Top scholarship award win for Ballymena girl

The Ballymena student has just begun an undergraduate degree at the Southampton Solent University, where she is studying Festival and Event Management. As a recipient of the scholarship, Caitlin will receive £5,550 per year toward university fees and other expenses for the duration her degree programme.

The JP McManus scholarship programme was established by the prolific Irish businessman in 2008 with the aim of providing financial support to high achieving young students across the island of Ireland.

The scholarship awards will be presented at a black-tie ceremony in Limerick in November.

Caitlin completed a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Travel and Tourism at the College’s Coleraine campus, and excelled throughout her time there.

She achieved remarkable triple distinction grades and was also awarded a highest achieving student award by the College in June this year.

Caitlin was “delighted” to have been selected for the JP McManus scholarship and said it was the “icing on the cake” of a fantastic time at the College.

She said: “Studying Travel and Tourism at the College was definitely the right decision for me. For anyone interested in travel and tourism but unsure about the area they want to focus on, this course will give a good overview of the different options available, from working on a cruise ship or as cabin crew to working as a holiday rep for a tour operator. You also get the chance to achieve additional qualifications in customer care such as WorldHost. I would definitely recommend it.

“I really enjoyed my course, especially the emphasis on coursework and independent learning. My studies at the College have prepared me really well for university and being awarded the JP McManus scholarship has made the next chapter less daunting.”

Congratulating Caitlin on behalf of the Travel and Tourism team at College’s Coleraine campus, course co-ordinator Richard Hasson said: “We were extremely pleased to hear that Caitlin is to receive one of the JP McManus scholarships as it will be of great value to her as she progresses through her higher education studies. During her time at the College, Caitlin was a friendly, hard-working and conscientious student with a passion for working within the event management sector. Caitlin’s progression demonstrations how well our vocational qualifications can prepare students for higher education and the workplace. We are confident that Caitlin will be successful in her chosen career path and wish her every success in the future.”

The other Northern Regional College student to receive a JP McManus scholarship this year is fellow Mid and East Antrim resident Jack Bradshaw from Greenisland who completed a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Interactive Media at the College’s Newtownabbey campus.

Applications for next year’s JP McManus scholarships will open in early 2020.