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.
Aleya McCalmont
Queen’s University Belfast NursingAleya McCalmont
Queen’s University Belfast
NursingHaving worked as a receptionist and Health Care Assistant for a GP surgery for 15 years, Aleya decided to return to education in 2021. Through the Open University she achieved the necessary entrance qualifications to help her be accepted into the Adult Nursing program for 2022. She’s has been lucky to have great support and encouragement from her two children and mum. She is looking forward to a career caring for people and their families and helping them through difficult times in their lives.
Aliadini Coelho
University of Limerick Psychology and SociologyAliadini Coelho
University of Limerick
Psychology and SociologyAli Coelho is a University Scholar studying at the University of Limerick, getting her BA in Psychology and Sociology. After spending 16 years as a stay-at-home mother to her four kids, Ali went to university to reframe, understand and reshape her life experiences. Her journey is motivated by a desire to help herself and others, dealing with the long-lasting effects of childhood adversity. Ali’s interest is in academic research on alternative and innovative mental health therapies, aiming to identify more effective approaches to help individuals heal.Passionate about advocating for mental health awareness, she hopes to contribute to a better understanding of trauma and resilience through both research and practice.Beyond her studies, Ali enjoys exploring nature with her children and dogs, finding solace and inspiration in these moments. The Uversity scholarship has been instrumental in making her educational journey possible, allowing her to balance her academic goals with family life.
Alison Finnegan
Social WorkAlison Finnegan
I returned to education in 2020 to complete an access diploma in humanities in social science. I had previously worked as a medical secretary for 27 years, and my life experiences motivated me to apply for a degree in social work. I am passionate to work with communities, families and individuals with complex need. I strive to advocate and support with those that struggle in our society.
Ally Courlander-Whelan
Trinity College Dublin Social StudiesAlly Courlander-Whelan
Trinity College Dublin
Social StudiesAlice returned to education in 2022 to complete a level 5 diploma in social studies. Her curiosity to learn led her to complete the Trinity Foundation Course and start a degree in Social Studies (Social Work). Her life experience has motivated her to pursue a career in helping people.
Amanda White
SETU Waterford Social ScienceAmanda White
SETU Waterford
Social SciencePrimary caretaker for three children and family carer, Amanda returned to education in 2020 to study Advanced Social Care at Waterford College of Further Education. As a volunteer in the south-east region with Le Cheile Mentoring, Amanda, motivated by their ethos of inspiring hope and believing in change, aspired to become a probation officer. Having secured a Uversity scholarship Amanda continued her studies at the South-East Technological University in Waterford recently graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science. Amanda is currently studying in University College Cork’s Centre for Executive Education on their Master of Social Work Programme.
Amandine Lebrun
University College Cork ScienceAmandine Lebrun
University College Cork
ScienceAmandine worked over a decade in the hospitality sector, specialising in Event Management and Sales. In 2020, facing job loss, she decided to pursue horticulture studies at Cork College of FET. Committed to environmental issues, Amandine also earned a Special Purpose Diploma in Environment, Sustainability, and Climate at University College Cork in 2022.
Upon finishing her horticulture program, she enrolled in a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Ecology & Environmental Biology at UCC and is driven by a genuine passion for nature conservation.
Amy Maxwell
National College of Ireland PsychologyAmy Maxwell
National College of Ireland
PsychologyMotivated by her family’s experiences with Ireland’s mental health service, Amy decided to return to education in 2017/18. She has since completed Level 5 and 6 qualifications in preparation for her Degree in Psychology. Her “future ambition would be to work somewhere within in our mental health service” or perhaps to provide guidance counselling to teenage parents to encourage them to stay in education.
Ana Maria Surdu
Cork Institute of Technology Contemporary Applied Art Ceramics, Glass, TextilesAna Maria Surdu
Cork Institute of Technology
Contemporary Applied Art Ceramics, Glass, TextilesAna is a self-taught graphic designer coming from a community of traditional makers and weavers. She has been actively involved in the arts in Cork providing set design for Rossmore Theatre, installations for Leap Scarecrow Festival, graphic design for Clonakilty Arts Festival, online and podcast assistant for Arts for Health West Cork. Completing Level 5 and 6 Arts qualified her for advanced entry on Year 2 of her degree. Ana’s goal is to work in Community Arts and Art Therapy helping diverse groups of people find creative and reflective methods of expression.
The Scholarships
Uversity advertises and awards Higher Education Scholarships to Adult Learners to enrol on a Bachelor’s Degree for the first time