Civic Engagement
Presidents Awards for Engagement 2015
| Student Category €1,000 Winner: | Staff Category €1,000 Winner: |
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| Steven Conlon DCUSU Returning Officer (in collaboration with Dr Mark Glynn, Teaching Enhancement Unit) DCU Students' Union E-Voting |
The ComputeTY Team - Dr Jennifer Foster, Gary Conway and Christine Stears School of Computing |
| Special Merit Award Student Category €500 Winner: |
Special Merit Award Staff Category €500 Winner: |
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| Disability and Learning Support Service Volunteer Team on the "Addressing the Double Disadvantage" Programme | Deirdre Corby, Richard Jackson, Therese Danaher and Liz Hartnett School of Nursing and Human Sciences Service Improvement with Cooperative Learning |
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Commenting on this year's awards Head of Civic Engagement, Prof. Ronnie Munck said that "The sheer quality and quantity of entrants for the President's Award this year was simply remarkable. It shows to me the commitment across DCU by both staff and students to engage with society and the wider community. There was a vibrant spirit of wanting 'to make a difference' that was truly inspirational!" |
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SUMMARY OF NOMINATIONS |
Posters |
STUDENT CATEGORY |
click on poster image to enlarge |
| Rachel Wheeler Bachelor of Business Studies Founder of Raising for Animal Welfare (RAW) Society; raising awareness and funds for the prevention of animal cruelty and neglect; supporting numerous animal welfare charities; the sole animal welfare society in higher education in Ireland |
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| Sinead Kane PhD Researcher with the National Anti-Bullying Centre, DCU Highlighting diversity, disability and bullying; active volunteer (Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, National Council for the Blind, Childvision and more); advocate for persons with disabilities; role model highlighting DCU as a university free of discrimination |
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| Emma Kavanagh BA Multimedia Voluntary work and leadership – DCU Style Society, Media Production Society, DCU Access Unity Project, DCU Enactus (HeadstARTS, DCU Ambassador; Pop Up Charity Shop for Enable Ireland |
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| Erin O’Reilly BSc Health & Society Volunteer work with Order of Malta Cadets, Irish Girl Guides, and Special Olympics Junior – helping young people develop life skills to become engaged and confident citizens |
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| Fiona Conlon Dunne, Rebecca McMullan, Caitriona O’Meara BSc Children’s and General Nursing Student Nurses Spreading the Gift of Hope - travel to Kolkata in summer 2015 to volunteer with the HOPE Foundation; work with most vulnerable – street and slum children; global engagement |
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| Nessa Cassidy BSc Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science Suas Educational Development – Literacy Support; volunteer commitment with Suas and Aisling Project; Suas Soc Chairperson; successfully engaging over 500 DCU students over 4 years to volunteer with Suas |
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| St. Vincent de Paul Society St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra Projects raising awareness and funds for the homeless – Pat’s Got Talent fundraiser; SOUPer Bowl soup run; a fashion show and a sponsored sleep-out; over 250 students volunteered throughout the year |
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| Brian Harman PhD student, DCU Business School Creating and maintaining a DCU Post-Grad Facebook Group to enable postgraduate students to connect |
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| Steven Conlon DCUSU Returning Officer (in collaboration with Dr Mark Glynn, Teaching Enhancement Unit) E-Voting Introduction of online voting system used for elections within the DCU Students’ Union; creating a voting module on Loop; increasing student participation in democratic processes and the turnout; contribution to environmental sustainability |
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| Enactus DCU HeadstARTS HeadstARTS is a social enterprise empowering and enabling people with intellectual disabilities through arts: art, music, drama and dance; multi-stakeholder project – DCU students and staff, local and national community organisations |
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| Volunteer Team, Challenger Programme, Northside and Cabra School Completion Educational Disadvantage Centre, St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra The project aims to support primary school students through campus tours and voluntary tuition in Maths and Irish; it awakens pupils’ imagination to viewing third level education as a viable choice |
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| Brendan Heery PhD student, School of Chemical Sciences Involvement in sustainability issues (e.g. work in DCU garden, rain harvesting); industry engagement to develop ideas improving the quality of life in Dublin |
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| Kristine O’Reilly BSc Communication Studies Inspiration through Photography and Music – inspiring and encouraging young people to dream big and achieve goals through the use of social media, arts and music |
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| Disability and Learning Support Service Volunteer Team Voluntary work on a programme addressing the “double disadvantage” in DCU linked schools to promote access to 3rd level for students with disabilities from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds |
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| Katy Walsh, James McCarthy, Mirjam Theil, Sarah Doran and Neal Hickey NGM Students Team for DCUBS Alumni Sleepout Campaign Voluntary work and community-based learning involvement in Focus Ireland Sleepout campaign; nearly €20k raised; “passion, commitment, enthusiasm and dedication” |
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| Cormac Ryan BSc Athletic Therapy and Training Cycle for Life An initiative promoting awareness of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, undetected heart conditions and mental health issues; raising tens of thousands € for charity; national visibility and press coverage |
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| Laura Pierce BSc Education & Training Voluntary work with Lourdes Day Care Centre, Finglas Addiction Support Team, Finglas Community Garden and Grange Gymnastics; combatting social isolation and promoting healthy lifestyles |
