NCBI is pleased to announce the 2018 Gerard Byrne Bursary Award Winners

Vision Ireland, presentation of Gerard Byrne Bursary Awards. October 2018

NCBI is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 Gerard Byrne Bursary, presented by Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD at NCBI’s Head Office. Regrettably, students with visual impairment make up just 1.8% of all students with disabilities in higher education, representing the smallest cohort of students with disabilities currently at study (AHEAD, 2017). In response to the low numbers availing supports, NCBI’s Gerard Byrne Bursary aims to support students with a visual impairment in Third Level to gain a comprehensive education, in turn supporting the transition to meaningful employment.

 

Following an overwhelming number of applications this year, in 2018 NCBI awarded bursaries to three candidates; Emma Kearns, studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Trinity College, Aidan Miskella studying a Bachelor of Computer Science at UCC, and Aoife Watson, studying a Bachelor of Arts (English and Sociology) at Maynooth University.

 

The annual bursary is awarded at up to €6,000 across their full time degree. In addition to the funding, a 6 month paid internship at the NCBI in an appropriate field related to their area of study is also available.

Applications for the 2019-2020 Bursary Fund will open in late February via the NCBI Website.