Trinity Access Foundation Course students graduate on campus after a year spent online

Posted on: 24 March 2022

Trinity was delighted to celebrate with 42 students who graduated with Certificates in Higher Education last week, having spent the last academic year online studying on the Trinity Access Programmes Foundation Courses for Higher Education – Young Adults and Mature students.

One of the students, Karim Al Abbasii, said:

“The Foundation course was a hugely essential stage of my life. As a Syrian student who hadn’t had full requirements for college study in Ireland, I had a golden opportunity in this course, giving me an alternative route to college.

“It was a great introduction to college life and mechanisms, making me well prepared for my degree in Computer Science.”

The Foundation Courses aim to tackle educational disadvantage, offering another way to third-level education for mature students and young adults whose social, economic and cultural experiences have prevented them from going to college.

Thirty-eight of the students are now studying on degree programmes in Trinity.

One such student is Keely Jenkinson, who is now studying Film and Drama at Trinity. She said:

“Never in a million years did I believe I would become a student in Trinity. The Trinity College Foundation Course believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.”

Mature Student, Denise Kenny, also spoke about the support she received while on the course. She said:

“The Trinity Access Programme changed my life! I have always dreamed of becoming a pharmacist, but I didn’t have the support I needed to succeed.

“I started TAP in the middle of a pandemic, with a young family at home and they couldn’t have made the process any easier for us all. The team at TAP are a family away from home — anything you need, they are only an email away.”

Sarah Grimson, Foundation Course Coordinator, added:

“We are delighted to celebrate the graduation of the Foundation Course class of 2022. It was a really challenging year as we created a community of learners online but each and every student contributed to this community with hard work, academic talent, humour and great kindness to each other.

“They now bring these strengths into their chosen degree courses, making a lasting and positive impact on the College and beyond into their future careers.”