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| Laura Ennis and the NGM Student Team Research Project for DCU Intergenerational Learning Programme Exploring the benefits of the volunteering experiences and evaluating the value of this experience in the context of DCU Graduate Attributes; exploring the benefits of ILP for older participants |
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| Tanya Walter BSc Education and Training Voluntary work and commitment to animal welfare through International Hedgehog Association; public events, school talks and fundraising |
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| Jess O’Shea BSc Health & Society Ballymunch Project involving cookery classes set up to encourage the parents of students in Trinity Comprehensive School to cook healthy meals on a low budget; connecting parents with school management; DCU RAG |
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| Rachel Gallen BSc Multimedia (in collaboration with Christine O’Kelly, Age Friendly University) Fingal Senior Citizens Forum – Fingal Senior Newsletter Providing training in Microsoft Publisher to allow members of the Fingal Senior Forum produce a quarterly newsletter |
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| Owen Ralph MSc in E-Commerce Voluntary, creative and entrepreneurial involvement in a range of initiatives: 100minds fundraisers, Intergenerational Learning Programme (design and delivery of modules) and Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneurship Awards |
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| Students of the Professional Certificate in Education - Choral Conducting in Education and in the Community St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra Designed to support teachers in developing musicianship and choral conducting technique; student involvement in establishing choral music in schools and classrooms, and working with other educators reaching learners of all ages |
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| Kaleb Honer, Beth-Anne Graham, Holly O’Callaghan School of Law and Government Irish Innocence Project Involvement as student caseworkers under Irish Innocence Project - examining closed case files to determine the innocence of those who claim to have been victims of miscarriage of justice |
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STAFF CATEGORY |
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| Liam Hourihane, Caroline McMullan, David Jacobson, Des McLaughlin, Joanne Lynch, John Mulcahy DCUBS Practicum Advisory Board Providing students with rich experiential learning experience through practical projects (with SMEs and non-profits in 2015) |
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| Cillian Murphy Disability and Learning Support Leading a group of students to deliver a programme addressing the “double disadvantage” in DCU linked schools to promote access to 3rd level for students with disabilities from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds |
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| Dr Trudy Corrigan, Dr Cathy Fowley, Carmel Conroy, and Christine O’Kelly Intergenerational Learning Programme Flagship project of the AFU Initiative - engaging older people and DCU student volunteers in reciprocal learning journeys; “variety of courses delivered to the delight and intrigue of the older students” |
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| Dr Melrona Kirrane DCU Business School Public engagement: raising the profile of organisational psychology and its contribution to business via work with the PSI, radio and print media and extensive business networks |
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| Deirdre Corby, Richard Jackson, Therese Danaher, Liz Hartnett School of Nursing and Human Sciences Service Improvement with Cooperative Learning Engaging people with intellectual disability, family members and service staff in cooperative learning within the university to make a real and practical change in services for those with intellectual disability |
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| Dr Padraig Murphy School of Communications Societal Impact Platform Providing a vehicle for DCU humanities, social sciences and physical sciences researchers, as well as NGOs and SMEs to jointly work on medium and large scale research projects |
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| Teaching Enhancement Unit – Dr Mark Glynn (in collaboration with DCUSU Returning Officer Steven Conlon) E-Voting Introduction of online voting system used for elections within the DCU Students’ Union; creating a voting module on Loop; increasing student participation in democratic processes and the turnout; contribution to environmental sustainability |
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| Donal Mulligan School of Communications Starting Vote With Us – a civic online video campaign for a yes vote in the 2015 marriage referendum (150 videos so far) offering a platform for voters (public figures and ordinary people) to engage in a dialogue on how the vote affects their lives |
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| Christmas is in Your Heart Campaign Team MA in Political Communication, School of Communications A three-month campaign at national level to raise funds for the Peter McVerry Trust via social media; raising awareness of the homeless crisis; contribution to combating social exclusion |
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| Bernadette McCulloch DCU Business School Focus Ireland Sleepout Bringing together DCU alumni, postgraduate students and staff in a campaign involving a sleepout on campus to raise funds for Focus Ireland; nearly €20k raised to date; two nominations |
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| ComputeTY Team – Dr Jennifer Foster, Gary Conway and Christine Stears ComputeTY is a technology course run by the School of Computing for TY students; introducing and promoting interest in computer science as a third level subject; approx. 400 students attend the programme annually |
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| Deirdre Wynter, Christine O’Kelly, DCU Intergenerational Learning Programme (with St. Aidan’s TY students) Technology Made Easy – How to Use Apps for Older People Collaborative and multi-stakeholder project involving the design and publication of a booklet assisting older persons to use apps to stay connected to family and friends, and assist in independent living |
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| Michelle King Director of Ballymun Initiative for Third Level Education Management of voluntary tuition programme in Trinity Comprehensive School in Ballymun; over 70 DCU student volunteers this academic year; involvement of Maths Learning Centre |
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Click the link to read the news story on DCU News website : http://www.dcu.ie/news/2015/apr/s0415u.shtml