Largest ever Lincoln University graduation
Lincoln University has hosted the largest graduation ceremony in its 146-year history, with over a third more qualifications being awarded than in 2023.
Over 1000 certificates were awarded yesterday, compared to 753 last year, reflecting the university’s gigantic growth in recent years.
The student population is expected to exceed 5000 by the year’s end – with 4000 enrolments confirmed as of early April – propelled by a 20% semester one cohort increase.
Last year, 4784 enrolments were recorded, up 1000 from 2022, continuing a five-year growth trajectory. The most popular discipline remained management and commerce, with 1842 enrolments.
Vice-chancellor Professor Grant Edwards said rising student numbers underscored Lincoln University’s increasing influence in the future of land-based sectors.
“Our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute direct to industry, and our employment outcomes remain high, at 84%.”
One graduate, Aimee Blake, secured a consultancy job for EY after earning two masters degrees – one in management and agribusiness, and one in agriculture commerce.
She returned to study in 2021 after leaving a stable job with Mars, to immerse herself in sustainability and address food sector issues.
Lincoln was fees-free at the time, so, having grown up as a sixth-generation Waipa farmer, “it just seemed to make so much sense” to change career, she said.
Blake recalled experiencing a “rocket ship effect” after joining Lincoln – securing a scholarship, a science challenge, founding a community and co-chairing another during her studies.
Her research topics spanned from sustainable agritourism with the Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit to information and land use decision-making from farmers’ perspectives.
Picking up a second year-long degree was completely unplanned, Blake said, prompted by a few chats with the right people, and a research opportunity that was too good to pass up.
“Some of the beauty of being involved in New Zealand is it’s quite connective, so if you’re willing to put yourself out there and just ask and talk to people, then naturally things start to flow your way.”
Blake’s networking led her to co-found Girls Who Grow in her last years at Lincoln, a charity to encourage youth involvement in agriculture and connect them back to nature.
She also co-chaired Future Farmers NZ, an advocacy group for farmers, innovators and researchers to connect and work towards a healthier farming sector future.
Reflecting on the past few years, Blake said there were “a lot of personal time commitments” but she “wouldn’t change it for the world”.
“It’s all definitely benefited one or the other, like my networks with Future Farmers helped some of my masters research and vice versa.”
Now at EY, Blake is continuing to work on “incredible projects with amazing people”.
“There’s a lot of work to be done in the sustainability space and a lot of opportunity, particularly in agrifood, for New Zealand,” she said.
She encouraged others considering a return to study to simply “give it a crack” and follow their passions, as she did.
“Pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is something that can be really scary at first, but once you start doing it, there’s so much opportunity out there – if you’re willing to go after it.”
Meanwhile, 120 out of 1400 Open Polytechnic graduates nationwide took part in a ceremony at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Wigram, Christchurch, on Thursday.
They graduated with qualifications as diverse as early childhood education, social work, funeral directing, business, library and information studies, and construction, among others.