Lincoln grad delivers boost to primary industries

Lincoln graduation delivers boost to primary industries

New Zealand’s primary sector industries of agriculture, horticulture, viticulture and forestry receive a healthy boost of qualified personnel on Friday with a quarter of the 770 students graduating from Lincoln University receiving degrees, diplomas or certificates in these areas.

Lincoln University’s 2005 Graduation Ceremony is being held in Christchurch Town Hall at 2pm on Friday 8 April and the total of 770 receiving qualifications is 86 up on last year and the second highest total in the past five years.

Five hundred and fifty awards will be presented in person and 220 conferred “in absentia”.

The ceremony will be the first presided over by Lincoln University’s new Chancellor, Mr Tom Lambie, himself a Lincoln graduate, capped Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce in 1980.

While primary industry qualifications make up a quarter of the total, the largest single group of degrees, diplomas and certificates is in the Commerce area - 38 percent of the total, excluding the specifically agricultural commerce degrees.

Other significant groupings are Environment and Resources Studies 7 percent of the total, Recreation Management 5 percent and Tourism 4 percent.

Eighteen percent of the total awards being made are at the postgraduate level, including 21 doctorates.

Among those graduating are Canterbury Flames netballer Joanna McCaw, sister of All Black Richie McCaw, who will be capped Bachelor of Commerce (Agricultural) and New Zealand Women’s Cricket representative Aimee Mason, receiving a Bachelor of Recreation Management in Sport. Aimee is currently in South Africa for the Women’s World Cup tournament and she will have her degree conferred “in absentia”. Receiving a Bachelor of Commerce and Management degree and Senior Scholar accolade is 17-year-old Ray Hidayat of Christchurch who began Regional Education (part-time) degree studies at Lincoln University as an 11-year-old Year 9 pupil at Papanui High School.

Five special awards will be made at the ceremony - two honorary doctorates, the University’s Bledisloe Medal and two Excellence in Teaching Awards.

The pioneer of landscape architecture practice in New Zealand, Frank Boffa of Wellington, founder of the well-known firm Boffa Miskell Ltd, receives an honorary Bachelor of Natural Resources for services to landscape architecture and Lincoln University’s Emeritus Professor of Plant Science, Reinhart Langer of Christchurch, receives an honorary Doctor of Science degree recognising his services to plant science in New Zealand. Dr Michael Dunbier of Christchurch, foundation CEO of the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research Ltd, receives Lincoln University’s prestigious Bledisloe Medal for outstanding contributions by an alumnus to the advancement of New Zealand’s interests. Staff members Professor Steve Wratten, Professor of Ecology, and Dr David Dean, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, receive the University’s two annual Excellence in Teaching awards.

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