Three generations of learning at Massey

Raymond William Poskitt, better known as Ray, was the first in the family to study at Massey, doing so while working as a primary school principal. His daughter, Professor Jenny Poskitt, was inspired by childhood visits to the university library and went on to build a career at Massey spanning more than 35 years. Her son, Tim Doidge, chose Massey for practical reasons, but it was also where he met his future wife. Their stories reflect how university study has changed across the decades, and highlight how the connections people make through learning can last a lifetime.

A university that fitted around work

Mr Poskitt began his university studies while living and working in the Nelson region. Having trained at Dunedin Teachers’ College, he became a primary school principal and wanted to deepen his knowledge of education and leadership.

Massey’s distance-study options made that possible. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1972, studying part-time while working, then returned to complete a Diploma of Education in 1982.

At the time, studying by distance required considerable planning and patience. Assignments were usually handwritten, library books had to be requested in advance and posted to students, and completed work needed to be sent by post with enough time to reach the university before the deadline.

Professor Poskitt remembers offering to type one of her father’s assignments after noticing he regularly received B+ grades for his handwritten work. She had been learning to touch-type at night school, so she put her new skills to use.

Father and daughter were delighted when the assignment received an A grade.

“Perhaps the marker could decipher every word. Or perhaps a typed assignment simply appeared more authoritative,” she says.

Distance study also created opportunities for friendships. While living in the Nelson region, Mr Poskitt met fellow teacher and student Rex Dalzell. Their study sessions developed into a lifelong friendship between the two families, which continued into the next generations.

For Mr Poskitt, Massey provided a way to keep learning while continuing his work in education. That combination of study and professional life would also shape his daughter’s experience.

From the library to the lecture room

Professor Poskitt’s connection with Massey began long before she enrolled.

As a primary school pupil, she accompanied her father to the university library. A keen reader, she was awed by the rows of books and told him she wanted to study at Massey. Attending his graduation ceremony reinforced the ambition, with the pageantry of the capping parade making a lasting impression.

Massey was also the closest university to her home in Ashhurst, allowing her to remain at home while studying at Palmerston North Teachers’ College. She completed her Diploma of Teaching alongside the pathway towards a Bachelor of Education, graduating in 1983 after securing a scholarship for an additional year of study.

While working as a primary school teacher, Professor Poskitt continued her education part-time, completing a Master of Educational Administration in 1989. The programme was delivered by distance, known at the time as extramural study, using printed booklets sent through the post.

Although much of the learning happened at home, compulsory block courses during school holidays brought students to campus to meet lecturers and classmates. Professor Poskitt remembers these gatherings as opportunities to exchange ideas and form friendships that extended well beyond the classroom.

Her studies also opened unexpected professional doors. After assisting with undergraduate marking, she was recommended for a research role on a national education project. Later, when a lecturing position became available in the Department of Education, she was encouraged to apply.

She began as a lecturer in January 1990, with the opportunity to pursue a PhD as part of her appointment. She completed her doctorate in 1994 while working at the university, where she has continued her academic career.

Professor Poskitt ‘s memories of studying also include the other sides of university life. She discovered Massey’s Recreation Centre during the era of Jazzercise, attending classes with friends in brightly coloured lycra leggings and leotards. More than 40 years later, those friendships remain and she still attends fitness classes at the Centre.

A practical choice and an unexpected meeting

When it came time for Professor Poskitt’s son to choose a university, his approach was more like that of an accountant.

Having enjoyed accountancy at secondary school in Palmerston North, Mr Doidge decided to pursue a Bachelor of Accountancy. He also researched which university would make the most financial sense.

Studying at Massey’s Manawatū campus meant he could live at home, use free student bus transport and avoid the cost of flights and accommodation. An Eastern and Central Energy Trust scholarship helped towards his first-year fees.

Mr Doidge completed his degree in 2020, studying both full-time and part-time. His experience was a world away from his grandfather’s handwritten assignments and postal deadlines, with digital resources and student support forming part of his university life.

The library still played a central role, however. He remembers the staff helping him upload a photograph for his student ID. It was also where he met fellow student Hana, who would become his wife.

Ms Doidge studied a Bachelor of Food Technology with Honours, graduating in 2021, before completing a Master of Engineering in 2023.

Learning across generations

Although Mr Poskitt passed away in June 1995, he had the opportunity to attend his daughter’s doctoral graduation. He never met Mr Doidge as a university student, but his influence on his daughter’s approach to learning continued throughout her life.

Some of her fondest memories involve conversations with her father while they washed the dishes after evening meals. Mr Poskitt enjoyed hearing about the latest research and educational theories his daughter was reading about. His questions and practical critiques often prompted her to investigate ideas further.

The conversations worked both ways. Professor Poskitt shared the theory, while her father drew on his experience as a school principal to explore how those ideas might work in practice.

“That exchange captured the value of learning that reaches beyond the classroom and into everyday life,” Professor Poskitt says.

Mr Doidge, meanwhile, is proud of his family’s connection with Massey and the generations who studied before him.

While their reasons for choosing Massey were different, each found something that extended beyond a qualification, whether that be professional opportunities, lifelong friendships or family connections.