Inside NCI Sept 09 Issue 3
The magazine for friends of National College of Ireland
www.ncirl.ie
Early Learning Initiative Nora Owen Interview Student Advice
Career BootCamp
News
Features
Interviews
President’s Welcome Welcome to the third edition of Inside NCI, the magazine for friends of the National College of Ireland. We circulate this three times a year, to keep you up to date with key initiatives happening at the College. September is certainly a busy and exciting time at the College. With our new students coming through the doors there is a sense of hope and optimism in the air, which is particularly refreshing in the current climate. We’ve included plenty of tips and advice for all our new first years within these pages. My own advice is to relax and enjoy your educational journey. Time really does fly and before you know it, you’ll be wearing that graduation gown. The same spirit of optimism permeated our recent Career BootCamp, a week of free events and activities at NCI to support people who are unemployed. The aim was to give people real skills, hope and the confidence to re-launch their career in today’s tough employment market. A silver lining to our current economic woes is the mood of extraordinary generosity that prevails. There is a real sense of working together to build a more socially just community, in which everyone can participate. The Career BootCamp was a striking example of that spirit, with all of our career experts donating their time and expertise without charge. We couldn’t have done it without them. Intelligence is evenly distributed across all sectors of society. At NCI our central role is to release this innate talent, making third level accessible to all. And, maybe, have a bit of fun along the way. Enjoy the magazine. Best wishes Dr. Paul Mooney President
EDITOR’S LETTER Welcome to the third edition of Inside NCI, your regular round-up of news, views and events from across National College of Ireland.
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The next issue will be out in January 2010, but we will have lots happening between now and then. See page 16 for upcoming events or visit the News & Events section of our homepage: www.ncirl.ie. You can also follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ncirl) or become a fan of our Facebook page. We even have a few NCI bloggers you can check out if you’re so inclined: derycktormey.wordpress.com; eoloughlin.blogspot.com; jimmyhill.wordpress.com; leocasey.blogspot.com, nellatnci.wordpress.com.
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In this issue
Special thanks as always to the contributors to this publication:
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2009 so far in pictures
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Dr No Says Yes
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Change Your Life Winner Announced
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NCI Welcomes All Our New Students
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Learning Outside the Classroom
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Foundation Maths: In Perspective
10 Career BootCamp 12 Supporting Continuous Learning Journeys: ELI @ NCI
14 Feature Interview: Nora Owen 15 NCI Foundation 16 NCI Noticeboard
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We’ve enjoyed getting your feedback on the magazine so please keep it coming; email inside@ncirl.ie or write to: Emma Henderson National College of Ireland Mayor Square Dublin 1
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Each has a unique voice that will really give you a flavour of life at NCI.
Editor Emma Henderson (nee Kytzia) Editorial Corrie Adams Sinead Bheilbigh Josephine Bleach Beatrice Cantalejo Robbie Carson Jonathan Lambert Neal Newman Sinead O’Sullivan Paul Stynes Design Grainne McElroy Photography Beatrice Cantalejo Bonnie Cullen Deryck Tormey NCI: 01 4498500 www.ncirl.ie Cover Image: Niamh Fleming, Noel Ryan and Catriona Flood (ELI) enjoy some reading at NCI
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2009 so far in pictures
EdTech 2009, the 10th annual Irish Educational Technology User’s Conference, took place at National College of Ireland in May. Pictured (L-R) are Niall Sclater, Director of Learning Innovation at the UK Open University, ILTA’s Paul Gormley and Richard Katz, Vice-President of Educause.
urence old from St. La re both 9 years mothers) we Cody Hanlon, eir d th an th an wi Ry n Carla ictured retch to Lear St ol, Dublin (p a ho th Sc s wi e’ d ol te O’To in May. people presen ive g at un iti yo In 0 15 ng Learni among NCI’s Early Award from On September 7th the n o m i nations were announced for the 2009 Irish Web Awards. NCI was delighted to be nominated by the public in the ‘Best Education and Third Level Website’ category for www.ncirl.ie. The winning websites will be announced at a ceremony on October 10th in Dublin. See http://awards.ie/ for more.
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Pictured: NCI webmaster Bonnie Cullen.
Paul Rellis, MD of Microsoft Ireland, opened proceedings at NCI's School of Computing Project Showcase in May. Fourth year students gave demonstrations of their final year projects to an audience of fellow students, IT professionals and potential employers including Telefonica O2 Ireland, Oracle, ABN AMRO Bank and The Maxol Group, among others.
In June, NCI ’s Robert W ard and Emma Kytzia wer e presented with a prestigious PRCA Awar d for Excelle nce in Pu blic Relations by Mr Br ian Lenihan TD , Minister for Finance. N CI won in the Not-for-Pro fit category for its popula r Legends In Your Lunc htime even t series, whi ch is run in partnership with Metro and Newstal k 106-108 fm.
June saw the return of Discover University to National College of Ireland. 31 secondary school students, from the Docklands and Liberties areas, were given the opportunity to experience student life at NCI. The programme was organised by NCI’s Early Learning Initiative. See page 12 for more on ELI.
In August, 30 NCI students from 2nd and 3rd year were trained as peer mentors. The group will support and encourage new students and ensure a positive first year experience.
Dr. No says Yes Dr. Ian Paisley was the latest in the stellar line up of speakers for NCI’s Legends In Your Lunchtime sessions – the series of free leadership events run in partnership with Newstalk 106-108 fm and Metro. Dr. Paisley was interviewed by George Hook, presenter of The Right Hook on Newstalk 106-108 fm.
