All Harper: A Year in Review – part one

It’s been quite the year for us all, but before 2021 draws to a close, and we look to embrace the New Year, let’s take a look at some of the All Harper blog highlights of the past 12 months.

We truly started the year with a bang with not one, but four of our students winning prestigious awards. The cascade of success was started by Chloe Darby winning the KRUUSE Veterinary Nurse of the Year Award, which was then followed by Daniel Jackson being named as the recipient of the RSPCA’s Farm Animal Welfare Award.

The latter half of the month saw the RUMENCO Beef and Sheep Award be given to Harper Adams Agriculture Graduate  Frances Thomas. Seeing out the month, Lucy Thompson was presented with the Agribusiness Leader of Tomorrow Award

We then turned our focus to the Harper Adams apprentices in February’s National Apprenticeships week of 2021.

Celebrations continued for students and staff as alumna Grace Welling was announced as the Farmers Weekly Agricultural Student of the Year, and Harper academic Nicky Hunter was awarded a Doctorate for her teaching research.

In March, to paraphrase Abigail Adams, the wife of American revolutionary Thomas Adams “we did not forget the ladies,” as we celebrated International Women’s day, by showcasing the achievements of the women of Harper Adams. Staff members also got to work alongside the NFU Education Team and bring Agriculture to the classroom in Science Farm Live.

Student stories in May included, budding entrepreneur Fiona Wilshaw who ran tours of her family farm during lockdown and Holly Boardman, who achieved a managerial role on her placement year with Canine Capabilities.

Our students and graduates also became regular features of radio, television and social media in this month as Ben Chilman took to the airwaves with his farming and mental health focused podcast.

John Halton, a Farmers weekly Agricultural Student of the Year nominee discussed being an agricultural influencer on TikTok, while Harper graduates Jack Wyatt and Tom Beach spoke on BBC Radio 4 about bringing autonomous farm machinery to the UK.

Turning to June, Fresh Produce Management graduate Christine McDowell shared tips for writing CVs and applying to graduate jobs in a two part special. Senior Engineering lecturer Sam Wane was also featured on our website due to his determination to deliver practical learning experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic

Animal Behaviour and Welfare student Tammy Wilson spent her placement year on a farm that offers farmyard and animal experiences to disadvantaged children and it's this warm and fuzzy story that sees us through to the second half of the year.