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.
Tahti Korpela
University College Dublin ArtsTahti Korpela
University College Dublin
ArtsTahti’s motivation for attending is to change the trajectory of her life. Her interest in languages led her to start working at a Japanese restaurant where she started to learn Japanese and Chinese with the help of the staff. In return she helped them with English and discovered great joy in helping others to learn and a possible career in languages and translation. She completed University College Dublin’s Open Learning Course in 2019/20.
Tanya Sheridan
St Patrick’s Carlow College Applied Social StudiesTanya Sheridan
St Patrick’s Carlow College
Applied Social StudiesTanya returned to education in 2022 after raising her family. Her life experience has motivated her to go back into education to help others who are facing challenges in many different areas of their lives. She is passionate about social justice and after her degree wishes to pursue a career advocating and empowering people to have their voices heard on issues that affect them in their everyday lives. Tanya is passionate about working with children and adolescents and believes that every child and family is unique, and that supporting each person from where they are in their own lives can be transformative.
Theresa McGauran
Maynooth University English and AnthropologyTheresa McGauran
Maynooth University
English and AnthropologyTheresa completed the Return to Learning course in Maynooth University in 2022 and went on to study English, Anthropology and Philosophy as an undergraduate. She is studying to complete her B.A. degree in English and Anthropology in 2025. Theresa got a lot of support as a mature student from the Maynooth Access Programme (MAP). She would encourage anybody considering returning to education to do so and to avail of the supports offered by the MAP office. It has been a wonderful, positive experience and it has enriched her life. She hopes that her experience will reassure anybody considering returning to education, no matter how long the gap has been since previous formal education.
Timothy Gates
Ulster University Mechanical EngineeringTimothy Gates
Ulster University
Mechanical EngineeringI left school at 15 and got a job as a steel worker. Worked at that for 25 years before returning to education. I chose mechanical engineering as it is what I’m interested in. I completed an access diploma in spring 2022, and started at Ulster University in September 2023. It has been an eye opening experience, something I’ll never forget. It has been great to be surrounded by other people who want to learn, and always getting the feeling that everyone wants you to succeed.
Tom Maguire
Community Youth WorkTom Maguire
Tom returned to third level education in 2022 after leaving school pre junior certification. Tom is completing a honours degree in community youth work, as he wishes to give back to young people. As a proud member of the travelling community, he hopes to be an inspiration to others within community to return to education.
Trish Murphy
University College Cork HorticultureTrish Murphy
University College Cork
HorticultureTrish holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Munster Technological University and is currently pursuing an Honours degree in the same field. As a passionate advocate for biodiversity and conservation, she is acutely aware of the environmental degradation caused by detrimental farming practices over the past 80 years. She believes that significant changes are necessary to reverse this damage, and the good news is that these changes are achievable. Trish’s goal is to inform and educate others through advisory or teaching roles while continuing my research, with the ultimate aim of leaving the world a little better than she found it. Outside of her academic pursuits, she is an an avid traveler, with a particular fondness for national parks. Wild camping in remote locations truly gets her blood flowing.
Vanessa Milliken
Queen’s University Belfast Computing and Information TechnologyVanessa Milliken
Queen’s University Belfast
Computing and Information TechnologyGoing to university had been “a lifelong dream” for Vanessa which she postponed due to ‘unsettled’ circumstances. Once settled, Vanessa successfully completed a fast-track access to university course where she achieved 85%, giving her a High Commendation. Vanessa is delighted to be at university and determined to pursue her ambitions of “a successful career in the IT and Technology industries.” She aims to be a role model for her young children and prove that “with hard work and perseverance they can achieve their goals.”
Vladimir Petrovic
University College Cork Youth Work and Community DevelopmentVladimir Petrovic
University College Cork
Youth Work and Community DevelopmentIn 2022, Vladimir resumed his schooling to attain QQI Level 5 in Psychology and Social Studies. This provided him entry to higher education at University College Cork, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Youth Work and Community Development. His objective is to reciprocate to the communities in which he resides, as they offered substantial support during his times of need.
The Scholarships
Uversity advertises and awards Higher Education Scholarships to Adult Learners to enrol on a Bachelor’s Degree for the first time