Three postgraduate agricultural students from across the UK have been selected as this year’s recipients of The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust’s ‘Centenary Award’.
Launched by NFU Mutual to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2010, the award scheme gives annual bursaries to pay 75% of course fees for selected postgraduate students in agriculture.
2013 was the fourth year of the scheme, and the three selected students are:
Bradley Towell: MSc Rural Estate Management, Royal Agricultural University
Eleri Tudor: MSc Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement, The University of East Anglia
Joseph Phoenix: International Food and Agribusiness MBA, Royal Agricultural University.
Announcing the recipients Richard Percy, NFU Mutual Chairman, said: “We understand the financial pressure placed upon postgraduate students today and are keen that the very best students have the opportunity to shape and play their part in the future of the agricultural industry. The Centenary Award scheme is just one way NFU Mutual is demonstrating its commitment to the farming community and young people in particular.”
The award was open to students who had gained, or were expected to gain, a 2:1 or above in agriculture or a closely related degree, and had been accepted on a Masters or PhD course in agriculture in the UK.
To select the students, the award’s judging panel looked for applicants who were not only excellent academic performers, but were also committed to the future of agriculture. The objective was to select potential rural leaders of the future, so that the bursary payments will not only help the individual students, but also benefit the agricultural industry at large.
Mr Percy added: “NFU Mutual is all too aware of the many challenges facing our industry today and the issues which affect those living or working in rural communities.”
