In Pictures: Winter conferring ceremonies underway at University of Limerick

AROUND 2,400 students will be conferred at University of Limerick this week.

The first of the Winter Conferring ceremonies took place this Monday with further ceremonies scheduled to take place between now and Thursday.

The President of UL, Professor Kerstin Mey has hailed the “tenacity, focus and strength of character” demonstrated by the students who are graduating this week.

The students are graduating from the faculties of Science and Engineering, Kemmy Business School, Education and Health Sciences, and Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in six ceremonies taking place this week.

Among them number are 500 graduates of the Garda College, who have studied for a BA in Applied Policing as part of a collaboration between University of Limerick and An Garda Síochána.

It has been a busy year for UL, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and has conferred more than 8,000 students in the past 12 months.

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In an address this Monday, Professor Mey told the new graduates that their journey through education has been "exciting, challenging and indeed not without a great deal of effort and commitment".

She said: "There is nothing quite like the feeling of success, especially when it comes at the cost of some self- sacrifice. You have earned your right to be here today and you have risen to meet the challenges before you. Taking your seat in the auditorium clearly indicates the tenacity, focus and strength of character you have shown – all of these traits and characters will stay with you and guide you in the next phase of your lives.

Prof Mey added: "Many of you will return to the workplace or begin a new career, some will pursue further study and
others will look to research to add to the wealth and depth of knowledge that higher education offers. No matter what path you have chosen or where your journey takes you next, today is an occasion that brings with it many reasons to celebrate and indeed to look to the future. With your award in hand and the life-long experience that you bring to society, you have a chance to make a difference and you are equipped to do so thanks to the knowledge and experience you
have attained during your time at UL.”

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