NCI Events
Legends in Your Lunchtime with business consultant Leslie Buckley 30th September 1-2pm Legends in Your Lunchtime with Irish Times MD, Maeve Donovan 7th October 1-2pm
Dr. Paisley shared his experiences of leadership throughout a career spanning more than 5 decades, during which time he witnessed and led dramatic changes in Northern Ireland. His decision to enter a power-sharing Government with his age old opponents Sinn Fein prompted Tony Blair’s statement: “The man famous for saying No will go down in history for saying Yes."
Innovation Dublin Urban Folklore Project 14th - 20th October
Insights Debate Series 15th October 5.45pm - 7.45pm
Legends In Your Lunchtime continues with business consultant Leslie Buckley on Wednesday 30th September. Currently Chairman of Saon Group, Mr. Buckley is a founding director of telecomms group Digicel. He was involved in the start-up of Esat Telecom and Esat Digifone, holding the position of acting COO at Esat Telecom in 1996/97. In 1990 he established his own consultancy business and his appointments included the restructuring of Waterford Crystal, the restructuring and sale of Irish Steel plc, consulting work with Irish Rail and the restructuring of Aer Lingus.
On the 31st of May last year, Dr. Paisley retired as Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and First Minister of the new devolved government in Northern Ireland. At the time of his retirement, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said that: "The historic decision he took to go into government with Sinn Fein has changed the face of Irish politics forever. I think that he will be fondly remembered by the people of Ireland – north and south – for the very courageous leadership that he showed."
Mr. Buckley has recently established Haven, a charity that builds and upgrades houses for impoverished people in Haiti. He will be talking to Newstalk’s Eamon Keane, host of Lunchtime between 12 and 2, and a new addition to our line-up of Legends presenters.
Leaving Cert Revision Sessions 27th October 10am-5pm
Legends in Your Lunchtime with Barnardos CEO, Fergus Finlay 28th October 1-2pm
Legends in Your Lunchtime with Daft Media CEO, Eamonn Fallon 7th November 1-2pm Undergraduate Open Day 18th November 10am-3pm NCI Graduation 19th & 20th Nov RDS
Legends in Your Lunchtime with Gerry Adams 25th November
Undergraduate Open Day 15th January - 10am - 3pm 16th January - 11am - 2pm
www.ncirl.ie
Further speakers include: Maeve Donovan, Managing Director, The Irish Times, on Wednesday 7th October; Fergus Finlay, Chief Executive of Barnardos, on Wednesday 28th October, and Eamonn Fallon, Chief Executive of Daft Media on 11th November. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams rounds off the current Martin McGuinness series. All events take place at National College of Ireland in the IFSC, are free of charge and open to the public – but attendees must register at www.ncirl.ie.
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CHANGE YOUR LIFE WINNER ANNOUNCED In
August NCI and Metro announced that Karl Kilmartin is the winner of the Change Your Life Education Fund.
Karl was chosen from 7 finalists and will receive a life-changing prize that includes an educational fund worth €20,000 and €15,000 in other supports, such as mentoring, computer equipment and even a style package worth €1,000.
Entrants were asked to submit their personal stories and answer the question: Why do you want to change your life, and how could education help?
NCI President Paul Mooney said that the judges had a very difficult task: “The overall standard of entries was incredibly high. We had a really strong response and each entry included a powerful 2000 word essay that outlined how education could change that individual's life for the better. It was a tough choice but Karl’s honesty and determination stood out. His personal journey is a real-life story of survival and success against the odds. Karl is passionate about getting ahead and he believes that an education is the only thing now missing from his life. We are delighted to make that dream come true.”
Karl has been a participant on Jobcare’s FAS-sponsored Trasna Programme since January 2008 – a project designed for ex-offenders. Jobcare’s Founder, also called Paul Mooney, said they were delighted to see such a successful result for Karl and the Trasna Programme. “It shows that, given opportunity, support and development, ex-offenders like Karl have the capacity to change their situations and provide a future for themselves and their family. Trasna provides a good balance of work, training, and mentoring and has arrested the cycle of re-offending for many of the 30 participants who have been enrolled on the programme, helping them achieve a stable personal and social balance.”
Left: Karl with partner Donna and their two children
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Kieran Forde, Marketing Manager for Metro, said they were delighted to be approached about partnering the College in this initiative, which offered people from all walks of life the opportunity to use education to improve their lives.
He went on to say: "Having been part of the selection process from start to finish, it was empowering for me to see both the amount of people who took the time to tell us their stories and the importance people place on using education to make a positive life change. I personally was delighted Karl was the overall winner - a moving story, a great guy and a real life example of someone who came back from adversity and turned his life around.
I am sure he will be a huge success in his new life as a student at NCI. We were also thrilled that the 6 other worthy finalists were given the opportunity to take advantage of the scholarship offered by NCI. Well done to all who took part and our thanks to NCI!" Karl secured a place on the BA in Management of Technology in Business which commences this September.
