CUBS Leaders of Tomorrow 2026

24 Apr 2026

Celebrating student impact beyond the classroom, the CUBS Leaders of Tomorrow initiative recognises outstanding talents and achievements across multiple categories, with this year’s winners announced on 20 April 2026.

Cork University Business School Leaders of Tomorrow (LoT) is a student-centric school-wide initiative to recognise the substantial impact of students beyond the classroom and academic grades. In its fourth year of operation, the initiative recognises students who showcase their many capabilities and talents, which align with the school’s vision to ‘Shape Leaders for a Sustainable Future For All’.

Designed in collaboration with the UCC Graduate Attributes Programme, CUBS LoT recognises the impacts of students across six categories, which include (i) Global Citizen, (ii) Exceptional Journey, (iii) Innovation and Entrepreneurship, (iv) Learning Transformation, (v) Students Choice, and (vi) Dean’s Leadership.

The initiative drew submissions from a wide range of students from all programmes within the school and provides an insight into students’ impact beyond academic boundaries. 

The 2026 winners of the Outstanding Achievement Award are:

Outstanding Achievement

Jane Tiernan (MSc Information Systems for Business Performance): won the Global Citizen category for supporting athletes with intellectual disabilities through coaching, fundraising and volunteer recruitment. As a Munster coach for the Ireland Games, Jane promotes inclusion in sport, builds confidence in young athletes, and contributes positively to her local community

 Jack Kelleher (BSc Business Information Systems): won the Innovation and Entrepreneurship category. Jack founded Luxselle.com, a luxury retail ecommerce business for which he raised €100,000. The business generated €20,000 in its first six weeks and operates with a deliberately lean AI-enabled structure.

 Alice O’Callaghan (BComm International) won the Exceptional Journey category. Following a series of unexpected setbacks in 2024, Alice founded and led the establishment of the UCC International Business Society to address a gap in professional development for International Business with Languages students. The Society now supports over 300 members and has gained external industry recognition, creating a lasting impact within UCC.

Sadhbh Slattery (BSc Business Information Systems) won the Student’s Choice award. As BIS Society Chairperson, Sadhbh led a 16-member committee supporting over 1,000 students, delivering events including the most successful BIS Ball to date and reviving the BIS Anthology. She also secured a major sponsorship partnership with EY, creating valuable professional opportunities for students. Beyond UCC, her charitable leadership reflects her proactive, inclusive, and values-driven approach.

Jacob Allen (BComm): won the Learning Transformation category. President of the UCC Consulting Society, Jacob led a 14-member committee and a community of 1,200+ students, delivering high-impact and real-world consulting experiences. He organised the UCC Intervarsity Case Competition and supported the delivery of the First-Year Case Competition, while reintroducing live client consulting projects in partnership with O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausage Company.

Rachel O’Connell (BComm): won the Deans’ Leadership category. Rachel has held a number of leadership and engagement roles within University College Cork, including Conference Director for the Women in Business & Leadership Society, which won a Board of Irish College Societies award for the BIG SIS event.

Shortlisted Candidates

Global Citizen

Kate Gilsenan (BSc Finance)

Antonia Schoepf (BSc Int Dev and Food Policy)

Yunuo Wang (BA Economics - Transformational Learning)

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Chulainn Lyons (BSc BIS)

Daithi Nolan (BSc BIS)

Gerald O’Sullivan (BComm)

Mark Newell (BSc Finance)

Raj Kameleshkumar (MSc)

Caelinn McCabe (BComm)

Exceptional Journey

Hannan Nabi (BSc Finance Banking & Risk)

Isabel Sibanda (BComm)

Mattrayee Paul (MSc Business Analytics)

Slavena Kirova (BComm Int)

Students Choice

Alice O'Callaghan (BComm Int)

Daniel Marcinkowski (BSc BIS)

Nandani Kumari (MSc Business Analytics)

Rachel O'Connell (BComm)

Claire Foyle (BSc Applied Economics)

Learning Transformation

Miao Yu (MSc Design and Dev of Digi Bus)

Michelle Todd (BComm)

Molly Hickey (BSc BIS)

Recognition Certificates

Global Citizen

Claire Foyle (BSc Applied Economics)

Liam Coffey (BSc BIS)

Sadhbh Slattery (BSc BIS)

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Eoin Quirke (BSc Applied Economics)

Learai Ward (BSc Accounting)

Students Choice

Manasi Seshadri (MSc HRM)

Savar Aggarwal (BSc Applied Economics)

Learning Transformation

Dylan Haugh (Dylan Haugh)

Joshua Grainger (BComm)

Silvana Graziano (MSc by Research - Economics)