Don Linklater Memorial Bursary awarded

Horizons Regional Council have awarded four environmental studies students with a Don Linklater Memorial Bursary for 2021.

The Don Linklater Memorial Bursary was established to honour the contribution made to the region by the late Don Linklater, who was Horizons Regional Council Chair from 1989 to 2000.
 
This year councillors agreed to increase the overall annual bursary to $8,000 and the number of potential recipients. The bursary was open for students studying at either undergraduate or postgraduate level.
 
Horizons councillor Fiona Gordon says that this decision was made to encourage and support more people into study subjects directly aligned to Horizons business, and also acknowledging the need to encourage local iwi/hapū students into environmental studies.
 
“These students are the future of environmental management in our region. Supporting them in their study contributes to investing in the future management of our natural resources,” says Cr Gordon.
 
Horizons councillor John Turkington says this year’s applicants were of an exceptional calibre, and we’re pleased to be able to provide the bursary to four of them.
 
“We’re pleased to announce our the successful recipients awarded for the 2021 academic year are Monique Corson, Gemma Fraser, Rochelle Lowe, and Meschka Seifritz,” says Cr Turkington.
 
Monique Corson is from Feilding and is studying a double major in Environmental Studies and Sociology at Massey University. She says that it’s important to understand both the physical happenings within the environment, and the human processes that are causing this change. Ms Corson wishes to help create and implement environmental policy that not only maintains and improves the state of our natural environment, but also maintains the wellbeing of the community within Aotearoa. 
 
Meschka Seifritz is also from Feilding and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Environmental and Māori Studies at Massey University. “I grew up colonised but found myself, my values and an incredible depth of knowledge within te ao Māori,” says Ms Seifritz. “I hope to combine western science and Matauranga Māori when considering New Zealand's environmental issues throughout my academic and working career. Next year I will be starting my Masters degree in freshwater ecology, working with iwi, hapū and marae.”
 
Gemma Fraser is from Palmerston North and is studying at Massey University, working towards a career as a policy analyst. “I love the big picture thinking and problem solving that goes into sustainable resource management,” says Ms Fraser.
 
Rochelle Lowe also from Palmerston North wants to be an environmental lawyer and is studying a conjoint degree in a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science majoring in Environmental Science and Geology at Victoria University of Wellington. This combines her strengths and passions.
 
Applications for the 2022 funding round will open early next year.