Main: Karl at work with the Trasna Programme
Runner - Up Scholarships
The seven finalists who progressed to the interview stage of the contest were so inspiring that the judges resolved to do something for each and every one of them. Each finalist was offered a joint NCI/Metro Change Your Life Scholarship, which will cover a whopping 75% of the cost of their chosen course. Commenting on the scholarship, Paul Mooney said: “We want to help as many people as possible to fulfil their educational ambitions. The Change Your Life Scholarship means we can help each of the finalists to achieve their potential, regardless of their financial situation. In addition, we have invited everyone who entered the competition to a special advice clinic at the college, where we give one-to-one sessions on how people can move forward with their education and career.�
NCI welcomes all
Some top tips for settling into your new life
On behalf of the Students’ Union and all the
students at the College, I am delighted to welcome you to National College of Ireland. You’ve chosen well: NCI has a great atmosphere and a friendly, community vibe. With a whole host of social activities and sports facilities, you will quickly get to know people and make lifelong friends. The Union is here to help and support you through each Robbie Carson, President, step of your College journey. NCI Students’ Union
This is an exciting time, but can often be a little overwhelming, too. I’ve put together some top tips to help ease the transition to college life:
•Sort out your living arrangements as quickly as possible.
At NCI student accommodation is guaranteed for first year students, so make the accommodation office your first stop. You could also opt to live off campus, with other students or with a family in lodgings or 'digs'. Whatever you choose, give yourself plenty of time and start looking as early as you can.
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Drag yourself to lectures. It can be very tempting to miss the odd lecture and this can soon turn into a bad habit. It might sound boring but trust me, regular attendance will make your life so much easier in the long run. You can't rely on textbooks and course notes alone, lecturers will explore topics and provide helpful advice. You'll get to know your lecturers too, which will make it easier to approach them if you ever have a question or an issue they can help with.
•Find the right balance: Many students struggle to balance their
academic workload with clubs and societies, social activities and part-time work. It’s a common mistake to take on too many activities and you can start to feel overwhelmed. It’s important that you strike the right balance between work and play. They are both essential parts of the college experience, so don’t neglect one in favour of the other.
•Get involved with the Students' Union. Every registered student
is automatically a member of the SU, whose job it is to protect students' rights and promote your interests. So get to know your elected officers. Stop by and say hello, or if you don't fancy the direct approach, you can also contact each officer individually. Our contact details can be found at www.ncisu.ie. There are great facilities in the SU and it's generally where a bit of craic can be had throughout the year.
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Sign up for a club or society. This is a fantastic way to meet new people, go on trips and maybe even win an award at the end of the year. Everyone has different interests, so if what you're interested in isn't already represented, then set it up yourself!
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A version of this article first appeared in the Irish Independent Special Educational Supplement on 17/08/09.
Meet your Stu
Name: Robbie Cars Age: 22 Position: President Email: president@n Advice to new stu Union is there to he not for a serious ch mad place sometim
Name: Ciaran Mulq Age: 22 Position: Vice Pres Email: vicepresiden Advice to new stu an open mind and boat. Study hard an really does help.
Name: Shane Doyle Age: 21 Position: Clubs & S Email: clubsandsoc Advice to new stu and attend NCI nig everyone!
Name: Niall Carber Age: 19 Position: Entertain Email: ents@ncisu. Advice to new stu social side. It’s the
Name: Colum O’Ka Age: 21 Position: Student S Email: sse@ncisu.ie Advice to new stu social activities. If and can’t remembe class topic is about few more classes.
Name: Shane Moore Age: 19 Position: PR Officer Email: ncipro@live. Advice to new stud Week. And go to cla around the college,
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t ncisu.ie dents: Have a great year. The Students’ elp you so please come down to see us, if hat then come down for a laugh. It can be a mes, with any amount of craic!
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Societies Officer cs@ncisu.ie dents: Don’t be shy, get to know your class, hts out; after a few drinks everyone knows ry
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Services & Equality Officer e dents: Don’t be afraid to get involved in the you don’t know the name of your lecturer, er which room the class is in or what the t, then you should probably start going to a
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r com dents: Attend everything during Fresher’s ass, it’s very important. Make yourself known visit the SU and introduce yourself.
Six Steps to Academic Success: A Lecturer’s Advice aul Stynes is a lecturer in the School of Computing at the National College of Ireland. Here, he offers advice that he wishes someone had told him, when he started his first year of college:
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1. Attend your lectures
You will probably be tired of people saying this but it’s worth repeating: college life is very different to school. The emphasis is on independent learning – which means that your lecturers won’t be on your back in the same way that your parents or teachers might have been. This makes it very tempting to miss the odd lecture: however, I can’t emphasise enough that for most students, attendance is fundamental to academic success. I will often cover areas that aren’t in the textbooks and go into topics in much greater depth. I will also give advice on assignments, on studying and on exams which will help you to successfully get a degree. I’ve noticed a definite correlation between the students who fail and those who don’t turn up for their lectures.
2. Know your learning style
At NCI, we work with students to identify their preferred style of learning, which helps people to revise better and ultimately, to perform better academically. Individual preferences can be used to help develop more effective strategies for learning, and can determine how you take in information, how you should study and how you should prepare for an exam. One of my mantras is “learn more with less effort”.
3. Get to know your lecturers
Introduce yourself after the lecture or alternatively stop by their office or email them if you have a question. It might sound intimidating but by and large, we are a fairly approachable lot. Getting to know us means that we’re getting to know you, too – don’t be just another face in the crowd.
4. Take all the help that’s on offer
Avail of all the learning development support that is provided. This can range from study skills to time management and critical thinking. It’s free and it will help you with your course.
5. Make friends in your class
Apart from all the usual social reasons, befriending someone in your class will give you more incentive to attend your lectures and you’ll also have somebody to discuss things with. Also, just in case one of you really, really has to miss something (and see point number 1 before you do), you’ll also have somebody to trade your lecture notes with.
