“I’m delighted to say I completed my studies in UCD last semester. I made great friends among my peers and built strong relationships amongst the faculty. I do not think this experience would have been possible for me without the support of this scholarship. 

This scholarship eased so many of my worries. It allowed me to afford the large number of books I required for English Literature, as well as textbooks for Classics. Beyond that, it eased the burden of travel costs to and from UCD, as well as lunches on campus. Travel was a serious barrier for me, as I was coming from Coolock, the other side of the city from UCD. There were not a lot of clear travel options for me. I was also the first person from my family to attend third level education so I battled a lot with imposter syndrome. My home life made it quite difficult to study at home, as my house is always very busy. I spent a lot of evenings in the James Joyce library. 

I put the scholarship money towards books, travel, and lunches on campus. Without this support, I truly believe I would not have finished my degree on time. In my third year, I went through some personal tragedies and I think if I had to worry about money on top of everything else, I would have had to take a leave of absence or would have had to repeat, either from poor grades or deferring. 

Thanks to this scholarship, I was able to focus completely on my studies. I cannot thank the donors enough. This scholarship got me through college. By funding it, you are not only helping people who would never have had an opportunity to go to college, but also those who potentially are going through extremely tough times, as I was in my third year.