Agriculture a noble profession

Captions: 1. Graduands marching proudly to the graduation area to receive their degrees, diplomas and certificates at the 13^th UNRE graduation last Friday.2.  Dux of the 2009 graduation degree class at UNRE, Michelle Jambui, receives her degree from Chancellor Sir Rabbie Namaliu. Apart from being the top overall student in her class, which earned her the coveted National Agriculture Research Institute Kana Aburu Medal, she was the top graduating student in industry project, animal science, crop science and rural engineering. As dux of the graduating class, Ms Jambui presented the respondent speech on behalf of her fellow graduands.

 

 

Graduating students of the University of Natural Resources and Environment in Vudal, East New Britain province, have been told to be proud of agriculture as a career.

 Student representative Michelle Jambui, also the dux of the degree class, said agriculture was often disparaged as a “low standard profession”.

 “I stand here today on behalf of all the graduating students as a proud product of this university,” she said.

 “In my study days, I have often heard people say that agriculture is a profession for those that cannot become lawyers, doctors and accountants.

 “Many perceive agriculture, and for that matter natural resource profession, as a low-standard profession for those with low academic aptitude.

 “I stand here today with my head held high for all our graduates and say this is not true.

 “Natural resources, its wise harvesting and sustainability provide the much-needed wealth of this nation.”

 Ms Jambui gave a vote of thanks to the New Zealand government for providing scholarships to all female agriculture graduates.

 She appealed to her fellow graduates to perform to the best of their abilities.

 “As we venture into our various professional fields, we must always be honest to ourselves and to our employers and perform our duties diligently with our utmost best,” Ms Jambui said.

 “As a start, we have to change our prespective and mindset from student hood to an independent and self-reliant person, willing to contribute to the nation, regardless of what our individual expectations are as a university student.

 “Regardless of how difficult our studies were, we overcame such obstacles with determination and perseverance.

 “Success in life means mastership and mastership means utilising every human force and power of the being, as well as the outer force, to reach your desired goal.”