This week over 17,000 students will begin a new term in DCU, of these 360 will be new DCU Access students entering their first year in university.
Starting university is an exciting time but it can also be a daunting experience – leaving behind familiar settings, friends and possibly even home to start anew. It may be somewhat easier if your parents or older siblings have been there before you and can share the benefit of their experiences.
This is not the case for most Access students, many of whom will be the first in their family to attend university or will come from communities where very few neighbours and friends have attended third level education.
To ensure that new Access students get off to the strongest possible start in University, our Access Programme hosted a residential orientation from 30th August to 1st September to introduce them to college life.
Over three days, the participants discovered the DCU campus, learned about budgeting, presentation skills, group work and so much more. But perhaps most importantly, they established new friendships that will hopefully endure throughout their time in DCU and beyond.
We wish them the best of luck as they embark on what will surely be some of the most exciting years of their life!
