DCU Access Scholars

Dublin City University Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile ﾃ》ha Cliath

Access Scholars Post-entry support

4 Orientation programme 4 Academic support 4 Financial support

www.dcu.ie

Access Scholars Welcome back to all students and a special welcome to incoming first years. Congratulations on receiving an offer of a place at Dublin City University. We are delighted to welcome you to DCU and wish you every success with your studies at university.

You are now officially a DCU Access Scholar!

One of the core aims of the DCU Access Service is to support students to successfully complete their programme of study. You will be delighted to know that successive studies have highlighted DCU Access Scholars as having a strong record in terms of retention and academic performance at DCU. In order for you to really benefit from your time at university, the DCU Access Service provides a range of supports to help you reach your full potential.

Orientation programme This is a three-and-a-half day, full-time programme, usually at the beginning of September. The content has been devised in consultation with students and an expert Teaching Advisory Group. Students are streamed into accounting, business, languages, humanities, nursing, science, computers and engineering, enabling them to focus on their subject choice. Other modules include group work and a project presentation. There is also time for sport, careers, social outings and the very important graduation ceremony to mark the end of the orientation.

Students accepted under the Access Route are required to attend the orientation in order to take up their place in DCU.

“

Overall I thought the Access week was a lot of help for me in familiarising

I look forward every year to teaching in the Access Orientation Programme and I am never

myself with the campus and getting a

disappointed! The students bring lots of creative

chance to make friends. I also thought

ideas and energy with them and deliver really

the tutorials, presentations and

”

activities were all useful and I enjoyed the week overall.

interesting and varied projects in a relatively short period of time. It’s a wonderful way to get off to a good start in university.

Dr Angela Leahy School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies

“

I found the Access Orientation Programme to be of great value to my introduction to college

The Access Orientation Programme provides

and DCU life. There was not one aspect that

a wonderful opportunity for students to gain

I found hindered my experience. The student leaders instilled a great sense of value and friendship, the work of the access co-ordinators gave the feeling that

invaluable insights into academic life on campus.

The classroom environment is always very lively and interactive, and I enjoy engaging with the students

the support was there for us and available

during the week-long programme of activities.

at all times, and getting to know other

It makes for a very rewarding experience.

students who were going through university under the same conditions made it extremely

Mr Jim Rogers School of Communications

helpful in making friends and having a feeling of comfort heading towards orientation and lectures.

�

An amazing and very helpful experience.

So, thanks. =)

Academic support

Additional tuition: Individual and group tuition is available to each student in subjects that are proving difficult. More information on this will be available from your Post-Entry Project Officer.

One-to-one meetings: All first-year students will attend a meeting with a support officer at the beginning of Semester one. This is a valuable opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns that you may have.

Student learning agreements: A student learning agreement (SLA) will be emailed to you in advance of your first one-to-one meeting. You are required to bring the completed learning agreement to this meeting for discussion with your Post-Entry Project Officer. This helps the Access Service to provide you with a tailored package of supports that best meets your needs for the duration of your time at DCU. Mentoring scheme: Every first-year Access Scholar is assigned a mentor. Mentors are current second-year undergraduate Access students (possibly your current Access Summer Orientation leader!) who you can contact throughout the year for further help settling in to third level.

The DCU Maths Learning Centre: The Maths Learning Centre at DCU provides free extra informal support in a welcoming environment to all students taking mathematics as part of their programme. If mathematics or a maths-related subject is part of your degree programme, make sure to avail of the one-to-one maths tuition through the Maths Learning Centre. A tutor is also available if you wish to bring along any specific work and ask questions.

Profile of a DCU Access graduate Name: Deborah O’Neill School you attended: Saint Mary’s GNS, Glasnevin How did you hear about the DCU Access Programme? I heard about it through a girl I worked with. My secondary school wasn’t a link school then so I applied independently.

Course in DCU: BSc Business Studies with INTRA, and MBS Human Resource Management What supports did you receive from the DCU Access Service? The top-up grants were a fantastic help during my time at DCU, enabling me to purchase the recommended course books when I needed them. The burden of maintaining a part-time job during the academic year was reduced as a result, allowing me to focus on my studies.

