Fergal came to Level 3 Business straight from secondary school in 2013. He had excellent GCSE grades and we his teachers knew from day one that Fergal was going to be a high achiever. Fergal not only looked a little bit more mature than his peers but he had an extremely mature attitude to his work. He was diligent, conscientious and eager. Not something that we are always faced with in the classroom so Fergal was a joy to have in class. He approached every module and every assignment with the same level of commitment and hard work. His assignments were industrious pieces of work that were well researched and analysed. He completed first year of the course with all distinction grades.
Second year was no different – he continued in the same vain but he did have one little wobble in the second half of second year. This just showed us he was human but he composed himself and again achieved mainly distinction grades again.
In my unit Starting a small Business – Fergal had an excellent business idea. He was building on the success of GOTs and was engraving Coats of Arms onto shields. He had approached his own Enterprise Agency in Dungiven and got a Business Plan drawn up and was looking into funding. I hope his novel idea has come to fruition and he is experiencing success in his working life as well as his academic life.
Fergal is now studying Criminology at Queens University and I along with his tutors are sure that he is doing very well there and will be successful in his chosen career after he graduates in a few years’ time.
Other business awards presented at the Coleraine campus include
Dr Stevenson Perpetual Challenge Cup – Liam Frizelle
Liam came to the college in 2013 with the advantage of a few years more experience than some of his peers. Liam had tried a course in Ballymena NRC which wasn’t for him and had the added bonus of a years’ experience in work behind him before he ventured into Business.
This experience stood to Liam as he knew in order to achieve good grades in his level 3 he had to buckle down and do the work. And this he did. In Liam’s 2 years in Level 3 Business not one teacher ever had a bad word to say about him. He was diligent and he responded well he feedback and was keen to keep up with his close peers and achieve good grades. He was achieving good grades and this was his motivator. He knew he could complete his first year with a majority of Distinction grades. Liam’s tutors were informed that Liam had dyslexia but this in no way held him back. He submitted work before deadlines in order to make his corrections and resubmit.
Liam continued to work hard into second year, there were a few units harder than others but he achieved Merits when he was unable to achieve distinctions. His only negative was that he came from an area of Portstewart that had a 15 minute delay from the rest of the triangle area - meaning he invariably arrived into class 15 minutes late in the morning!
Liam completed the BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Business with an overall (DDM) Distinction Distinction Merit – he applied for and was accepted into University. This in itself was a great achievement for Liam as he did not see this route for him 5 years previously. University is another step and has given Liam some hard questions to ask of himself.
Springwell Cup - Samantha Scott
Samantha came to the college in 2014 to study for the HND in Business as a mature student. Samantha from the word go was an able and competent student. Everyone who taught her and her peers knew this except Samantha who was full of self-doubt. Why she doubted herself is a wonder as she has been one of the most able students that we have had on the HND course over the years. Her maturity meant she would work and was extremely conscientiously. Her grades have been excellent over the two years. In our opinion Samantha has come on a very positive journey during her two years at the college. Samantha has blossomed and her confidence has increased gradually over the period. Her standard of her work has been excellent from the start.
Samantha completed the HND in Business with an overall Distinction.
Elizabeth Thompson Cup - Bridget McIlroy
Bridget (McIlroy) came to the college in 2014 also as a mature student. Bridget has brought a wealth of knowledge with her from having worked in the tourist industry and being a part owner of the local Magherabuoy hotel. Bridget was very determined from the start of the course to succeed and deliver good results. Bridget’s son Stephen was on the HND course the year previous to her but as he left his mother stepped into the breech. Bridget openly admits she did not know what to expect. It was a hard course for her as she was balancing a very demanding job with home and college but she persevered even through a broken leg and is due to finish her HND in Business with an overall Distinction.
Presenting Bridget with her award is Julienne Elliott, Economic Development Officer from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. As part of the HND course, Bridget among her peers conducted an investigation into the demographic, Services and WiFi in Coleraine Town Centre. Coleraine Town Centre were very impressed with the calibre of work produced by the students, in particular, Bridget who was among the smaller group who presented the findings to the group. Members of the town team commented on the professional approach taken in conducting the research, compiling the report and the presentation at the recent Coleraine Town Team meeting held in the Bann View Committee Room at council headquarters.
Following the presentation the Town Team proceeded to discuss the introduction of Public area WiFi for Coleraine Town Centre with reference to the findings and feedback given by the students. Coleraine Town Team have agreed to recommend to council that an application is submitted to the Department for Communities for funding to install a system during this financial year.
Both Bridget and Samantha have been great role models to the younger students. The teaching team would like to wish all recipients best wishes for their future career prospects.
