13 April 1999 Sixteen New Doctors Lead the Way at Lincoln Graduation

Seven hundred and thirty-three (733) degrees and diplomas will be awarded at Lincoln University's Graduation spread over two ceremonies in Christchurch Town Hall on Friday 16 April.

Heading the list are 16 doctorates, the same number as for each of the past two years, in fields including molecular biology, plant physiology, climatology, soil science, food science, and social history and leisure studies.

Six hundred and two (602) of the degrees and diplomas will be received in person and 131 awarded in absentia.

High points of the Graduation will be the conferment of honorary Doctor of Commerce degrees on Sir Ronald Trotter, former head of New Zealand's largest public company Fletcher Challenge, and New Zealand's Foreign Minister, the Rt. Hon. Don McKinnon. Both are old students of Lincoln and Mr McKinnon was a Vice-President of the Students' Association in his time there.

Sir Ronald receives his degree in the morning ceremony (starting at 10am) and Don McKinnon in the afternoon ceremony (starting at 2.30pm).

Lincoln University's Bledisloe Medal, the premier award exclusively for alumni or past or present staff members who have made outstanding contributions to New Zealand, will be presented at the morning ceremony. The 1999 recipient of the award, instituted in 1930, is horticulturist and former New Zealand Kiwifruit Marketing Board chairman John Palmer of Nelson.

As in recent years degrees and postgraduate diplomas in Commerce and Commerce and Management continue to make up the bulk the awards. Over 350 of the day's 733 total are in this area. Some 50 of the Bachelor of Commerce degrees being awarded are, however, of the tagged ‘Agricultural’ and ‘Horticultural’ variety.

The next largest grouping is the one traditionally associated with Lincoln – Agricultural Science, Agriculture, Horticultural Science, Horticulture, Farm Management and Horticultural Management. Degrees and diplomas in this area total 122.

Other significant groupings are Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management 71; Science (M.Sc. & B.Sc.) 63; and Resource Studies 54.

Masters degrees and postgraduate diplomas match last year, 60 and 81 respectively.

The ceremony sees the first award of Lincoln University's Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology degree – to Duncan McTavish of Taranaki. (Morning ceremony.)

The first award of the Sir Ronald Trotter Medal to the top graduating student in the agribusiness area is another feature. It goes to Jack Cocks of Clinton, South Otago. (Awarded in afternoon ceremony.)

Both ceremonies will be presided over by the University's Chancellor, Mr Malcolm Cameron, a Lincoln graduate himself and former Director-General of Agriculture.

Between the two ceremonies there will be an Academic Procession through central Christchurch to the Town Hall. It starts at the Arts Centre, Worcester Boulevard, at 1.00pm.

Ahead of Friday's ceremonies, Lincoln University has a ‘Campus Day’ on Thursday (15.4.99) for family members and friends of those graduating.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand