Gold medal for Offaly student at MIC awards

There were many scenes of jubilation and celebration at Mary Immaculate College (MIC) this week as MIC’s conferring ceremonies made a very welcome return to campus after being held online last year due to public health constraints.

Over the course of the two days, close on 1,500 students from 28 counties, 18 countries and four continents conferred with academic awards across the College’s 30+ programmes.

Among them was Annie Brown from Tullamore, who was awarded the College Gold Medal for achieving first place in the BA in Contemporary and Applied Theatre Studies.

She was among a number of award winners were recognised for their remarkable achievements over the course of the four ceremonies

Speaking in advance of the ceremonies, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris congratulated all those graduating in a specially recorded video saying: “All graduations are to recognised and celebrated. However, this year’s group of graduates and your peers throughout the country have persevered with your studies through an unprecedented and challenging time, so your successful completion is more impressive.”

A special ceremony was held on Thursday evening with Niall Collins, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, in attendance to celebrate the conferring of degrees on more than 40 PhD and Master’s postgraduate students. This celebratory event saw the highest number of research degrees being awarded in the College’s history with 25 graduates from 2021 receiving doctoral awards.