6. Hit the ground running
My students always seem surprised when the exams loom - they come around sooner than you'd think! Try not to let things overwhelm you. Keep up with your reading, do plenty of library research, complete assignments and attend lectures from the outset. This might sound boring, but start as you mean to go on and you'll have taken the first step towards academic and personal success. This article was first published in Herald AM
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Learning Outside the Classroom
When you think about all the things you’re going to
learn at college, ultimate frisbee probably isn’t the first thing to spring to mind. Or karting, table tennis, fashion shows or poker, either - but you’ll find all of these activities, and more, on offer at your new college. And the advice from Corrie Adams, the Student Support and Recreation Co-ordinator at National College of Ireland, is that getting involved in extracurricular activities means you’ll get a whole lot more out of your college experience.
According to Corrie, whose role is to promote and develop sports and recreation programmes at NCI, the college experience is about so much more than what you learn in the classroom. “Use your time at college to discover, explore and challenge yourself”, he said. “Take advantage of all the available opportunities to develop new interests and skills. The chance to get involved and make really close friends will be an amazing part of your educational journey.” The best way to experience the student lifestyle is to get involved in events and activities organised by students for students. By joining a club or society you can explore your interests, hone your talents and meet new people. Becoming a member of a club or society also offers opportunities to represent your college in sports leagues, intercollegiate competitions, and a range of special interest trips and events. As well as being great fun, these provide even more opportunity to meet other students with similar interests.
Some of the clubs and societies available at NCI: Arts Society Badminton Club Basketball Club Chess Club Christian Union Society Darts Club Fashion Society Gaelic Football Club Golf Club Reachout Society Rotaract Society Surfing Club Tennis Club Ultimate Frisbee Club Wargames Society
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Corrie Adams is the Student Support and Recreation Coordinator at National College of Ireland.
The drive, commitment and achievements of the students who run clubs and societies are celebrated at the annual college awards ceremonies, and there’s a chance of being nominated for the National Society Awards, too. “Clubs and societies are operated by the Students’ Union”, explains Corrie, “and my role is to support them in any way that I can.” Another way to get involved is through the peer mentoring programme. Corrie explains that students are more likely to seek help and advice from their peers, so many colleges operate peer mentoring programmes to help first years settle into college life. Through training and ongoing guidance, peer mentors develop important skills including listening to the needs of the students, assisting them in finding a social outlet, and identifying students at risk and referring them to the appropriate support service. It’s not just about meeting people and having fun. Participating in extracurricular activities helps you in other ways, too: you’ll learn valuable life skills like team work, communication and time management, which are all highly sought after by employers. Successfully balancing your academic workload with involvement in various initiatives demonstrates that you’re reliable, well-rounded and responsible.
So don’t be afraid to sign up for the ultimate frisbee club: it just might set you apart when you apply for that dream job...
Use your time at college to discover, explore and challenge yourself
Foundation Mathematics: In Perspective Last year, 6210 students were told that they might not qualify for a place at third level - and that if
they did, their choice of course could be limited. These students were excluded from college or university because of a decision they made when they were 15/16 years old; the decision to sit Foundation Maths at Leaving Cert level. National College of Ireland is removing this barrier and is now accepting Foundation Level Mathematics as part of the minimum entry requirements to all courses. This change will make a significant difference to the huge number of students who meet all other requirements but struggle with this one particular subject. NCI provides a dedicated Mathematics Support Service which will help students to improve their maths skills once they get here.
The College is now one year into the development of the Mathematics Support Service. The objective of this service is to empower students with the confidence to take responsibility for their own mathematical learning. The service provides an environment for students who are experiencing difficulties or wish to improve their understanding of and confidence in mathematical concepts. It is well documented that many students who proceed from second to third level bring with them an underdeveloped mathematical ability. This should not become an obstacle to our teaching. As mathematics teachers we should relish the challenges and equip ourselves to meet these with whatever means available, whether through technology or hard work. In our experience at NCI, lack of Honours Maths at Leaving Cert level has never been a barrier to academic success. Consider the part-time student population, many of whom have
returned to education after a gap of many years, or with little prior educational attainments. NCI prides itself in its ability to attract and progress this student cohort through the rigors of third level education. The key is to build c o n f i d e n c e a n d i n c r e a se self-efficacy levels among our student population. The first step along this road has to be with the teacher and the way we teach maths. Firstly, we need to create energy in the classroom for our topic.
Secondly, we need to develop the use of learning environments and innovative examination techniques. Thirdly, we need to go back to basics as teachers and harness the benefits of problem solving through the use of “chalkboard”, a technique that has lasted the test of time with regard to mathematics teaching. With the acceptance of Foundation Level Maths at NCI, widening participation has been advanced one step further. We are in a position to lead and set the scene for the future of mathematics education at third level and to build a model that can be applied across the industry. Jonathan Lambert, Maths Support Tutor, NCI
2 Minute Interview: Sarah Duignan (Admissions Officer) 1. A common misperception of me is... I'm quiet (no, really, people have thought that) 2. I`m good at... working under pressure 3. I`m not-so-good at... being patient (but I hide it well) 4. The ideal night out is... going down to Dunmore East with friends and sitting beside the fire listening to trad music
5. The last book I read was… War and Peace, nah it was Wicked - the life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West - Brilliant
8. It frustrates me when… I can't do everything on my 'To Do' list within the week
6. The last cd I listened to was… Florence and the Machine - Lungs
9. A phrase I use far too often is... Hello Admissions Sarah speaking...
7. My favourite part of my job is… doing reports and graphs, I can't get enough of graphs
10. In a nutshell, my philosophy is… what goes around comes around so be nice!
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CAREER BOOTC Between Monday 31st August and Saturday 5th September more than 1,000 people attended NCI’s Career Boot Camp, run in partnership with Irishjobs.ie, The Sunday Times and Dublin’s 98 FM. This weeklong programme of free advisory events was designed to provide people with real skills and insights to cope with the new rules of job searching. Career Boot Camp was a response from the College to the unprecedented numbers of people who are currently unemployed. It provided help and support across a number of areas including the hidden job market, the new rules of the job search and coping with the stress of redundancy. Practical events included education advice, CV clinics, interview workshops, networking events and more.
