A University of Aberdeen student has twice as much to be celebrating following a recent double success.
Sonia Stephen, a young, rural development student, has been awarded a scholarship from the John Fotheringham Memorial Trust to help her further her career in the agricultural industry and has had a double success by coming second in a national essay competition organised by IEMA, the Institute for Environmental Management and Assessment.
She has recently returned from a six-week study tour in Shetland where she investigated the environmental, economic and social effects of the ending of the environmentally sensitive area scheme.
Following her scholarship, she said: “I am currently studying in order to obtain a postgraduate Master of Science degree in Sustainable Rural Development at The University of Aberdeen. As the pace of my year-long course is very fast, I am already using the award given to me by the John Fotheringham Memorial Trust.
“I am very pleased that I have received the Scholarship. It has meant that I was able to stay a bit longer in Shetland and speak to more organisations, crofters and farmers”.
“I will be able to return to Shetland to present by findings to the Shetland agricultural community and hopefully be able to make suggestions for future agri-environmental policy in Shetland.”
The John Fotheringham Memorial Trust awards grants of up to £2,000 annually to young people under the age of 35 employed in the agricultural sector and its ancillary industries. The Trust was set up in 1991 in memory of the late John Fotheringham, a former Managing Director of the farmers’ co-operative, North Eastern Farmers. He was also the first President of the UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association.
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of originality and the topic’s potential contribution to the agricultural industry.
With regard to the double success in the national IEMA essay competition, Sonia is delighted to have gained second place. She said: “Part of the prize is a certificate and a distance learning course with the University of Bath. Successful completion of the course will enable me to become an associate member of IEMA”.
It is expected that Sonia’s essay will be published in a future edition of The Environmentalist magazine. Sonia’s essay focused on the short-story The Man Who Planted Trees by the French author, Giono. The story is about a shepherd called Elzéard Bouffier who plants trees in the alpine Provence region of France. Sonia’s essay interpreted the story in an economic way covering themes such as sustainable development and property rights.
The prizewinners were announced at the recent IEMA Annual Conference which was chaired by Professor Brian Clark, Chairman of the North Board of SEPA, and who teaches on the Sustainable Rural Development MSc Programme at the University.
Professor Clark explained: “Sonia is a highly talented student. This double success is a fitting reward for all her hard work and effort that she has put in over the last few months. She is certainly worthy of both the scholarship and the competition award and I would like to congratulate her on behalf of the University of Aberdeen.”