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Liberal Arts Comencement Students - 2012
On 21st June, the College held its tenth Commencement
Ceremony to mark the graduation of the 2012 class of Liberal Arts
students. Over 80 students were present, with family and friends,
to receive their Higher Education Achievement Records. This is
the first year that the College has issued an Achievement Record,
which not only certifies the student’s performance within
the degree, but a range of other qualifications, awards and achievements
that were part of the student’s university experience.
The College also gave awards to some outstanding students in
the 2012 class.
The Liberal Arts Perpetual Cup is given to the student who, not
only achieves the highest result in degree classification, but
also displays the qualities and values that characterise the St
Mary’s experience.
The winner in 2012 is Roisin Gray who hails from St Matthew’s
parish, Belfast. Roisin chose English as her main academic subject
within the Liberal Arts programme. Under the direction of Dr Brian
Hanratty, she wrote her final dissertation on ‘Narrative
and Storytelling in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road’. She
took part in the Erasmus programme in her second year, when she
studied at the University of Paderborn in Germany. In her third
year, she completed her WRL placement with Trocaire where she
gained valuable management experience as part of the team co-ordinating
Trocaire’s Lenten campaign. This experience has helped shape
her career plans as she hopes to work for a non-governmental organization
in the future. Her immediate plans are to complete a Masters in
Applied Peace and Conflict Studies at University of Ulster, Magee
campus.
Professor Peter Finn with Roisin Gray
The Eugene Morrissey Cup is awarded to the student who has best
engaged in the College’s international programme and exemplifies
the College’s commitment to the international dimension
of their studies. This year, two students were honoured in this
category.
Ciaran Chapman and John McLean
Ciaran Chapman comes from West Belfast. He took part in the Erasmus
programme in his second year, when he studied at University Constantine
the Philosopher in Nitra, Slovakia. He returned there for his
final-year work placement, working in the university’s Language
Institute. A student of English literature, Ciaran also spent
time in Krosno, Poland, studying identity and migration. This
shaped his final-year dissertation on the place of exile in the
writings of Joyce, McEachern, and Iranian literary texts. He has
been successful in his application for a teaching post in Nitra
for the coming year, and will commence his PhD at that university.
John McLean, from Castlewellan, County Down, has made significant
use of opportunities at St Mary’s to study abroad. He took
part in the Erasmus programme in his second year, when he studied
at Gotland University, Sweden. He also spent a summer at the University
of Mississippi, USA. His final-year work placement was with the
British Council where he assisted in the co-ordination of their
student exchange programmes. John, likewise, will be moving to
Nitra, Slovakia, to take up a teaching post.
Donated by Rev Prof Martin O’Callaghan, former Principal
of the College who was instrumental in initiating the Liberal
Arts programme with its strong commitment to business and enterprise,
this award recognised the distinctive entrepreneurial skills of
top students. Two students received this award for quite different
experiences.
Professor Peter Finn with Susan Murphy and James McLaughlin
James McLaughlin, from Ballycastle, County Antrim, entered the
Liberal Arts programme with a strong commitment to overseas development
work. He used his time in the College to further that interest
over two work experiences in Uganda, the first of which was a
work placement with the Kitetika Rock Foundation, Uganda in 2011.
This foundation is headed by Derek Keys from Coleraine and assists
the villagers in the Kitetika region to develop schools, farming
and local enterprises. In 2012, James returned to Uganda to work
with the Red Cross and a local social enterprise, Msalaba Mwekundu
Ltd, in development of medical training and equipment. James’s
commitment to social development in Africa makes him an outstanding
example of the aim of the Liberal Arts degree, to develop in students
a commitment to service and community.
Susan Murphy comes from Keady, County Armagh, and is a mature
student. After leaving school, she spent ten years gaining experience
in the world of business. She opened several businesses both on
the high street and on-line. She saw the Liberal Arts degree programme
as an opportunity for personal development and also for an enrichment
of the skills and gifts she could bring to others. Over the two
years of her work placement within the degree, she returned to
her former secondary school, St Patrick’s College, Keady,
and developed her skills for educational management. She also
drew on her experiences of enterprise to enrich the curriculum
of current pupils. In this way, she brought together enterprise
and education in a productive manner. |
