Irish Version
The sun shone brightly for the start of this year’s graduation ceremonies at Maynooth University. Among the many proud students was Kathleen Lawrence, a Traveller who left school at 15 and returned to education, going on to graduate this year in Law and Sociology. Her studies took her all the way to Washington, DC, where she worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Congressman Brendan Boyle from Pennsylvania as part of the prestigious Washington-Ireland programme this summer.
Speaking at her conferral today, Kathleen Lawrence said: “My time in Maynooth University has changed my life. It has broadened my horizons and allowed me to grow and change as a person while remaining true to my roots.
“By the time I finally decided to apply for university, Maynooth was the only place accepting late applications for a Bachelor of Arts degree. It turns out it was the best thing that could have happened. My course and degree opened so many doors for me that I previously thought would be closed forever.
“I hope to use my education to promote rights for Travellers and Roma – it’s more important than ever, not just because of discrimination but also in the areas of education, health and accommodation.
“For every student who graduates from Maynooth University today, congratulations and the very best of luck in the future. For their supporters, and for mine, thank you for making our dreams a possibility.”
This week, Maynooth University will confer more than 2,000 students with a range of degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including 29 PhD graduates.
New degrees awarded for the first time include the Bachelor of Civil Law (Law and Accounting), HDip in Data Science and Analytics, and a new degree pathway for Engineers to exit with a Masters in Electronic Engineering.
Maynooth University is Ireland’s fastest growing university, with more than 12,000 students, including almost 1,600 taught postgraduate and professional students and a growing cohort of over 400 research students. Maynooth University has recently marked 20 years since its foundation as an independent institution, and earlier this year was recognised as one of the leading new universities in the world when Times Higher Education ranked it #49 in its 2017 Young University Rankings. The ranking is the highest position achieved by Maynooth, and is the highest position ever achieved by an Irish university.
“Tá athrú tagtha ar mo shaol mar thoradh ar an am atá caite agam in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad” – Déanann duine den lucht siúil a d’fhág an scoil agus í cúig bliana déag d’aois, ceiliúradh ar lá bhronnta na gcéimeanna
Bhí an ghrian ag taitneamh go hard sa spéir nuair a cuireadh tús le searmanais bhronnta na bliana seo in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. Bhí Kathleen Lawrence ar dhuine de na mic léinn bhródúla – duine den lucht siúil a d’fhág an scoil agus í cúig bliana déag d’aois agus a d’fhill ar an oideachas le céim sa Dlí agus sa tSocheolaíocht a bhaint amach. Mar chuid dá cuid staidéir chuaigh sí chomh fada le Washington mar bhall den chlár Washington-Éirinn, clár a thug an deis di dul ag obair ar Capitol Hill.
Agus í ag labhairt ag a bronnadh céime inniu, dúirt Kathleen Lawrence: “Tá athrú tagtha ar mo shaol mar thoradh ar an am atá caite agam in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. Tugadh an deis dom rudaí nua a ghabháil chugam féin, agus athrú agus forbairt a dhéanamh mar dhuine agus mé ag seasamh le mo dhúchas.
“Faoin am go raibh an cinneadh déanta agam iarratas a dhéanamh ar áit a fháil in ollscoil, ba í Ollscoil Mhá Nuad an t-aon áit a bhí ag glacadh le hiarratais dhéanacha ar an mBaitsiléir Ealaíon. Faoi mar a tharla, ba é sin an rud ab fhearr a d’fhéadfadh tarlú dom. Chruthaigh mo chúrsa agus mo chéim an oiread deiseanna dom, deiseanna a cheap mé nach mbeadh ar fáil domsa riamh.
“Tá súil agam go mbeidh mé in ann úsáid a bhaint as an oideachas atá curtha orm le cearta na mball den lucht siúl agus le cearta Roma a chur chun cinn – tá na cearta seo níos tábhachtaí anois ná riamh, ní hamháin mar thoradh ar leithcheal ach i réimsí an oideachais, na sláinte agus an lóistín.
“Déanaim comhghairdeas le gach uile mhac léinn a bhaineann céim ó Ollscoil Mhá Nuad amach inniu agus guím gach rath orthu sa todhchaí. Gabhaim buíochas leis na daoine a thacaigh leo agus a thacaigh liomsa – chabhraigh sibh linn ár gcuid brionglóidí a fhíorú.”
An tseachtain seo, bronnfaidh Ollscoil Mhá Nuad réimse céimeanna ag leibhéal fochéime agus ag leibhéal iarchéime ar níos mó ná 1880 mac léinn, lena n-áirítear naoi gcéimí PhD is fiche.
Bronnadh na céimeanna nua seo a leanas den chéad uair: Baitsiléir sa Dlí Sibhialta (Dlí agus Cuntasaíocht), Ard-Dioplóma san Eolaíocht Sonraí agus san Anailísíocht, agus an ME san Innealtóireacht Leictreonach.
Is í Ollscoil Mhá Nuad an ollscoil is gasta fás sa tír. Tá breis agus 12,000 mac léinn ag freastal uirthi, lena n-áirítear 1,600 mac léinn a bhfuil iarchéim teagaisc ar bun acu nó ar mic léinn phroifisiúnta iad, agus breis agus 400 mac léinn taighde. Rinne Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ceiliúradh 20 bliain a bunaithe mar institiúid neamhspleách le déanaí, agus níos luaithe sa bhliain, bhain an ollscoil aitheantas amach mar cheann de na hollscoileanna nua is fearr ar domhan agus an 49ú háit bainte amach aici i Rangú na nOllscoileanna Óga 2017, rangú a rinne an Times Higher Education. Seo an rangú is airde atá bainte amach ag Ollscoil Mhá Nuad go dtí seo, agus is é an rangú is airde é atá bainte amach ag aon ollscoil in Éirinn riamh.