Limerick student receives prestigious Gold Gaisce award from President Michael D Higgins
A STUDENT from Mary Immaculate College has been awarded a Gold Gaisce medal by President Michael D Higgins at a special event at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Sarah Ryan-Purcell, a second year Bachelor of Education in Education & Psychology student, was one of 79 people from across Ireland to be presented with the prestigious award by the President in recognition of their commitment to volunteering and personal development.
To achieve the award, Sarah, who is from orginally from Blackrock in Cork, completed 52 weeks of piano, 52 weeks of the role of cantor in her local church, 78 weeks of tennis, a four-day hike along the Ballyhoura Way and a summer internship at the University of California Santa Cruz, where she participated in research in child psychology.
She had previously been awarded the Gaisce Bronze Award during her Transition Year at Scoil Mhuire in Cork and jumped straight to Gold medal, which meant completing an additional 26 hours of a challenge area – in Sarah’s case, tennis – in lieu of completing her Silver award.
Reflecting on her time completing the award, Sarah said: “It was a life-changing experience, affording innumerable opportunities for personal development. I would encourage all young adults to give it a go! The Gaisce programme, which encompasses physical recreation, community involvement, development of a personal skill, and the residential project and adventure challenge, promotes active citizenship and healthy lifestyles. By partaking in the programme, in the words of Brendan Kennelly, we are ‘creating ourselves’.”
Sarah has just completed her second year of study on the B Ed in Education and Psychology, a four year, Level 8 degree which prepares graduates to be primary teachers and obtain a degree in Psychology.
Although her college journey began virtually due to COVID, Sarah embraced the challenges and immersed herself in college life.
She was elected Class Rep for her cohort, joined the student radio station Wired FM and took up the Presidency of the MIC Tennis Club.
Most recently, Sarah was elected as the Mary Immaculate Students’ Union (MISU) Irish Language Officer for the upcoming academic year.