KEELEY Warren's future in agriculture just took a giant leap forward, after the teenager was awarded a $10,000 travel scholarship to visit the dairying regions of South-East Asia.
The 18-year-old from Nowra, NSW, was named as the recipient of the inaugural travel bursary last Thursday at the Royal Melbourne Show by the Royal Agriculture Society of Victoria (RASV).
The RASV scholarship was part of the dairy youth handler competition.
As part of her application, Ms Warren submitted a 1000 word essay about her career aspirations, and also spoke to the judges about international trade.
"I'm so surprised to win," the teenager said. "I was up against some really great applicants."
She is currently in her first year of an animal science degree at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, and works part-time on a local dairy farm at Nowra.
"My goal is to become an animal nutritionist," she said.
"I think it would be a great way to work at improving animal health, travel around the country and see how different farms operate."
It is the first time the RASV has awarded the $10,000 travel bursary, which involves a two-week trip to Indonesia and Vietnam.
RASV chief executive Mark O'Sullivan said the scholarship was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which would enable Ms Warren to take a closer look at the global dairy industry and international trade prospects.
