Special Award Ceremony in Recognition of

Outstanding Achievement in Business Studies (Higher)

Junior Certificate 2011

Athlone InstItute of technology7 MArch 2012

Master of Ceremomies: Dr Harman MurtaghVisiting Fellow, AIT

Welcome by Eoin LanganHead of Business School

Address by Anthony CunninghamManager, Galway senior hurling and Garrycastle football teams

Presentation of parchments to students

Address by Prof. Ciarán Ó CatháinPresident, AIT

Address by Jennie HarringtonBusiness Studies Teachers’ Association of Ireland

Special Award Ceremony in Recognition ofOutstanding Achievement in Business Studies (Higher)Junior Certificate 2011

Order of Ceremony

Supported by Athlone Credit Union

Obtaining top marks in any field is worthy of praise and this is particularly true in academic endeavour. We are constantly inundated with messages about the necessity of thinking smarter, of being innovative, of being a knowledge society. These ambitions will only be realised by hard work and dedication.

The students who we publicly recognise here this evening are laying an excellent foundation towards meeting these national objectives. In this success, I have no doubt that they have been aided greatly by parents, guardians, siblings and teachers who also deserve our praise and recognition.

In our role as the only third level institution in the Midlands region, we are conscious of the importance of providing people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities to fulfil their ambitions. This is particularly true in business, where successive generations of students and graduates have made their mark on the national and international stage. Over the four decades-plus of AIT’s existence, they are a continual reminder as to the importance of what we do.

Once again, I wish to extend our congratulations to all concerned and trust you have an enjoyable and memorable evening.

Professor Ciarán Ó CatháinPresident

You are very welcome to AIT for the fifth annual special awards ceremony in recognition of those students who obtained an A in Business Studies (Higher) in the Junior Certificate examination 2011.

Welcome from the President

In congratulating you, the award recipients, the School also wishes to acknowledge the part played in your success by parents and guardians, other family members and the subject teachers who guided your learning and helped to motivate you towards the achievement which is being honoured this evening. May the result which you have gained in the Junior Certificate examination inspire you to continue to do your best and to fulfil your undoubted potential in the years ahead.

In thanking everyone for attending this ceremony, we wish to extend our gratitude to the principals of the participating schools and the members of their teaching staff. Your support is greatly welcomed. Appreciation and recognition is also due to Mick Dillon, CEO, Athlone Credit Union who has kindly provided

financial sponsorship for this event. The occasion is enriched through the involvement of other distinguished guests; Anthony Cunningham, manager of both the Galway senior hurling and Garrycastle football teams and Jennie Harrington, representing the Business Studies Teachers’ Association of Ireland.

The Business School at AIT offers a range of programmes across the national framework of qualifications from higher certificates through to honours degrees at undergrdauate level, as well as a range of master’s degrees. Our experienced staff will be pleased to assist and answer questions when you are researching your third-level options. We are very proud of the thousands of graduates from this School who have built their futures in Ireland and across the world on the foundations laid within the Institute.

In conclusion, we again congratulate you, the recipients of our awards, and wish you continued success on the journey of life-long learning.

Eoin LanganHead of Business School

On behalf of the Business School at AIT, we are delighted to welcome all our guests to this special ceremony.

Welcome from the Head of Business School

Conor BarrettMairéad BarrettRonan BellewJonathan BourkeEmily BradyDale BrehenyDominika BrodziszComan BrowneAndrea BurkeKate BurkeLouise BurkePatrick BurkeTom ButlerConor ByrneOrla CallananDylan CarlosRose CaseyClaire ClearyShane ClerkinCalum CoffeyMarie ComptonFiona ConneelyCiaran ConnollyLiam ConnollyFiona CoyleRuth CoyleSimone CravenSarah Ann CurranRonan Daly

Ciara DeeringMary DiffleyJason DoranColin DowdHilary DunneMelinda EarlsMichelle FahyEoin FallonJosephine FanningConor FarrellNiamh FarrellShauna FarrellAislinn FinneganLouise FinneranKevin FitzpatrickLisa FitzpatrickDeirdre FlahertyOlivia FlanaganStephen FlynnDaragh FogartyJames FoxSean GallagherSorcha GalvinCora GannonSean GannonSiobhan GardinerTara GarmanNiamh GeogheganKatie Giblin

Claire GlynnAoibhín GoldenBrian GordonLaoise GordonSarah GormallyDarren GrayIsabel GrayCormac GuthrieKatie HalpinEdel HannonConor HaydenKillian HealyAoife HehirJessica HeneghanOisín HessionNessa HughesCathal HurleyJennifer HynesSophie JacobOisín JudgeCaroline KealeyEimear KellyGrace KellyJennifer KellyRachel KellyClaire KennyDanielle KennyJonathan KeoghRyan Kiernan

Listing of Students

Katie KilleenEllen KinsellaAmy KirwanRebecca LalorPatrick LambertEmma LawlerJack LeeConor LennonMegan LennonAoife LoftusDaniel LoughreyRebecca LumleyMaria LundonBronwyn LyonsLeanne MaddenRebecca MahoneyEamonn MannionKate McCabeSally McConkeyLouise McCormackLaura McCullaghNiamh McDonaldTadhg McGahernJack McGovernOrlaith McGrathRuairi McKenna-Carroll