“The content and delivery of each of the workshops were of the highest quality. I have come away with knowledge, skills and confidence and a large network of like minded friends. The NCI staff could not have been more helpful and friendly with constant smiles on their faces. ”
Patti Thompson
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Leading experts volunteered their time without charge to help people overcome the challenges of the current economy. Speakers included career experts Rowan Manahan, Brian McIvor and Aine McKevitt Dublin Job Club founder Aaron Downes; business psychologist Johanna Fullerton; venture capitalist Maura Moore; trainer and consultant Conor Morris, and Krishna De, an award winning expert in the areas of brand engagement, digital marketing and social media.
Alumni
CAMP
News Alumni On the Move
in Partnership with... NCI President Dr. Paul Mooney explained that the background to the event was rooted in the College’s mission and Jesuit history. He said: “NCI’s mission is to help people achieve their full potential, so we wanted to respond in a practical way to the record numbers of people who have lost their jobs or feel that their job is at risk. The whole week was aimed at giving people the tools to take back their career and their future.” He went on to say that recession has changed the employment landscape: “It’s a bit of a minefield and people need advice and support to navigate their way through.”
“It was great to meet with other people in a similar situation and it was an extremely positive experience. The event was exceptionally motivating and inspiring. I feel re-energised and empowered to take control of my future” Caroline Kehoe
"Thanks for this Boot Camp. It was exactly what I needed to get the energy back and to get new ideas on how to enter the job market." Petra Bangemann
The week also incorporated the successful Think2act conference (www.think2act.org) which took place on Monday 31st October. NCI was delighted to support this advisory event for the second time, following the success of the inaugural event on 30th June. The conference incorporated one-to-one career coaching and inspirational speakers that left attendees motivated to take action. The event was the brain-child of Celine Mullins, Act 4 Business (www.a4b.ie) an d E i b h l i n J o h n s t o n , f r o m ThinkCoaching (www.thinkcoaching.ie).
Top: Brian McIvor Bottom Left: NCI staff welcome attendees Bottom Right: CV clinics and Interview workshops were included in the programme
Robert Ward, NCI’s Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment, said: “NCI is delighted to have helped so many people throughout the course of the week and we could not have done it without the extraordinary generosity of all of our experts.
The Sligo Chamber has recently appointed NCI Alumni Hilary McParland as a Business Executive for the group. A native of Sligo, Hilary graduated with a BA in Human Resources Management through the National College of Ireland off-Campus Network. In addition, she holds a Business Degree from the Sligo Institute of Technology. Hilary, who has a background in e-business, marketing and recruitment, has joined the Sligo Chamber with extensive experience from the County Enterprise Board where she was a Programme Co-ordinator for Sligo and Leitrim. Best of luck Hilary in your new role!
NCI Alumni wins Network Mayo Businesswoman of the Year Congratulations to NCI Alumni Olwen Dawe who recently won the Network Mayo Businesswoman of the Year award in the employee category. Olwen graduated with an Honours BA in Industrial Relations from the National College of Ireland in 2004 and has since worked in various operations and management roles including HR positions in Tesco Ireland Head Office and Daiwa Securities. In 2007 Olwen took her current role with Celtic Invoice Discounting Limited opening their second office in County Mayo. Celtic offers cash flow solutions for small to medium and developing businesses and has recently opened a new division to provide support and advice to businesses on a range of issues.
What would you do with €1000?
Join the NCI Alumni online community today and start thinking what you could do with the €1000 prize that will be raffled amongst its members. The NCI Alumni Online Community offers you plenty of benefits including a friends tracing service, an exclusive NCI Alumni Career Centre, a comprehensive discount scheme, regular e-zines and other College publications, invitation to professional and networking events…and much more!
