Originally from Dublin, Ciara Conran graduated from DCU with a BSc in Education and Training in 2010. Now, working as a as an Educational Leader in Perth, Ciara reflects on her life growing up in Clondalkin and the support the DCU Access Programme provided her with to complete her third level education. “My mother fell...Continue Reading
Sarah Torrans is a third year General Nursing student at DCU from Knocklyon, Dublin. Sarah manages a busy schedule of completing her degree at DCU while also representing both DCU and Ireland on the hockey pitch. In this piece, she gives an insight into the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup, the 2021 Olympics and the...Continue Reading
CitySwift is just one of the successful businesses that has passed through DCU’s UStart programme. Brian O’Rourke, founder and Chief Executive of CitySwift, explains how the company first began and how UStart supported and guided the company to success. Where did the business idea for CitySwift come from? The initial idea for CitySwift originated back...Continue Reading
Launched in 2018, GiveBack.ie is a passive way to raise funds to end street homelessness in Dublin. By downloading the social app, online shoppers can donate to the cause of homelessness without having to make a direct donation. Instead, the 1,200 retailers partnered with GiveBack.ie make a 1% to 10% donation on the online shopper’s...Continue Reading
Colm Costigan was a very active man, having ran four marathons and competing the Ring of Kerry, until he suffered a heart attack which left him unable to walk. Colm explains how DCU’s Exoskeleton Programme has helped him get back on his feet. “I retired to Moneygall, County Offaly, with my wife two years ago...Continue Reading
Originally from Cavan, Amy is currently studying a Masters in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society in DCU after graduating with a BA in Journalism from DCU in 2019. In this piece, Amy describes how the Access Programme has supported her during her studies over the past four years. “Although neither of my parents went...Continue Reading
Datascan is a second generation Irish family business that specialises in document and information processing. In this piece, Orla Cafferty, Director at Datascan, explains how her parents founded the family business and how Datascan is handling the current global Covid-19 crisis. How did Datascan first begin? My parents, Padraic and Patricia, started a security service...Continue Reading
DCU Access students embody DCU’s mission to transform lives and societies. Chloe Fowler is just one of these students, who, as a final year student teacher at DCU, became the first past pupil to return to her former school in inner city Dublin as a teacher. In this video, Chloe explains how DCU’s Access Programme...Continue Reading
Anne came to Ireland from Nigeria to seek asylum in 2016. She has lived in the direct provision system since that time and in 2017, she began her MSc in Management of Operations through DCU Connected, with support from DCU’s University of Sanctuary initiative. “Moving alone to a country with a different culture can be...Continue Reading
After several family bereavements, Kim wasn’t sure if she would make it to university. In this piece, Kim explains how DCU’s Access Programme helped her to secure a place in DCU’s Marketing, Innovation and Technology course and stay in the course, despite facing many challenges. “I currently live in a council estate in Swords with...Continue Reading
