At a glance

• Value: €3,000
• You must be a current UCC Student to be eligible for this prize
• Questions about this prize can be directed to kathleen.mccarthy@ucc.ie

Entry criteria

Second year students on the BSc Applied Economics that wish to spend Year 3 abroad.

Detail

This memorial prize remembers Aoife O’Connell, a third year BA Economics (through Transformational Learning) student who tragically died in Utrecht in 2019, while studying on her year abroad. This memorial prize recognises Aoife’s own transformative journey. Aoife was an ambassador for the programme, embodying the values and attributes of self-leadership that underpin the programme and that UCC aspire our students to cultivate. Aoife grasped the opportunity to study abroad for a year, taking the opportunity to experience new vistas and new people and in doing so embrace change, difference and diversity. The motivation and willingness to invite change is the hallmark of the university experience. In offering this scholarship, Aoife’s family wish to enable future students on the programme to avail of the opportunities and experiences that Aoife was able to avail of, so that they too can better develop the attributes and values befitting a student of UCC.

Selection

Selection will be based on the following:

1.  A Personal Statement (1,000 words), in which applicants should:
   • Address their reasons for choosing to study the BSc Applied Economics at UCC.
   • Reflect on how their university experience (curricular, importantly extra-curricular and campus live) to date has challenged and supported their development as a person.
   • In this we are inviting applicants to reflect on how they believe the wider university experience has enabled them to become aware of and evolve their motivations, their values, their sense of purpose as a human being.
   • Examine how they believe that embracing the opportunity to study and live abroad as part of their degree and wider university experience could cultivate their ongoing transformative development as a person.
   • In this, we are inviting applicants to reflect on their expectations and their plans as they shape their year abroad as a space to grow as a person.

Please note: The use of Generative AI in the writing of your personal statement will automatically disqualify you from the Award.

2. An informal interview.

First Year examination results in Economics will be used if two or more applicants are equivalent after considering criteria 1 and 2.

Closing Date for Applications: First Friday in Semester 2.