Alyce in the new Rutherford building at the University of Canterbury where she attends 3 hour Physics and Chemistry labs each week.I have officially been a student at the University of Canterbury for the first Term of 2018. I'm studying towards a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours and aiming to specialise in Natural Resource Engineering for the three coming years and really relieved to say that I really can’t see myself doing anything else. As expected, the workload is tough, but I am loving the challenge and am really enjoying the content. I’m trying to involve myself with as much as my timetable will allow. I’m a first-year rep on the executive of the Women In Technology Society. I’m one of the class representatives of my Engineering Physics class which has about 800 people enrolled this means any issues, questions or queries I have to try and resolve or pass on to the right people. This has been a great way to a part of the more behind the scenes part of the University. I am also my Hall Representative for the largest club here at the Uni called the Student Volunteer Army, this role is designed to be the bridge between the halls around campus and the executive of the Student Volunteer Army. As well as these two roles, I am also an In Schools volunteer for Engineering Without Borders. This means I go into Christchurch high schools and hold sessions to Year 9 and 10 students demonstrating the importance of sustainable water and other resources. This is a mix of theory and practical lessons and it’s really rewarding to educate kids on how we can use our resources to help others who may not be as well off. I’m really enjoying being involved in as much as I can and expanding every minute of my time here. At first, the whole Uni experience was insanely overwhelming and it took some time to adjust to. But now that I’ve found my feet it’s safe to say I am really enjoying my time here at University although I would be lying if I said I wasn’t missing Ashburton College. It's great knowing the connections I made through my time at Ashburton College will always be there as well as the general ongoing support that comes from the Ashburton community. I really think that’s something really special.

The funds from the community services award that NBS Ashburton College Alumni Trust provided meant I was able to organise and purchase all of my second hand textbooks before the year begun. I really think this helped me put my best foot forward for the year and I can truly say they are used at least once a day.

Thank you very much once again to you all at the AshColl Alumni. It’s such a great initiative and I love seeing the archives of Ashburton College as it will forever be a place I will fondly remember.

Thanks again,
Alyce Lysaght

Alyce was the recipient of the 2017 NBS AshColl Alumni Scholarship.