“What you can do at Harper, you really could not do anywhere else.”

Sigourney Kornjaca, originally came to a Harper Adams Open Day interested in one course, but came away with her heart set on studying BSc (Hons) Zoology and Environmental Management instead.

“I was the only person applying to study a degree in my class, and I was unsure as to which universities I should look at, so I asked my college teacher who recommended Harper Adams to me and I went away and registered for an open day.

“The Zoology and Environmental Management course was specific, but yet broad enough to allow me to specialise in the two subjects I enjoy the most,” says the final-year student.

“There were many reasons why I chose to study at Harper Adams, but the main ones were the university’s location and its hands-on approach to learning.

 “All of the land surrounding campus can be used for assignments and honing practical skills… what you can do at Harper, you really could not do at a city university or many others for that fact.

 “I also felt that the placement year and the ability to specialise early in my course would really help me get a successful career.”

Sigourney's year in industry actually led to the keen horse-rider altering her career plans.

“I’m not from an agricultural background at all, but for my placement I shadowed the Agronomist at Eurofins Agri-Science Services, and found that I had a real passion for Agronomy and Pest Management.

“I just loved it, it was something different everyday…one day I’d help trial a number of new insecticides, herbicides or fungicides and the next I’d be writing reports and analysing data to make sure the products were safe to release onto the market.”

Sigourney hadn’t heard about Agronomy before her placement, but is now applying to study MSc Integrated Pest, Weed and Disease Management, so that she can build a career in that area.

Now back on campus for final year, the Harper Adams Biological Society member is researching the effects of Ento-Myopathogenic fungi  - fungus that acts as a parasite and can kill and or disable – on  aphid behaviour for her Honours Research Project.

“I decided to use my project as a way of exploring an important topic in the pest management industry,” explains Sigourney.

It’s a subject I had no experience of, and I was slightly anxious about it, but the lecturers have been very helpful and if they cannot help you, then they will point you in the direction of a staff member who can.

“I’m so glad I decided to come to Harper Adams, everyone is helpful and you literally have everything you could want either on-campus or less than ten minutes away.”