Our Scholars
What distinguishes Uversity's Scholars is their commitment to being transformed and transforming others as a result of the Scholarship and educational experience.
Meet Our Scholars
These brief profiles of Uversity’s Scholars provide an indication of their diverse experiences, locations, and disciplines. They are unified by their inspirational ambition and determination.
Ciara Hicks
Hayden Nightingale
Karen Horan
Michelle Murray
Octavian Visan
Patrick Lynch
Ciara Hicks
Ciara worked in the gaming sector prior to returning to education initially at the Cork College of Commerce. After her degree, Ciara intends to complete a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She eventually wants to “work as a mental health professional in Cork City in the public sector and provide therapies and support to people who need it and improve people’s quality of life.”
Hayden Nightingale
Hayden was motivated to return to education when he gave up his job to move back home to help care for his mother. Knowing that he “wasn’t living up to his potential” and wanted to find a career he had a passion for, he enrolled on Belfast Metropolitan College’s Access Diploma in Mathematics and Computing. After his degree, Hayden may pursue a Master’s in Corporate Governance and hopes to specialise “in the programming development side of the IT industry and more long term work on a self-employed basis and develop my own company.”
Karen Horan
Karen was brought up in a working class community and experienced the difficulties faced by the community in relation to equal justice. By working for Inclusion Ireland she built up skills in information provision. She went onto volunteer as a Citizen Information Officer, where she developed a passionate interest in Law. She recently joined the National Advocacy Service as the National Administrator where she works full-time while completing her degree. Karen intends to use her legal knowledge to give back to the community that has given her so much.
Michelle Murray
Michelle’s passion is for animal welfare, particularly horses. In 2016, she set up a project to support equine health and education with the Kildare Traveller Action group. She subsequently completed a Community Development & Leadership course prior to enrolling on her degree. She recently completed a Level 7 Certificate in Youth Studies at Maynooth University. Her ultimate aim is to set up a mobile equine health unit to help horse owners in disadvantaged and rural communities that struggle to access veterinary care.
Octavian Visan
Octavian worked for many years as a Hotel Receptionist prior to setting up his own tennis equipment business in 2014. The onset of ill health motivated him to further his education and change career direction. He has completed a Level 6 Business Administration course along with extra modules in Maths and Computerised Accounts. His work placement in Cora Systems allowed him to further develop his existing design and communication skills. With his degree, Octavian intends to start a career in Digital Marketing and open his own business in the future.
Patrick Lynch
Due to the onset of a degenerative back disease, Patrick had to cease being a self-employed carpenter. As he is also a musician, Patrick decided to pursue this alternative career path. He hopes to equip himself “with a qualification relevant to a career in music, arts and media” and to continue to develop his own creative ambitions as an artist.
Nadine Savage
Queen’s University Belfast Adult NursingNadine Savage
Queen’s University Belfast
Adult NursingNadine completed a Foundation Degree at Southern Eastern Regional College prior to enrolling on her degree while working as a care provider and singer. Nadine intends to seek further qualifications and education once she qualifies as a nurse. As she believes that “working in the community is the best way to make a difference in people’s lives,” she intends to specialise in community and district nursing and becoming a teacher within the profession.
Niamh Byrne
Dublin City University Health & SocietyNiamh Byrne
Dublin City University
Health & SocietyNiamh is from Co. Meath and has a passion for providing health care since caring for her own grandfather. She has since worked in the community as a carer and has undertaken several short health related courses. She has also completed a QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support course. She hopes to become a qualified Occupational Therapist and to work in the community. She hopes her work will help assess patients’ needs and allow her to develop individualized care plans to assist them.
Nichola O’Hara
St Mary's University College Liberal ArtsNichola O’Hara
St Mary's University College
Liberal ArtsNichola O’Hara, a classroom assistant in a primary school for 12 years, loves working with children. Now that her own children are at school age, she completed an access course at Belfast Met to pursue her passion for teaching. Enrolled in the BA Liberal Arts course at St. Mary’s Teaching University, Belfast, she aims to earn a teaching degree. Thrilled to be among the few selected by Uversity and awarded a scholarship, Nichola is excited to achieve her goal as a mature student.
Nora Reilly
Trinity College Dublin Business, Economics & Social StudiesNora Reilly
Trinity College Dublin
Business, Economics & Social StudiesAfter working in childcare, special additional needs, online moderating, tech, and spending a year on the Trinity Access Programme, Nora returned to higher education to study B.E.S.S. The modules offered with this degree, such as Economics, Maths, Politics, and Sociology are closely interwoven within the many areas of work Nora developed her skills at. Nora hopes to use what she learns at Trinity College in her next stage of work and life, especially in relation to the health and safety of men, women and children, and showcasing her Minceir culture in a more realistic and positive light.
Octavian Visan
Institute of Technology Sligo Digital MarketingOctavian Visan
Institute of Technology Sligo
Digital MarketingOctavian worked for many years as a Hotel Receptionist prior to setting up his own tennis equipment business in 2014. The onset of ill health motivated him to further his education and change career direction. He has completed a Level 6 Business Administration course along with extra modules in Maths and Computerised Accounts. His work placement in Cora Systems allowed him to further develop his existing design and communication skills. With his degree, Octavian intends to start a career in Digital Marketing and open his own business in the future.
Orla Fitzgerald
St Patrick’s Carlow College Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care)Orla Fitzgerald
St Patrick’s Carlow College
Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care)Having “discovered a resilience and a hunger to help others that may be disadvantaged,” Orla has enrolled on a Social Care Degree. Her longer term aims are to complete a Masters in Play Therapy, “publish a thesis that might help/inspire someone else” and perhaps set up her own practice.
Orla Gahan
Orla Gahan, a full time parent for 15 years, returned to education in 2021 to pursue a Level 5 in Behavioral Studies. This experience sparked her confidence, leading her to pursue a BA(Hons) in Arts and Humanities with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy. Inspired by her studies, Orla’s next step after graduation is a masters in Child, Youth, and Family Studies, with a special interest in youth justice intervention
Owen Thomas O’Connell
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway Applied Freshwater & Marine BiologyOwen Thomas O’Connell
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway
Applied Freshwater & Marine BiologyHaving spent most of his life working at sea, Owen decided to make the big decision to start college for the first time in 2021 at the age ripe young age of 42. He chose Applied Freshwater and Marine Biology at ATU Galway as a means to further his knowledge of Aquaculture and Fisheries research. Since starting the course, Owen has had the opportunity to work with Ireland’s Marine Institute and take research training trips on the RV Tom Crean. In his final semester of college, he received an offer of a six month contract working full time for the Inshore fisheries department of the Marine Institute. In the near future, Owen will be joining research trips on the Celtic Explorer and also some foreign vessels operating in Irish waters.
The Scholarships
Uversity advertises and awards Higher Education Scholarships to Adult Learners to enrol on a Bachelor’s Degree for the first time