Scholarships help Wairarapa ag students

Fifteen agriculture students were awarded scholarships from the Sydney Campbell Memorial Trust at an event at Massey’s Manawatu campus last week.

Sydney Campbell farmed Riverside Farm in Wairarapa until his death in 1977.

Riverside was placed in a trust to be used for the benefit of farming and is now leased by Massey and used for agricultural and veterinary research. Income from the farm, which had been in the Campbell family for 120 years, is used to fund the Sydney Campbell Scholarships awarded to Wairarapa agricultural students each year.

Sarah Crofoot and Stephanie Sloan were awarded the Sydney Campbell Postgraduate Scholarship.

Ms Crofoot, whose family owns Castlepoint Station, is in an honours year following a Bachelor of Agricommerce. Her research focuses on business models in the red meat industry in New Zealand and the United States.

She says the scholarship will make a huge difference. “It takes the pressure off financially and provides networking opportunities as well.”

Undergraduate scholarships were given to Shannon Buick, Jock Cameron, Helen France, Bridget Kershaw, Harriet Lawrence, Amanda Pottinger, Katy Price, Jacob Smith, Jessica Stewart, Rebecca Thomson, Jane Warren, Jessica Watson and Kathryn Woodhouse.

Trustee Gill Murray awarded the scholarships.

Overal, more than $350,000 was given to 102 students from trusts, agricultural companies and other donors at the event.