Brad Bennett has been awarded a Higher Education Scholarship for Adult Learners from Registered Charity Uversity to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management at National College of Ireland. Uversity has offered 41 Scholarships to adult learners to commence Bachelor’s Degrees at twenty-one different higher education institutions on the island of Ireland in the 2020/21 academic year. Profiles of all Uversity Scholars can be found here.
Having worked in retail for many years and motivated by his mother’s returning to full-time education, Brad returned to education to pursue a career in Human Resource Management. He completed a Level 5 qualification at Ballsbridge College of Further Education and was chosen for an Erasmus Work Placement in Amsterdam that further confirmed to him that human resources is the career path he wants to pursue.
Uversity’s scholarships are intended to remove financial barriers so adult learners can unlock their potential and realise their ambitions. Uversity’s scholarships provide multi-annual financial support for recipients to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree, for the first time, in participating third level institutions in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Scholarships can be in any subject area and are tailored to recipients’ financial circumstances to cover the costs associated with higher education.
Successful candidates must be able to demonstrate academic potential, a clear motivation and ambition for returning to education, a drive to succeed, strong work ethic and financial need. Uversity is particularly keen to support candidates who have an ability to be transformed and to transform others as a result of this scholarship and educational experience.
In welcoming the 2020/21 Scholars, Uversity’s Interim Chair Brian O’Sullivan remarked, “We’re really delighted in this difficult year to have found 41 individuals with the drive and the ambition to take the courageous step to change course and attend university having not had that opportunity at an earlier stage. Uversity scholars demonstrate huge potential to be successful in their chosen fields of study. They have a vision for how to apply their degrees to advance.”
Speaking about this year’s Scholarships and virtual events planned for Uversity Scholars, Uversity’s Chief Executive Officer, Colleen Dube said, “Uversity’s scholarship programme is continuously evolving and adapting. This year we received close to 650 applications and are astounded by the ambition and determination of the candidates to pursue their Degrees in spite of the challenges posed by COVID. Uversity is committed to providing our Scholars with financial as well as professional and personal development support. The virtual fora that we have initiated for our new and existing Scholars will provide an invaluable opportunity to create community and camaraderie in a time of uncertainty.”
President of NCI, Gina Quin said, “I wish Brad every success with his academic career, and all this year’s Uversity scholars. These valuable scholarships very much align with NCI’s mission ‘to change lives through education’.