Rocketry, rowing, and reusable period products: UCC Alumni Fund brings ideas to life

12 Oct 2026

UCC Advancement and Cork University Foundation have announced 12 projects that will receive support from the UCC Alumni Fund this academic year.

Made possible through the generosity of alumni and friends around the world, the UCC Alumni Fund provides grants for projects that make an immediate and lasting difference to student life, both inside and outside the classroom, beyond what is possible from state funding. The Fund enables students and staff across the University to turn innovative ideas into initiatives that enhance the UCC experience.

Empowering Students and Staff

Earlier this year, UCC Advancement launched its second annual open call for project grant applications to the UCC Alumni Fund. More than 40 applications were received from across the University, including 50% from UCC students, reflecting the breadth of creativity, ambition, and commitment among our UCC community.

Following a highly competitive selection process, 12 initiatives were selected for funding and will commence this term. Together, they represent a diverse range of projects that will enhance campus life, support student wellbeing, foster inclusion, and help students to thrive academically, professionally, and personally.

2026-27 UCC Alumni Fund Projects

A New Piste
UCC Fencing Club
Supporting a new playing area for the club, allowing members to train on a competition-ready surface safely and without the risk of slipping.

Ask Me!
Damian Butler, Peer Support
Providing reusable badges with language stickers to UCC students and staff, easing the transition to university by encouraging new students to approach with any question, big or small.

Career Quest VR
Clodagh Kerr, Career Services
Giving students the opportunity to practice for interviews, learn to network, and hold difficult conversations in a controlled environment, helping to reduce performance anxiety and accelerating practice.

EirSEDS Rocketry Competition
UCC Rocketry and Space Exploration Society
Supporting the inaugural, all-Irish, intervarsity competition, meaning more students who have contributed to competition entries—or who are interested and passionate about rocketry—can compete or attend.

Electronic Rowing Training Machine
UCC Rowing Club
Enhancing athletes’ development and quality of training with a top-of-the-line rowing machine that provides in-depth feedback to athletes, helping to identify weaknesses and make measurable technical improvements.

Equipment for UCC Student Media
UCC Students’ Union
New devices and technology for the Student Media newsroom space, supporting both paid and voluntary student journalists contributing to Motley, the University Express, or UCC 98.3FM, plus those looking to work on articles, videos, graphics or any other form of media.

LEGO® Serious Play®
Jennifer Cunningham, Cork University Business School
Facilitation set to strengthen experiential learning and student engagement. A structured methodology that uses hands-on building and storytelling to promote reflection, creative thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.

Polo Protective Equipment
UCC Canoe Club
Helmets, faceguards, buoyancy aids, and polo-specific carbon paddles to ensure safe participation and helping to recruit and sustain new members in this fast-growing club sport.

Portable Safety Mats
UCC TaeKwon-Do Club
Enhancing safety reducing the risk of slips, falls, and impact-related injuries during training, allowing athletes to train more confidently and effectively, particularly during sparring, kicking drills, and falls.

Safety Training and Development
UCC Mountaineering Club
Bringing the club in line with the requirements of Mountaineering Ireland and expanding the breadth and depth of activities that the club can offer while keeping the safety of participants as a central concern.

Sustainable Period Products Pilot
Grad Student Denise Kelleher and Ann King from the EDI Unit
Integrating and scaling a new student offering that combines product provision, sustainability, and student engagement to deliver a more inclusive and longer-term model of menstrual equity at UCC.

UCC Alumni CareerCast
Hyewon Kim and Deirdre Parker, Career Services
Featuring interviews with UCC graduates working in high opportunity sectors. Offering practical insights for students based on the lived experiences of real UCC alumni.

Enhancing the UCC Student Experience

This year’s projects build on the inaugural UCC Alumni Fund projects from 2025-26. Last year’s supported projects included the UCC Students' Union Food Pantry, UCC Niteline, FiRe UP! Financial Readiness for Life, the UCC Concert Band, Dress for Success, among others that continue to deliver benefits for students across UCC.

UCC Advancement and Cork University Foundation would like to thank all of the alumni and friends whose generosity makes these projects possible.

• Find out more about the UCC Alumni Fund, including the application process, project criteria and previously supported projects.
• For enquiries, please contact Matt Hamilton, Head of Transformational Philanthropy, UCC Advancement at matt.hamilton@ucc.ie