Alex Dunn

Alex Dunn headed to New Zealand on a life-changing scholarship

Where will you be this time next year? Getting work experience in New Zealand? Winning awards for your business ideas? Or teaching children where our food comes from.

All this happened to Royal Agricultural University graduate Alex Dunn, who isn’t from a farming background, and it can happen for you too.

Alex, from Reading, currently works for The Farmschool, in Hertfordshire, a charity which teaches school children about food, farming, and the environment.

She hopes to make a career in dairy farming or to run her own business – all options are open for her, thanks to the support and inspiration she received during her time at the RAU. 

 “I had some fantastic lecturers and mentors and made life-long friends at the RAU. Then, after winning the Richard Wigram Scholarship, I spent a great year in New Zealand milking dairy cows, goats and even sheep! 

“I am not from a farming background and so I’ve made it my mission to gain as much quality work experience as possible.

“The RAU gave me the tools I need in the future to run a successful and sustainable business, as well as looking at the bigger global picture. Now I’m putting my academic learning and hands-on training together. 

“For my final year dissertation, I focused on how we need greater cooperation in UK agriculture if we want to increase productivity and resilience after Brexit. New Zealand farmers are some of the most progressive in the world and I’ve taken what I’ve learned back to the UK.

“I’ve also developed a business idea for an app to improve health and safety on farms - supported by the RAU's Enterprise Programme. It helped me to win the title of Farmers Weekly ‘Agriculture Student of the Year 2018’ and also investment from the Grow It award, sponsored by Strutt and Parker.

“There are so many opportunities out there and I am able to take hold of them thanks to what I learnt at uni, in New Zealand and from those who have supported and encouraged me along the way.”

Find out more about the life-changing degree courses offered by the RAU