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.
Francis Kavanagh
University College Dublin Social Policy & SociologyFrancis Kavanagh
University College Dublin
Social Policy & SociologyBorn in Ireland, Francis lived in England for twenty-four years. During that time he was a caretaker for a local council and a prison officer. He was awarded a Diploma in Social Policy and Criminology from The Open University in 2010. Since his return to Ireland in 2004, Francis was a self-employed painter and decorator but his heart was not in it. He returned to full-time education in 2019 by enrolling on Technological University Dublin’s Foundation Undergraduate Access to Higher Education Programme to reskill and follow his heart. His hope is to work with young adolescents and adults with mental health and addiction issues, possibly with the justice system.
Gary Ervine
Ulster University Computing ScienceGary Ervine
Ulster University
Computing ScienceGary has worked in different sectors including healthcare, construction and hospitality before deciding to change his hobby with computers into a career. He is excited by the prospect of understanding how technology is developed and how this will impact our lives. While completing a Foundation Degree in Computing at Northern Regional College, Gary regularly attended ‘meetups’ organised by local software companies and secured a three month placement in a local IT solutions firm.
Gemma McKeown
Queen’s University Belfast PsychologyGemma McKeown
Queen’s University Belfast
PsychologyGemma has previously trained and worked as a quality assurance officer and lab technician. Personal experiences have led to her desire “to pursue a career as in Educational Psychology.” Gemma’s first step on that journey was to return to education to study the Access Course in Social Sciences in the Northern Regional College. Gemma intends to continue her volunteer work with a local addiction charity while enrolled on her degree.
Gillian Fitchie
Ulster University Social WorkGillian Fitchie
Ulster University
Social WorkFor the last fifteen years, Gillian’s work in the Northern Ireland Civil Service has provided her with unique insights, experiences, skills and the inspiration to become a Social Worker. With her qualification, she intends to help vulnerable people and those who need safeguarding, especially people those who are disadvantaged due to mental health illness. To prepare for her degree course, Gillian completed the Access Diploma in Foundation Studies in South Eastern Regional College.
Hannah Rodrigues
National University of Ireland Galway Law & Human RightsHannah Rodrigues
National University of Ireland Galway
Law & Human RightsHannah has had a successful career as a leader and influencer in the areas of community development, health and drugs policy. She feels now is the time to take a break and study, to fill the gaps in her knowledge so that she can achieve her next professional goal: to promote and protect human rights at an international level. To achieve this, she completed a Legal Studies course at Galway Technical Institute in preparation for her degree. In the future, she intends to focus on equality of access to health services.
Hayden Nightingale
Queen’s University Belfast Computer Science Professional ExperienceHayden Nightingale
Queen’s University Belfast
Computer Science Professional ExperienceHayden 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.”
Helen Noble
Trinity College Dublin Geography & SociologyHelen Noble
Trinity College Dublin
Geography & SociologyHelen “found a new drive for learning” when she enrolled on a Level 5 Course in Applied Psychology in Blackrock Further Education Institute in 2017. In 2018/19 she completed Trinity College Dublin’s Access Programme. Her goal following graduation is “to work in the area of helping families with special needs, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Dyspraxia and Intellectual Disability.”
Inese Aboltina
Maynooth University Social ScienceInese Aboltina
Maynooth University
Social ScienceOriginally from Latvia, Inese came to Ireland sixteen years ago with very little English. Prior to having her children, she worked in the food, hospitality and airline sectors. She developed an interest in pursuing Social Care and Social Science while enrolled on One Family Ireland’s New Futures Programme. With her degree, Inese hopes to work with families in crisis, lone parents, promoting equality and supporting women experiencing domestic violence. Inese would also like to receive a Master’s degree and develop further education programs for adult learners.
The Scholarships
Uversity advertises and awards Higher Education Scholarships to Adult Learners to enrol on a Bachelor’s Degree for the first time