13 February 2007 Future Leaders Scholars settle in to campus life

Twenty-three new Future Leaders Scholarship holders were welcomed to the Lincoln University campus by Vice-Chancellor Professor Roger Field on 11 February.

This is the second year of the scholarship programme at Lincoln University. Thirty-one scholars were in the first intake, in 2006.

The scholarships are available to students who have demonstrated leadership potential at school and have gained NCEA Level Three Certificate, including University Entrance, in the year immediately prior to registering at Lincoln.

Schools from Helensville's Kaipara College at one end of the country to Invercargill's Southland Girls' High School at the other are represented among this year's scholars.

The University staff members involved with the administration of the programme are Professor Tony Zwart, Cora Baillie and Mike Morley-Bunker.

From furthest north –

Because Lincoln is a "national" university, that is one that draws its students principally from the country as a whole, rather than a single local catchment, it showed up prominently in a study last year of tertiary students' travelling patterns. Lincoln is the New Zealand university to which attending students travel the second greatest distance. The average Lincoln student travels something like 340 kilometres from home to attend the University.

Wide national representation among the student body at Lincoln contributes to the University's distinctive character and it lays the foundation for Lincoln students to develop friendships and networks with people from around the country.

Among this year's Future Leaders Scholars, the three northern-most students at Lincoln are Hannah Presswood from Kaipara College, Helensville; James Davidson from Sacred Heart College, Glendowie, Auckland; and Robert Kidd from St Kentigern's, Pakuranga.

James and Robert are both enrolled for Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) degrees and Hannah is enrolled for the Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology.

James was House Captain at Sacred Heart, Vice-Captain of the First Cricket XI and a member of the Second Rugby XV.

Robert was Head Prefect at St Kentigern's and Captain of the Rowing Club. In rowing he has been a NZ Juniors triallist and a North Island Under-18 representative.

Hannah was Deputy Head Girl at Kaipara College, a member of the First Hockey XI and winner of the college's prestigious Audrey Larkins Short Story Writing Award.