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.
Ciara Hughes
Queen’s University Belfast Midwifery SciencesCiara Hughes
Queen’s University Belfast
Midwifery SciencesHaving been out of formal education since 2006, Ciara left a secure job in sales to retrain as a midwife. In preparation for this, Ciara has completed Northern Regional College’s Access Diploma in Social Science while working as a Healthcare Assistant and volunteering at a private antenatal and baby massage class. Ciara’s short term ambition is to support and care for women and their families, enabling them to experience individualised holistic care. Her ultimate goal is to facilitate the opening of the first mother and baby unit in Northern Ireland which will provide support for women who are vulnerable and, or those suffering with perinatal mental illness.
Claire Kelly-Arthurs
Queen’s University Belfast PsychologyClaire Kelly-Arthurs
Queen’s University Belfast
PsychologyClaire returned to education in 2018 to complete an Access Diploma in Foundation Studies at Belfast Metropolitan College. Her life experiences, have motivated her to enrol on a degree in Psychology that will enable her to “pursue a career that will help other families with complex needs … to improve the lives of individuals and their families.”
Darren Muldoon
Athlone Institute of Technology EngineeringDarren Muldoon
Athlone Institute of Technology
EngineeringDarren has been preparing for this journey all his life; undaunted by a heart condition that he developed in 2015. Most recently he has immersed himself in college life and his community while completing the Access Course in Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT). Darren was elected class representative, joined the AIT karting team and was co-founder of a prize winning community garden. After his degree, Darren intends to complete a Master’s degree and then secure his dream job as an Engineering Manager that will combine his existing skills and those he acquires from his education.
David Caffrey
Trinity College Dublin Social Studies & Social WorkDavid Caffrey
Trinity College Dublin
Social Studies & Social WorkPrior to enrolling on Plunket College’s Third Level Access Course in 2018, David worked in Dublin Port for twelve years. Having been the founding member of two support groups in his area, David developed “a strong desire to study in the area of Social Work.” He is looking forwarded to exploring the various opportunities for Social Workers with Tusla, in hospitals and other settings where he can maximise his ability “to help some people.”
David McCarthy
University of Limerick Physical EducationDavid McCarthy
University of Limerick
Physical EducationDavid earned a Diploma in Youth and Community Work in 2015 but always wanted to do more. He believes that sport and education have the biggest impact in tackling poverty, racism and stigma. Having worked for a number of years, most recently as Access Project Officer in Limerick Institute of Technology, David was ready to return to education. His aim is to become a fully qualified Physical Education teacher and maybe one day a principal. David wants to show his kids, family, peers and the wider community that anything is possible and never ever give up on your dream.
Deargh Armstrong
Trinity College Dublin Social StudiesDeargh Armstrong
Trinity College Dublin
Social StudiesPrior to returning to education in Liberties College, Deargh occupied several patient advocacy and administrator roles in St Vincent’s University Hospital. Her professional and recent educational experiences have helped her define her future focus to work as a Medical Social Worker. She wants to be an “advocate for patients, be involved in the preparations for discharge … and ensuring the patients receive the highest standards of care and compassion.”
Deborah Forsey
Ulster University SociologyDeborah Forsey
Ulster University
SociologyFor the last twelve years, Debbie has been a Student Finance Adviser with Queen’s University Belfast’s Student Union. In 2017, she returned to Belfast Metropolitan College to complete a Higher Education Certificate in Combined Social and Behavioural Sciences. Once she completes her degree, Debbie hopes to secure a promotion to move into Queen’s University Belfast’s Widening Participation Team which will allow her to use her “experience to motivate and encourage others that if you have the ambition, accessing higher education is possible for everyone.”
Emily Kelly
St. Angela's College General NursingEmily Kelly
St. Angela's College
General NursingNursing has always been Emily’s passion but she never got the opportunity before now. Her life, work and educational experience to date has amply prepared her for this degree. Emily established and ran a childminding service for three years and worked as a Special Needs Assistant for ten years. Most recently she completed St Angela College’s Access course and previously completed a Level 6 Montessori and Special Needs course.
The Scholarships
Uversity advertises and awards Higher Education Scholarships to Adult Learners to enrol on a Bachelor’s Degree for the first time