduate study on selected courses at either Lincoln, Waikato or Massey University. Application forms are available on the Ravensdown Careers website (http://careers.ravensdown.co.nz/), with applications closing in December each year.