Clare students top the class in Mary I

SOME of the highest achievers to graduate from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick last week are from Clare. Among them was Aylin Yildrim from Clonlara who received the College Medal for first place in German studies.

 

In praise of Aylin, who took up German as a complete beginner in first year, head of the Department of German Studies Dr Christiana Schonfeld said, “Aylin is a wonderful example of transcultural integration and our new Ireland, having been raised speaking Turkish and Polish and going on to study German at MIC through the medium of English, which she learned in secondary school in Limerick. We are delighted that she is being awarded the German medal this year and we are all very proud of her.”

Receiving five different awards was Bachelor of Education graduate Sinead Kirby from Ennis. She was awarded the Vere Foster Medal presented by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) since she was awarded first place in Teaching Practice and Curriculum Education and a Teastas sa Chreideamh Medal, presented by the Diocese of Limerick, for achieving first place in the ancillary programme in Religious Education. Sinéad received College Medals for 1st Place on the Bachelor of Education Degree programme and first place in English, as well as the Carlisle & Blake Prize for achieving first place in the College in Education, Theory and Practice.

Naomi Carroll, a second year BA student from Cratloe, received an award for Outstanding Acheivement for her sporting prowess. The award is presented to a student who, in the year of the award, demonstrates outstanding acheivements in any field of endeavour.

Naomi was a member of the Irish senior hockey squad and winning Irish U-21 team in 2012, a Munster senior camogie winner with Clare in 2012, a Division 2 All-Ireland League Football final champion with Clare in 2011 and a Purcell Cup All Star in 2012. In addition to this, Naomi represented the college on the MIC camogie team which won the league and the Fr Meaghair Cup and the ladies’ football team, which also won their league, and the Giles Cup.

Martina Kileen from Doora received multiple awards at the conferring ceremony. She achieved overall first place on the Bachelor of Arts programme and also received the College Medal for first place in Theology and Religious Studies and the College Medal for first place in English. Rebekah Comerford from Doonbeg received the College Medal for first place in Media and Communication Studies as well as the College Medal for first place in German studies. Martina Herbert from Ennis received a College Medal for first place in Philosophy.

Vivien Hennessey from Meelick was presented with the college studentship award which will assist her in continuing her French studies at postgraduate level.

Among those graduating on the college’s four undergraduate degree programmes and graduate diploma in education programme 68 students received first class honours. In recognition of this, each student was granted a Mary Immaculate College President’s Postgraduate Scholarship for 2012 – 2013, enabling the student to pursue postgraduate study at MIC. The newly founded scholarships were presented to Anne Donlan from Bunratty, enabling her to progress onto the MA in Modern English Literature; Lorraine Canavan from Liscannor who will continue onto the Taught Masters in Education; Gerard Coughlan from Tulla and Mary O’Connor from Ennis both of whom will use their scholarships to proceed onto the graduate diploma in ICT.

The College Medal for BA ECCE was awarded to Sandra Collins from Westbury. While three of those who graduated with PhDs are also from Clare. Aoife McLoughlin from Clonlara is one of the first two doctoral students of the Department of Psychology; Steven Leddin from Cratloe received a PhD in Philosophy along with Gerald Roche from Ballyvaughan.

Commenting on the overall high calibre of graduates, Professor Michael A Hayes President of MIC said, “Many of our graduates at this year’s ceremonies will work in education, either in primary schools, early childhood setting, or in adult and continuing education.

“It is worth noting that a recent report by an international review panel on the Structure of Initial Teacher Education Provision in Ireland, conducted on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, recognised that, ‘the high calibre of entrants to ITE in Ireland is amongst the highest, if not the highest, in the world’.  As graduates you are among the best in the world. Today is a moment to delight in this accolade.”

Bringing the ceremonies to an end, President Hayes congratulated all the students, their parents, family and friends who supported them through their past few years and urged them to stay in touch.