Cycle of Support: Access UCC Student Ambassadors Pay It Forward

The Access UCC Plus Programme is a cornerstone of the university’s commitment to widening participation and ensuring that students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds can enter, thrive in, and complete higher education. Through targeted outreach, holistic supports, and donor-funded bursaries, the programme enables students to progress through university with confidence, belonging, and stability.

Central to the success of the programme are Access Ambassadors, who are Access students that volunteer to help improve accessibility at UCC, represent the programme at events, amplify the student voice, and help shape services and supports for current and future Access students.

Access UCC Ambassadors Isabel Sibanda and Emma Ricken have become powerful advocates for the programme, using their own experiences to show how access to higher education can transform lives. Although their stories are very different, they share a common belief: no student should have to navigate university alone.

From Access to Ambassador

For Isabel, becoming an Access UCC Ambassador was a chance to give back to a programme that had become a cornerstone of her time at university.

"Being an Access UCC Student Ambassador means leadership and self-discovery," she says. "I saw firsthand the positive impact that Access UCC had on my own academic journey. Becoming an Ambassador was my way of giving back."

Originally from Zimbabwe, Isabel arrived in Ireland determined to make the most of the opportunities available to her. She set her sights on studying Commerce at UCC and worked relentlessly throughout secondary school, attending extra classes before, during, and after school in pursuit of the points she needed.

When her Leaving Cert results fell just short, she feared her dream might be slipping away. But, receiving her UCC offer was a moment she will never forget.

"I was a few points short, but when the UCC offers came out, I got mine, and I was overwhelmed with happiness," she says.

That sense of gratitude has remained with her throughout her time at university.

"Access UCC has helped me feel like I have a family within the university," she explains. "When times were tough, the team were there to talk me through things and support me."

Emma's path to UCC was less linear. Like many school-leavers, she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to study. Influenced by an interest in design, she initially enrolled in Architecture, supported financially by a SUSI grant. It quickly became clear, however, that the course wasn't the right fit.

Unsure what to do next and worried about the financial implications of changing direction, Emma turned to her Access Support Officer for guidance.

"I felt lost and scared to change my path," she recalls. "Luckily I reached out to my UCC Access Support Officer and he guided me through what options I had."

That decision was life changing. Five years later, Emma has recently graduated from UCC with a degree in Biochemistry.

"Without the support I had, I wouldn't have been able to get to this point," she says.

As an ambassador, Emma became particularly passionate about challenging the stigma around seeking support. She remembers attending mandatory Access meetings and noticing fellow students who seemed uncomfortable acknowledging they needed help.

"Why were people ashamed of support?" she asks. "That is a huge reason why I was so passionate about being an ambassador."

• Read the Access Impact Report 2026

A Sense of Belonging for Students

Both Isabel and Emma understand that financial pressures remain one of the biggest challenges facing many Access students, and the donor-funded bursary provided by the programme helps alleviate some of that pressure.

"The Access bursary allows for Access students to live equally with fellow students, and takes away a lot of extra stress that they carry,” Emma states.

Isabel adds “it also takes away some of the pressure of having to make difficult financial decisions or go to extremes like taking out loans just to cover everyday costs.”

The bursaries help to support everything from essential books and course materials to the smaller but equally important aspects of student life.

"The bursary helps in a variety of ways,” Emma continues. “from being able to afford to go to university to being able to afford a cup of coffee when socialising with other students."

The Power of Opportunity

Ultimately, both Emma and Isabel want supporters and donors to understand that their generosity does far more than help cover costs. It creates opportunity, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

As Isabel prepares for graduation and a future in accountancy, and Emma reflects on completing her Biochemistry degree, both are living proof of the transformational power of educational opportunity.

"Their generosity can quite literally change someone's life," says Isabel. "It gives students like me the opportunity to grow, build confidence, and create a future we can be proud of."

For Emma, the message is equally simple: "Without Access, I simply would not be able to get a third-level education."

Together, their stories demonstrate how Access UCC bursaries do much more than fund education. They open doors, inspire a passion for giving back, and empower students to imagine futures that once seemed beyond reach.

To learn how you can support an Access UCC student bursary, please contact foundation@ucc.ie.