“My studies are going very well this year! I am doing three business modules, and three business modules. My favourite module at the moment is ‘France in world war 2’. I am learning so much about culture and history which is what I really wanted when choosing a minor in French. My management accounting is the toughest class that I am taking. However, I am trying my best, and trying to study and practice exam questions as much as possible. I am really proud of my French oral skills, and received a top grade in my mock oral, which I hope to continue on my year abroad next year in Paris!

Before I obtained my scholarship, I was working 24-hour weekends at a bar in order to scrape the surface of monthly rent payments. I come from a first generation immigrant single-parent household, and I have always had to pay for my own things since I got my first job at 13; if I wanted new clothes, makeup, a school trip, or extracurriculars, I had to pay for them myself. So when I came to college, the cost of rent, groceries, transport costs and day today living became impossible. I had no time to study for my exams or classes due to my workload, little time to participate in college life activities, and I was constantly under pressure and stressed out. I didn’t have the money to spend on anything other than the bare essentials of life. In December 2022 I received this scholarship. I remember calling my mum in floods of tears, and the next time I visited her we danced and jumped in the kitchen in disbelief. With this life-changing scholarship, I was able to find a job closer to home working just 14 hours a weekend instead. I had so much more time to spend with my family and friends, time to study, and the means to join extracurriculars on campus. I joined the musical society, and we went to a competition in Belfast and Mullingar over the 2 week college break in March, something I would have never had the means to do without this scholarship, as all my time went to working or studying, and all my money went toward rent. As a result of my scholarship, I have become more energetic, motivated and passionate about my studies. Before, I dreaded college as I had a case of imposter syndrome, and I didn’t feel as though I belonged in third-level education, but now I know that I do, and as a result, my grades have improved, and I have more time to study and appreciate my classes and lectures.

I now adore college. I am a part of the UCD musical society, and have done many projects with them! We competed in a national competition called intervarsities in March 2023 in Belfast, which was very exciting! Our performance won ‘best visual performance’, and we went ot Mullingar for the same competition in March 2024. I also was front of house manager for their production ‘Bare’, in September 2023, which was really exciting! This was a new experience for me, and I enjoyed learning the ropes of a crew member and the technology that came with it. Then in October 2023 I choreographed a mini musical for new members of the society, and they performed in Astra Hall. This was my first time choreographing and it was so exciting! Finally, I performed in their production ‘Footloose’, in November 2023 and it was an incredibly vibrant and fun show to be a part of. It allowed me to meet new people and spend time doing the things I love! I was also just accepted into UCDVO’s overseas volunteering project in Nansana, Uganda this summer 2024. I will work for the project Vocational Livelihoods. I am ecstatic to be volunteering for UCDVO, and it is something I have only ever dreamed about and now it is my reality! I have received all 5 of my vaccinations, and am now counting down the days (53) until our departure.

I dislike my maths and accounting modules, but I adore modules about culture and history, and those with essays and research such as international human resources management, and also supply chain management. I am not completely set on a career at the moment, but I adore working with people, and I love adventure, so I suppose something like event management could be appropriate. I am really organised, and so organising events such as weddings, parties, or holidays would be something I think I would be really good at! On the other side of things, I am interested in social justice and the United Nations, and international relations, so I would love to work with the UN or an NGO! But I am still searching for the job meant for me!

My quality of life has drastically increased, as a result of this scholarship. Thank you so much! I have made so many new friends, which allowed me to immerse myself into life-long memories, as my financial burdens were lifted. I even started up my first savings account, something I barely even dreamed of doing before. All of my expenses left me living payslip to payslip, nearly searching for pennies on the side of the road. Before my scholarship, it was a given that every holiday and free minute was to be spent working, however, since I am able to pay my rent more easily, I decided to work abroad during the summer of 2023. I worked with a company called Bell Beyond in Italy where I taught children how to speak English. Although the rate of pay was lower than in Ireland, I didn’t have to worry about earning the maximum amount. I could enjoy this new experience, as I have only ever been abroad to see my family in France where they all live. I made so many amazing memories, like flying on a plane by myself, making new friends from around the globe, staying with an Italian host family who brought me on their boat trips along the coast of Italy, and working with kind and vibrant children excited to speak English. 

Life experiences like this would not have been feasible for me without this scholarship. I am forever changed and thankful for your kindness and generosity. I don’t even think I would still be in college without this scholarship, as the money would have been too much for me to handle, but thanks to you, I am thriving!”