Celebrating Lincoln's leaders of tomorrow

The awards celebrate some of our best and brightest in our Future Leader Scholarship Programme, which aims to develop leaders of the future as they actively contribute to local community and campus initiatives alongside their academic studies. 

Throughout the night, students heard from a variety of speakers, beginning with Future Leader Programme Coordinator Ilse von Hirschberg. 

“We work to develop well-rounded, open-minded, conscious leaders,” she said.

“The individuals recognised today are exemplars of this.”

Guest speaker and Future Leader alum George Letham gave the students some inspiration by sharing his journey through the programme into his current role with Fonterra.

Awards were presented to standout scholars from each year of study, with the winners peer-voted by the scholars themselves. The honours were handed out by Ilse Von Hirschberg, Dean of Environment Society and Design Tim Smith, and Scholarships Adviser Sue Smart. 

First up were the Servant Leadership Awards, which Ilse explained were “for those who see leadership as an opportunity for service, quietly giving many hours of their time to make the world a better place for all.”

The recipients were Sean Keating (first year), Troy Volman (second year) and Lily Mcclure (third year). 

Next, the Future Leader of the Year awards acknowledged students who have embodied the values of the programme through and through.

“They role model excellence, engagement and integrity with a genuine interest in developing themselves and others,” Ilse said.  

The recipients were Harriet Johnstone (first year), Alex McCorkindale (second year) and Millie Kennedy (third year). 

Runners-up for the Future Leader of the Year were Fraser Wilson (first year), Krugar Griffith (second year) and Katie Brown (third year). 

The final award of the evening, Project of the Year, went to the highly successful Farm2Future, sponsored by Rabobank and supported through mentorship from Lincoln University's domestic liaison team.

Project of the Year 2024 Winners

Led by third-year students Lily McClure and Katie Brown, the project included a team of nine scholars who introduced 24 Year 12 students from across New Zealand to career opportunities in the food and fibre industries through a fully funded, three-day camp. 

Participants visited a range of land-based businesses, from dairy and sheep farms to food production companies, offering them a comprehensive view of the sector from paddock to plate.

Katie explained the goal was to help the young students find a career they would enjoy.

“Even if they’ve grown up on a beef farm, they might not have ever stepped foot on a dairy farm.”

About half of the pupils had grown up in an urban environment and had no agricultural experience at all.

Lily said they “didn’t want people to think agriculture was just working on a farm,” but rather an industry full of diverse opportunities. 

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with one Year 12 student describing the experience as “the best thing I’ve ever said yes to.” 

Ilse von Hirschberg emphasised the unique, student-led nature of the initiative as a driver of its success. 

“The participants spent three days with our scholars, where they experienced a more relatable and customised experience through the ‘by students for students’ philosophy.”

Next year will mark 20 years of the Future Leader Scholarship, a programme that is unique in Aotearoa. Open to students from any discipline, it offers an extensive three-year leadership development experience.

Lincoln University is incredibly proud of our past and present Future Leader scholars and is excited to see how their mahi shapes the future.