University of Limerick President Professor Kerstin Mey has hailed the “tenacity, focus and strength of character” demonstrated by thousands of students graduating this week.
Over 2,400 students are being conferred at University of Limerick at ceremonies on campus this week, starting this Monday and running until Thursday.
UL will surpass 120,000 alumni worldwide this week as it celebrates the start of 2023 with its Winter Conferring Ceremonies.
The students are graduating from the faculties of Science and Engineering, Kemmy Business School, Education and Health Sciences, and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in six ceremonies taking place this week.
Among those being conferred are 500 graduates of the Garda College, who have studied for a BA in Applied Policing as part of a collaboration between University of Limerick and An Garda Síochána.
It has been a busy year for UL, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and has conferred more than 8,000 students in the past 12 months.
Professor Kerstin Mey told the new graduates this Monday: “Your journey through education has been exciting, challenging and indeed not without a great deal of effort and commitment, but today you are celebrating the fact that you have excelled academically against your own personal backdrop of life.
“There is nothing quite like the feeling of success, especially when it comes at the cost of some self-sacrifice. You have earned your right to be here today and you have risen to meet the challenges before you.
“Taking your seat in the auditorium clearly indicates the tenacity, focus and strength of character you have shown – all of these traits and characters will stay with you and guide you in the next phase of your lives.
“Many of you will return to the workplace or begin a new career, some will pursue further study and others will look to research to add to the wealth and depth of knowledge that higher education offers.
“No matter what path you have chosen or where your journey takes you next, today is an occasion that brings with it many reasons to celebrate and indeed to look to the future.
“With your award in hand and the life-long experience that you bring to society, you have a chance to make a difference and you are equipped to do so thanks to the knowledge and experience you have attained during your time at UL,” Professor Mey added.
Monday’s ceremonies will see students from Kemmy Business School and Interfaculty Programmes being conferred, included among them the first graduates on the BSc Supply Chain Specialist Apprenticeship Programme.
There are also a number of Revenue employees being conferred this Monday – bringing the total number to over 1250 Revenue employees that have graduated with a UL accredited Diploma in Applied Taxation and over 400 with a BA in Applied Taxation.
UL’s partnership with Office of the Revenue began in 2004 with the Diploma in Applied Taxation. The partnership was the first of its kind in the history of the Irish State.