Riseholme College launches new alumni association to mark 75th anniversary
Riseholme College has launched a new alumni association as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations.
The specialist land-based college, which has two campuses on the outskirts of Lincoln, is marking the landmark this academic year.
Riseholme specialises in agriculture, animal management, engineering and equine, whilst also offering courses in a range of other subject areas, and is using the milestone to reflect on its long and proud history.
It has now launched the Riseholme College Alumni Association, and is inviting former students from all years and subject areas to join.
Membership of the association includes:
· A VIP invitation to a special anniversary celebration event for stakeholders in June
· Invitations to other major college events, including its annual Student Presentation Day
· A twice-yearly alumni newsletter, including nostalgia and news updates from the college
· A Riseholme College Alumni Association pin badge.
Riseholme alumni working in industry will also have the opportunity to share their expertise and experiences with current students by delivering talks and masterclasses, as well as offer work experience placements.
The college is inviting former students to share old photographs and memories from their time at Riseholme too, some of which will be displayed at the celebration event.
Vice Principal Beth Curtis said: “We’re incredibly excited to be celebrating Riseholme’s 75th anniversary this year, and what better way than to launch our new alumni association.
“The college has such a rich tradition of training generations of Lincolnshire farmers and other skilled workers, and it’s only right that we invite them to join in the celebrations.
“It will also be an opportunity for some former students to reconnect with the college and potentially pass on their invaluable knowledge to our current cohort, to hep inspire them on their own career paths.
“We know there are many, many Riseholme alumni who will have incredible stories to share of their time here, and we’re really looking forward to them doing so during this special anniversary year.”
Originally a purely agricultural college, Riseholme has had affiliations with different educational establishments over its 75 years.
It first opened as Riseholme Farm Institute in 1949, and became the Lindsey College of Agriculture in 1966.
In 1980, it merged with its Lincolnshire counterparts in Holland and Kesteven. The combined county-wide college was then taken over by De Montfort University in 1994, before transferring to the University of Lincoln.
It has been part of Bishop Burton College, in East Yorkshire, since 2012, and is based at Riseholme Park and the nearby Showground Campus, next to Lincolnshire Showground.
Riseholme Park – the college’s original campus – is home to its renowned equine facilities.
The Showground Campus opened in 2015 with flexible teaching spaces, industry-standard engineering workshops and a state-of-the Animal Management Unit.
The second phase of the Showground Campus opened the following year, including the Agri-Tech Health and Nutrition Centre and Sports and Health Science Centre.
The college also opened its Centre for Agri-Food Technology, as part of the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology, in 2021.
Riseholme has diversified over the years, introducing different subject areas to its curriculum, whilst remaining true to its agricultural roots.
It now offers a wide range of further education and higher education courses, as well as apprenticeships.
· To get in touch about joining the Riseholme College Alumni Association, and to share any photographs or memories of your time at the college, email [email protected]