24 July 2006 Lincoln University offers opportunities for a full life

"The great thing about Lincoln University is the way it gives you lots of opportunities and challenges to get involved in so many different aspects of student and university life in addition to your course," says second year Bachelor of Agricultural Science student Matthew Wild from Makarewa, Southland.

A past pupil of James Hargest High School, Matthew came to Lincoln University because he wanted to expand his knowledge of agriculture and get a qualification that would allow him to go into the agricultural industry with the aim of pursuing either farm consultancy or work as a fertiliser representative.

One day, in the long term, he would like to own his own sheep and beef farm in Southland.

"Living in Southland where farming is so strong and where there are many past graduates, I just knew Lincoln University was the place to go. I knew about it mainly through word of mouth among the farming community and also through the Southland Careers Expo," he says.

Since starting at Lincoln University in 2005 Matthew has been a student representative in his Hall of Residence, the famous Hudson Hall, a Student Ambassador for the University's Schools Liaison Team and he has helped promote the University at the 2005 Southland Careers Expo and also on a visit to his old school, James Hargest High.

Matthew is very loyal and enthusiastic about Lincoln University and will be back at the Southland Careers Expo in Invercargill again this year helping to promote the University.

A keen sportsman at school playing tennis, squash and badminton, as well as representing his school in squash, Matthew has made good use of the Recreation Centre on the Lincoln campus, keeping up his squash and badminton in particular.

He's also made good use of nearby Mount Hutt ski fields, only about 90 minutes’ drive from the University, where he's been polishing up his snowboarding, and he enjoys other outdoor pursuits such as hunting and water sports.

On the all-important study side, Matthew has won two scholarships – a Lincoln University Alumni Association Scholarship which covered full fees for his first year and allowed him to get through 2005 with reduced student debt. He also won another scholarship last year which continues this year, the Edmund Sanderson Jeff Farm Scholarship for students doing agricultural courses.

Lincoln University has a wide range of scholarships on its books, a number of which are specific to Southland candidates, and Matthew is hoping for further scholarship success before he's finished.

Lincoln University's Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, the course Matthew is doing, is a four-year course involving 39 weeks of practical work.

Most students choose to do their practical work in three 13-week blocks over three summer vacations so everything is fitted within the four years.

Experience on a sheep and beef property and on a dairy farm are compulsory for the practical work, with the choice of the third type of farming being optional.

Matthew has already done his sheep and beef practical work, on property at Mimihau. It was rolling to steep country and he says it was good to experience farming on this type of terrain.

He has also worked on a property at Springhills.

Elizabeth Hill of the University's Practical Work office says that the University is well served by Southland farmers offering students practical work positions.

"The many dairy conversions in Southland have opened up lots of opportunities for students to complete their dairy requirement there.

"We do however encourage students to do their practical work away from their home regions as this provides them with a greater challenge," she says.

This summer Matthew is planning to do his dairying practical work on a property in Canterbury.

Like most students towards the end of their second year he is starting to lay the groundwork for his career options. He appreciates the opportunity he has had to join two Lincoln University graduates out on the job, getting an appreciation of their type of work – John Hodgkin of Ravensdown Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd, based at Winton, and Randall Aspinall of PGG Wrightson, in Invercargill. He found the experience very valuable and thanks them both for their kindness.

For further information about Lincoln University's agricultural courses see www.lincoln.ac.nz