By gifting their time and their expertise they allowed us to really make a difference and to help so many people who have been affected by the current economy. Times are Register Now @ difficult but …their there are out therethe andFashion Society a hardjobs work earned http://alumni.ncirl.ie we’ve hopefully educated and coveted award at themotivated ’08 Clubs and Socs Ball. people to find them.” 11
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It helped with the praise, I realised I wasn’t praising the baby, After the training I found that I was praising him loads, like with every little thing saying “that’s great son”. So I find myself doing it more, it helped me with that. Parent who attended the Parent Together Community Course
Supporting Continuous L e a r n i n g J o u r n e ys :
The Early Learning Initiative at NCI
A s part of the School of Community Studies, the Early Learning Initiative (ELI) at NCI is a community-based educational initiative. It is funded by a small number of private sector companies, who identified early years education, and parental involvement in their children’s education, as the key to greater educational achievement and prosperity. Their goal was to improve the educational attainment in the inner city communities surrounding NCI using best practice programmes. ELI supports children and parents as they make the transitions between educational providers. This begins in early infancy with the Spórt is Spraoi toddler groups and Parent Child Home Programme (PCHP). Both are focused on helping parents to develop their children’s social, language and thinking skills. Books and toys are provided as gifts to the families so they can continue the activities, in their own time and at their own pace. This helps the children to develop the skills they need to succeed in school, as well as providing them with essential early learning materials. Being a parent is difficult and it can be hard for parents to know the right way to develop their children’s interests and social skills. ELI developed the Parents Together Community Course in partnership with the Parents Plus Charity, Mater Hospital. This highly successful parenting course brings parents together to discuss their relationships with their children and support each other in learning new positive parenting strategies. While early years support is essential, to help children progress to further and higher education, ELI also provides ongoing support to both parents and students. The Stretch to Learn programmes include literacy and numeracy projects, family celebration awards, and second level tuition along with support for third level students. A key element of the Early Learning Initiative and the wider School of Community Studies at NCI is to provide on going professional and personal development opportunities for local educators. The aim is to promote the development of successful, high-achieving communities and thereby improve the children’s life chances.
For more on the work of the ELI see www.ncirl.ie/eli
Left: Kinna Caffrey enjoys playing and learning at NCI has Deryck Tormey been appointed School
Above: Students at the ELI’S Discover University Graduation
PCHP
The Parent Child Home Programme (PCHP) is an innovative, home based literacy and parenting programme that strengthens families and prepares children to succeed academically. The Early Learning Initiative has modified the programme, which operates in 13 states in the U.S., to meet the needs of the families in the Docklands. Trained home visitors visit the family over a two year (school year) period, bringing books and toys to model for parents' ways to increase a child's vocabulary. At the end of the two years the family has a library of children's books, a large collection of toys, but more importantly the families have learned that reading together is an enjoyable way to spend time. The Early Learning Initiative celebrated two PCHP firsts in May 2009. We were certified as an official PCHP training centre for PCHP sites and Coordinators in Ireland and we held the graduation of first group of PCHP families in the Kelly Theatre, hosted by the college President Dr. Paul Mooney. One grandad of a child involved in the programme wrote this poem to celebrate the occasion. All the children here today Are a credit to every Mum and Dad And such a source of pride and joy To every tutor that they had
This really is how good it gets The children with their nice rosettes At this stage in their education Attending for their graduation
They said things like ‘the college was massive’, ‘the college is very near East Wall’, ‘we could go to university when we get big’. I think it widened their life experience.’ Teacher whose class participated in NCI Challenge
This programme has to carry on ‘Twould be a shame, if it was gone So thanks to all the girls and Beth They’ve done their best since we first met
If Jack and Josie should have a baby Nearly impossible, but who knows, maybe We’d ring up Beth, and ask if she is able To find if Pamela is available
Then put us down on Pamela’s list For after Molly, she’ll be sadly missed To have her call, would be a pleasure That Josie and baby would surely treasure. Jack (Grandad to Molly) Byrne.
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Feature Interview:
Nora Owen Nora Owen, Chair of NCI’s Alumni Leadership Council, is a former Minister for Justice and deputy leader of Fine Gael. Born in Dublin in 1945, Nora is a sister of Mary Banotti and a grand-niece of Michael Collins. In 2004, Nora studied the NCI Certificate in Business Law. What is it like to be the grandniece of Michael Collins? All over the country there are people who just want to shake my hand because of my connection with Michael Collins. He was admired across the board and I often thought about what he would do in certain circumstances particularly when I was dealing with the North during my Ministry. Who have been your biggest influences, both personally and professionally? Garret Fitzgerald really inspired me as a young politician and even now I am amazed at his insight and wisdom in today’s problems. I met Kofi Annan several times and he, together with Nelson Mandela, obviously have inspired me. My mother, Kitty O’Mahony was my biggest influence. She was widowed in 1949 with 6 young children under 10 and she went back to work and put 4 of 6 through University before fees were abolished. She taught endless students in the College of Catering who still approach me to say what an influence she had on their lives. What encouraged you to enroll on the Certificate in Business Law at NCI? I was anxious to keep my brain active after I left elected politics in 2002 so I had a look at various options in a number of colleges with a view to doing a third level course. The Certificate in Business Law really interested me as I was now on some charity boards and interested in governance issues. Also NCI was very convenient for me by train. I attended an open day and decided to sign on! Do you have any abiding memories of NCI? I enjoyed re-entering College after a very long gap (40 plus years), meeting the others in the class, using the library and challenging the brain to remember facts and linking them with day to day happenings in our courts! For instance, the Insider Trading case was in court during my year.
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What makes National College of Ireland different? The wide variety of full and part-time options available makes the College attractive to older people who may not have had the chance of formal third level but have work experience and can now get formal qualifications. It also is a College that really connects with the people of the area near its base.