I also found the Access Programme’s staff to be an invaluable support network throughout my undergraduate studies. This constant support and advice even continued right through to my post-grad studies.

Graduation year: 2009 and 2010 Where you are working now? I am currently University Programmes Coordinator at Google, supporting graduate recruitment across Europe, Middle-East and Africa.

Any comments on the Access Programme in general? I think that the DCU Access Programme is a gift to students who may otherwise not have considered entering third-level education. Education can change the direction of a person’s life in incredible ways. I was the first person in my family to attend university and as a result, all of my nieces and nephews are absolutely intent on following in my footsteps. My hope for the future is that the DCU Access Programme continues to grow from strength to strength, bettering the lives of not just students on the programme, but also the lives of their family members.

Financial support – Top-up scholarships Each student will receive a top-up scholarship, which is designed to help alleviate the financial strain of attending third level. This is because of the current low level of funding available through the Higher Education Grant Scheme.

DCU is quite unique in that all Access Scholarship monies are raised by the DCU Educational Trust. The Trust is a registered charity, which works to build philanthropic relationships with friends, corporations, alumni, foundations and community groups to raise funding for Access Scholarships each year.

“

Teaching on the Access Orientation

I enjoyed the course a lot and it was

Programme was a most enjoyable and enriching

very helpful to me in making friends.

experience. It helped me to better understand the

It also reassured me that there is lots

students’ perspective on beginning studies in DCU.

of support in place for me to help me

I was struck by their enthusiasm, intelligence

with my exams and study.

”

and sense of initiative.

Dr Aine McGillicuddy School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies

Access students’ achievements in 2011 2011 is proving to be a particularly successful year for Access students. In January, twelve students were successful in achieving places on the Google BOLD programme. Students spent a week in Google being introduced to the suite of Google products, meeting staff and getting advice on career development.

Vicky Kavanagh (Journalism, year 3) was successful in securing an internship in Washington through the Washington Ireland Programme.

Donald Cummins (Business, year 4) secured the Mike Bennett Internship to South Carolina.

Julie Fullerton (Business, year 4) secured an internship with Digicel, Jamaica.

Mark Hatton (Marketing, year 3) secured an internship with Digicel, Jamaica.

Aishling Brady (Journalism, year 2) secured an EIL Intercultural Learning Ireland international travel award to India.

Leylah Mohammed (International Relations, year 3) won an EIL Intercultural Learning Ireland international travel award to Mexico.

Andrew Kiernan (Engineering, year 2) won a RINCE scholarship for a valuable internship on campus this summer.

Karina Korotkevica (Economics, Politics and Law, year 3) was awarded the President’s Award for Community Engaged Teaching and Learning.

Congratulations to all these students on their wonderful achievements!

Student Advice Centre The Student Advice Centre, located in the Henry Grattan Building, was developed in 2008 from discussions with staff and students who felt that students sometimes find it difficult to navigate their way through the university system. There are plenty of people willing to provide advice and assistance throughout the university community but students are often unaware who to contact specifically.

The Centre provides information and guidance in many areas including clubs and societies, financial assistance, maps of the campus/Dublin, contact details for staff, health and wellbeing, and academic skills. Students can drop in at any time. There is also free internet access, a courtesy phone for internal calls and information leaflets on all areas including accommodation, health, academic help and finance.

Centre contact details: T: +353 (1) 700 7165 E: student.affairs@dcu.ie www.dcu.ie/students/advice

Access Service Room LG 16, Computer Applications Building T: (01) 700 5530

Ita Tobin Head of Access and Student Recruitment E: ita.tobin@dcu.ie T: 01 700 5493

www.dcu.ie/students/access

Orla Conlan

Susan Hawkins

Access Officer

Access Pre-Entry Project Officer

E: orla.conlan@dcu.ie T: (01) 700 8869

E: susan.hawkins@dcu.ie T: (01) 700 6040

Cathy McLoughlin

Colette Keogh

Access Project Officer

Access Project Officer

st

(1 year students) E: cathy.mcloughlin@dcu.ie T: (01) 700 8814

(for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students) E: colette.keogh@dcu.ie T: (01) 700 8868