Caitlin McMahonClaire MeehanJonathan MooneySoracha MoranMelissa MoylesMuireann MulcahyEabha MullinsDervla MurphyOisín MurphyDavid NearyKevin NearyCian NolanEvan O’BeirneBrian O’BoyleDiarmuid O’BrienOrlagh O’BrienDiarmuid O’CarrollLaura O’ConnorOrla O’ConnorShane O’MalleyShauna O’NeillEimear Marie O’ReillyTadhg O’RourkeAmy O’SheaSaffron O’SullivanMei Ou

Niall QuinnEileen ReidyEmma Louise ReillyAlan RigneyJessica RogersChloe RooneyAnthony RowanMáirín RyanEdel SextonChloe SheehyCailín SheridanNisheline ShibuJulia SolovyovEoin SorohanAdam SpainElis TeehanMark Thornton-ConnollyFionán TierneyKieran WaddCiara WalshLeanne WalshMary WalshTherese WalsheMichelle WattsShannon YelbsaiLaura Young

Abbey Community College, Boyle

Árdscoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe

Athlone Community College

Bailieborough Community School

Banagher College

Castlerea Community School

CBS Roscommon

Cnoc Mhuire, Granard

Coláiste Mhuire, Ballygar

Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar

Coláiste Naomh Cormac, Kilcormac

Convent of Mercy, Roscommon

Dunmore Community School, Galway

Garbally College, Ballinasloe

Glenamaddy Community School

Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew

Lanesboro Community College

Loreto College, Cavan

Loreto College, Mullingar

Marist College, Athlone

Meán Scoil Mhuire, Longford

Mercy College, Woodford, Loughrea

Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon

Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan

Moate Community School

Moyne Community School

Our Lady’s Bower, Athlone

Presentation College, Athenry

Royal School, Cavan

Sacred Heart School, Tullamore

Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown

St Aidan’s Comprehensive, Cavan

St Brendan’s Community School, Birr

St Brigid’s Mercy Convent, Tuam

St Joseph’s College, Summerhill

St Joseph’s Secondary School,

Rochfortbridge

St Killian’s Vocational School, Ballinasloe

St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen

St Patrick’s College, Cavan

Tullamore College

Vocational School, Athenry

Wilson’s Hospital, Mullingar

Listing of Schools

A business qualification from AIT is a passport to a rewarding future. Here are some snapshots of AIT business graduates who are making their mark in Ireland and around the world.

Snapshots of AIT Business Graduates

Brendan P. Farrell Jr

Longford-born Brendan Farrell is

CEO of XSP, the global financial

services software firm. In 2011, he

was named one of the top 100 Irish

American leaders and was selected

as an Ernst & Young entrepreneur of

the year finalist.

Maria Gunning

Maria Gunning graduated from AIT with an honours degree in accounting in 2007. She subsequently completed her ACCA exams within two years and is now Client Service Senior in the Athlone office of Russell Brennan Keane.

Michael Brewster

Originally from Longford, Michael

Brewster is Managing Director at

Credit Suisse, New York, having

joined the firm from Lehman

Brothers. In 2006 and 2008, he

was voted one of the Top 50 Irish

Americans on Wall Street.

Alan ReynoldsAlan Reynolds is a graduate in accounting and finance from AIT. Having worked for a while with an asset management company in South Africa, he is currently a manager in the financial and regulatory team at JP Morgan, Dublin.

Jackie Gorman

Jackie Gorman is CEO of Atlantic

Corridor, which builds relationships

between Ireland and North America.

A business graduate from AIT,

Jackie has considerable experience

working in local development in

Ireland and in The Gambia.

Accountancy firms such as RBK, RMS FGS, KPMG, Deloitte, PWC and Ernst & Young are competing to recruit AIT final year accountancy students.

These students, who are still in the final year of the BA (Hons) in Accounting or the MA in Accounting, are in the enviable position of having to choose between three or four offers for trainee accountant positions.

Recruitment by the accountancy firms has increased significantly this year as the demand for professional services offered by these firms increases to near Celtic Tiger levels. Students are seeking the advice of the careers office and the Business School academic staff as to which offer to choose.

In many cases, employers will also pay for new recruits to undertake a Master’s in accounting, including living expenses. This shows that despite the economic downturn choosing to study accounting at third level is an excellent long-term career choice.

AIT has one of the best records of any Irish third level institution for accountancy education, and its students have consistently scored amongst the highest marks in professional body exams. BA (Hons) in Accounting graduates obtain up to nine exemptions.

There is no requirement to have studied accountancy for the Leaving Certificate to undertake a degree in accounting at AIT.

Accountancy Firms Compete for Students

AIT accounting student, Maureen Kinnarney (third from right), was the top student in Ireland in the Accounting Technicians of Ireland 2011 national examinations. She is pictured here with Luke Fannon AIT, Peter Melinn Head of Dept. of Accounting & Business Computing AIT, Paula McManus AIT, Naomi McGrath Accounting Technicians Ireland and Eoin Langan, Head of Business School AIT.

NB CAO course choices

AL650 Higher Cert in Business

AL651 Higher Cert in Business w/ Off Management

AL651 Higher Cert in Business w/ Music & Instrument Technology

AL652 Higher Cert in Business w/ Equine Studies

AL750 BSc in Business Computing

AL850 Bachelor of Business (Hons)

AL851 BBus and Law (Hons)

AL852 BA (Hons) in Accounting

AL853 BA (Hons) in Accounting & Law

ice

Make the right decision - choose Business at AIT

Athlone Institute of TechnologyDublin Road, Athlone, Co Westmeath

Visit us online at www.ait.ie/businessTel 090 646 8290

AIT: Educating for Career Success