You initially qualified as a chemist. What prompted you to change your career and get involved in politics? I had become a full-time mother to care for my three children and got involved in local community activities such as the Community Council, local newspaper, Resident’s Association etc. I was asked to stand in Local Elections in 1979 much to my surprise and decided to take a chance. In January 1981 there was a General Election and I stood with the sitting TD late John Boland (as a sweeper or so they thought) and got elected. That started my national career and I got elected until 2002 with a break between 1987 and 1989. What would you regard as your finest achievement as a politician? Two things in particular pleased me that I was able to help with. I chaired the Development Aid Committee for 7 years and helped to raise the issue of third world aid, ensuring increased funds were made available for this vital work. Also, as Minister for Justice that established the Criminal Assets Bureau, which has been vital to tackling organised crime Can you tell us about some of the projects that you are currently involved in? I am a member of the Commission for the support of Victims of Crime, established 4 years ago by Michael McDowell. I am an Officer and member of the Concern Worldwide Board, both in Ireland and the UK. I chair a Committee on Justice and Home Affairs in the Institute of International and European Affairs. I have been a member of the Forum on Europe for the last 6 years until it was closed down by the government! I have been involved in parliamentary training in many emerging de m o c r a c i e s l i k e Macedonia, Cambodia, Albania and have links with the National Democratic Institute b a s e d i n Washington. What are the main goals of the NCI Alumni Leadership Council? The Leadership Council of the NCI Alumni Association are hard-working volunteers who are committed to supporting the goals of the College, keeping alumni connected to each other and the College. The Council comprises up to 18 NCI alumni who are dedicated to the College’s mission and to the growth and prosperity of the Alumni Association. We would like to ensure that former graduates feel connected with the college and perhaps give back to their alma mater in different ways. Alumni associations are also a great link for graduates who have left Ireland and want to meet fellow Irish men and women. What do you most like doing when you’re not working? Play bridge, go to the cinema, read a good book, have food with family and friends and meet for a really good chat!
Gill & Macmillan Gift
The NCI Foundation is pleased to announce a new scholarship scheme for students from the D12 area. The scheme has been made possible by Gill & Macmillan, one of Ireland's oldest publishers. For students who require financial assistance, the scholarship fund will also include a stipend for textbooks from the Gill & Macmillan list and an affinity programme for NCI alumni, staff and faculty. "We are very excited by the opportunity to partner with NCI to create a scholarship scheme for local people who live in our D12 area," said Dermot O'Dwyer, Managing Director. "We strongly believe in the NCI mission and want to help as many people as possible change their lives through higher education."
Invesco Invests in Progress
Invesco, the largest Irish-owned firm of employee benefits consultants, recently agreed a partnership with NCI’s new workforce development strategy for the financial services sector, Progressions. Des McGarry, MD of Invesco said “We are honoured to provide financial support for National College of Ireland’s Progressions programme. As a company we are committed to making a difference in the community, and with Progressions, we’re able to play a part in helping create employment opportunities for 300 people over the next three years.” Progressions comes at a challenging time for the financial services sector in Ireland. Our partnership with Invesco, and with over a dozen other financial services companies, will help make employment in the sector a reality for local people who otherwise may not get the chance to pursue their career dreams,” said Neal Newman, NCI Foundation Director. Invesco is over 18 years in operation and is owner managed with offices in both Dublin and Cork.
In profile:
Tom Barry
Tom Barry, Chairman of DBL Capital Partners, spent nearly 30 years at Allied Irish Bank working across several divisions including Head of Property & Construction Lending, Head of Corporate Banking and Director of AIB Capital Markets. Tom currently Chairs the NCI Foundation Board.
What was your first job? Loading quarters of beef carcass onto container trucks in Clover Meats, Waterford.
Who would your three all-time dinner guests be? Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill and Warren Buffett. What would you do with three wishes? 1.To be young and fit enough to play hurling for Kilkenny again. 2.A year to travel to the many interesting/different places in the world that I have not visited, e.g. Alaska, Tibet, Antarctica. 3.To go to Harvard for personal growth, experience and education (or NCI when the new MBA programme comes on stream in 2010!). Who is the person you most admire? Sam Walton, founder and leader of Wal-Mart. If they were making a film of your life, the actor playing you would be: Paul Newman. How important is Higher Education to the future prosperity of Ireland? Absolutely critical, our only ability to compete for new business investment relative to many other low cost country options is to be able to offer business employers young, energetic, well educated people with drive and ‘can do’ attitude. If you were An Taoiseach for a day what one change would you make to ease our current economic difficulties? Reduce the permanent cost of running every Government Department by 10% and accept the consequences, and terminate one out of every two Regulations (at least every second one has no real benefit, i.e. they are only ticking boxes to make the file look right and adding unnecessary cost to businesses). As Chair of the NCI Foundation, what attracted you to National College of Ireland? What makes NCI so special? The core mission of the College of widening access to quality third level education to many who would not normally obtain it, and the energy, genuine integrity, common sense and action oriented approach to life of NCI President, Paul Mooney. What are your hopes for the Access/Success/ Citizenship appeal of NCI? To broaden the awareness of the really good work of the NCI and raise lots of money so the College grows and reaches many more students.
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NC I N o ti ce b o a r d The first group to complete NCI's Progressions programme finished up in September after a 12 week course, including a 4 week work placement with our partner financial institutions: the Institute of Bankers, Irish Funds Industry Association, the Irish Banking Federation and NCI’s founding partners, State Street Foundation. The group will graduate in November and receive their FETAC major award at level 5, in Financial Services. The programme will assist 300 people over 3 years.
