“I live in Ardee in Co. Louth where I went to a DEIS school, so you could say I found my path to university in my own way. I live on a farm, and I was the first one in my family to go to a big university like DCU. In my community school, the focus was on going to the local colleges or doing apprenticeships.
I did a lot of research and Business Studies at DCU seemed like a good choice for me. I didn’t get the exact points required, but I got a place through the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme.
When I got into DCU, my Access Officer helped me with the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant, which was great because we had taken out a loan to pay for college. My parents didn’t want me to work, because with the long commute from Ardee, I’d have no time to study. They’re very supportive in that way. They know I have this opportunity and don’t want me to waste it.
“The Access Office helped me apply for an Access to the Workplace summer internship after my first year. I got a placement with Bank of Ireland, which was a great experience.”
You can have imposter syndrome a bit, but it was nice to be given a chance. The people I worked with were amazing, and they were very happy with me. I got lovely feedback, which really boosted my confidence.
Now, I’m an Access Ambassador with DCU and help the first-year students in the Business Analytics class with Excel and analytics. I don’t think my secondary school teachers would believe it, as I was always the quiet one!
“As an Access Ambassador, I help students in DEIS schools who might want to go to college. I tell them all about what I’m studying and the benefits of it. I want to show them that you can still be given a chance, even if you’re not the most outgoing of students.”
Supporting the Access Programme gives hope to a new generation. It shows that if every child is given the opportunity, they can really bring something to society. It’s really taken the strain off me financially and I can enjoy my time at DCU, work harder and learn more.”