Innovation Dublin: Life in the Docklands
Innovation Dublin is a week-long festival of events, from October 14th – 20th, highlighting and promoting innovation in the city. Each event is themed around a key aspect of urban life: culture, enterprise, people, movement, the environment or the public realm. As part of the festival, NCI has partnered with UCD to exhibit ‘Life in the Docklands’. This will feature screened images from the UCD National Folklore Collection, with particular emphasis on photographs from the Docklands Area, which will be looped in the NCI Atrium throughout the week. Printed material on the collection will also be available.This is but one event in an exciting citywide programme. For more, please see http://www.innovationdublin.ie
New Entrepreneurship Programme 100% FÁS Funded
FÁS are partnering with National College of Ireland to run a new Entrepreneurship programme designed and facilitated by the College. The programme is targeted at people who have been recently made redundant from International Financial Services companies and associated sectors, and want to become entrepreneurs. FÁS are providing the programme without charge, in line with Government strategy to create an enterprise economy.
Delivered 2 days a month over 3 months, this is a highly interactive programme delivered in workshop format. It aims to inspire people to formulate business ideas that can be presented to a range of potential investors and advisors, from Enterprise Ireland and Business Angels to Venture Capitalists. It is comprised of 3 modules Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management and Corporate Finance -and facilitated by a very experienced team: Professor Jimmy Hill (Dean of the Business School, National College of Ireland), Fergus Barry (Managing Partner, Fergus Barry & Associates), and Austin Coughlan (Finance expert)
Student Spotlight
Dubliner Kieran Dooner, from Artane, is going in to his second year at the School of Computing in National College of Ireland. Having heard about the college at a school talk in St David’s CBS, Artane, Kieran attended an open day and was impressed with the central location, size and atmosphere. He now helps out at open days and talks to prospective students about what they can expect from college life. “NCI is great because it’s so easy to find your feet. You’ll meet amazing people and because the building is so compact and modern, it’s easy to navigate.”
At school, Kieran’s favourite subjects were technical drawing and woodwork. He likes things that are more hands on, which is why he enjoys computing, and he gets on well with his lecturers. “For me, the best thing about college has actually been the lecturers”, he said. “They are so easy to talk to and they’ve made college life really enjoyable for me. They’ve given me some great advice.” Ideally Kieran would like to be an airline pilot, but his computing degree will give him something to fall back on if needs be. “The college years are a great opportunity to find out what you really want out of life.”
Two new Doctor’s in the house
Student Spotlight
National College of Ireland recently congratulated two staff members, Orla Lahart and Leo Casey, who have both successfully completed their PhD’s.
Orla Lahart is a lecturer within the NCI School of Computing. She was conferred on Friday, July 10th with her PhD at Trinity College. Orla's thesis, 'Tutoring the Tutor using an Adaptive Educational System', focused on educating parents in homework strategies. Orla completed both primary and masters degrees in NUI Galway (Arts, Computing, Irish and Software Systems).
Leo Casey is Director of Learning, Teaching, Research and Innovation at NCI. He successfully completed his Viva Voce on Thursday July 2nd. His thesis, ‘Pathways to Competence and Participation in the Digital World’, is a study of the learning journey of adults who take up computer skills for the first time. NCI Business Incubation Centre welcomes its newest additions. The centre assists high potential start up companies in the Finance, B u s i n e s s a n d L e a r n i n g T e c h n o l o gy Industries. R -L: Bertie Kelly, NCI; Ciaran McGowan and Fiona Flynn,Staff Balance; David Conde, Calom Technology; Iarfhlaith Kelly, Webstrong; Joyce Lloyd, NCI; Kieran Fitzpatrick, Barracuda FX, and Ian Lucey, Lucey Technology.
For more see www.ncirl.ie/icelt
NCI Institutional Review The Higher Education & Training Awards Council is the qualifications awarding body for third level educational and training institutions outside of the university sector in Ireland. All providers of HETAC awards are subject to external quality assurance of its institutions. As NCI is a provider of HETAC awards, HETAC has commissioned a review of NCI activities which will take place on 8th-10th February 2010. In the case of NCI, the objectives of this review are: •To enhance public confidence in the quality of education and training provided by the institution and the standards of the awards made; •To contribute to coherent strategic planning and governance in the institution; •To assess the effectiveness of the quality assurance arrangements operated by the institution; •To confirm the extent that the institution has implemented the National Framework of Qualifications and procedures for access, transfer and progression; •To provide recommendations for the enhancement of the education and training provided by the institution.
Preparation for this review officially commenced in January 2009.
We are about to commence writing our self evaluation report and the final version will be presented for debate and approval at the Academic Council meeting on the 4th November 2009. We welcome input to our self evaluation from all those associated with, or who have an interest in, the College. If you wish to contribute to this process, you can do so by visiting www.ncirl.ie where you will find further details and an online survey. You can also contact Sinéad O’Sullivan, Director of Quality Assurance & Statistical Services, on sosullivan@ncirl.ie.
Aideen Blake Aideen Blake knew from the moment she stepped onto campus that she wanted to study at National College of Ireland.
“I came to an open day and I really liked the feel of the place”, she said. “The college is small and friendly, and everything is so handy: it’s based in Dublin’s IFSC and food, shops and public transport are all on your doorstep.” The 23-year-old, from Baldoyle in Dublin 13, is going in to the second year of the BA in Management of Technology in Business.
“I took the scenic route,” she explains. “I took a Post Leaving Cert course and used that to gain entry to college.” Aideen went on to complete the Higher Certificate in Computer Applications and Support, which leads in to the second year of her chosen degree. “It might not have been the most straightforward way”, she says, “but it worked for me, and I am really enjoying my college experience.”
The small class sizes work for Aideen’s learning style, and they made it easy for her to get to know people: “There are only 11 of us in my class and I love each and every one of them. The lecturers are really friendly too and there is lots of support.” First published in the Irish Independent on 17/08/09