Achievements of DCU’s Emerging Leaders Celebrated at Closing Ceremony

As our emerging leaders, and guest speakers gathered in ‘An Grianán’, the residence of DCU President Dáire Keogh and his family, glorious weather allowed for refreshments to be enjoyed outside.

DCU Director of Alumni Relations Ross Munnelly moderated the fireside chat with Martin and Áine, which focused on the topic of understanding leadership. Both are DCU Alumni Award winners from 2020 and 2021 respectively, and they provided great inspiration for our emerging leaders given their expertise and experience.

 Dr Martin Stynes is a four-time graduate of DCU. He graduated in 1983 with a BEd degree and in 1995 with a Diploma in Special Educational Needs. Martin graduated in 2003 with a Master of Science degree and in 2014 as a Doctor of Education Studies and is the retired principal of ‘The Happiest School in Ireland’ Scoil Fhursa in Kilmore West, Dublin 5.

Áine Kerr is a two time graduate of DCU. She graduated in 2002 with a BEd degree from St Pats and in 2002 with a Master of Journalism degree. She is the co-founder and former Chief Operating Officer of Dublin start – up Kinzen. In October, Kinzen was acquired by Spotify and Áine was appointed as Spotify director of content safety analysis.

Áine reflected on the value of education and described it as the great equaliser of societies. Áine said, “My closest friends are still the girls I met in St. Pats on the first night in 1999”. Even at 15 her heart told her that Journalism was her calling, while her head told her that it was teaching. She took the advice of her uncle Frank McNally who advised her to do both, and that experience as a teacher would make her a better journalist.

It took courage and bravery for Áine to leave a permanent and pensionable job, return to DCU, and complete a MA in Journalism. But she felt “there was more I needed to do”. 

“Everything is a little bit accidental. You have to embrace the serendipity of life. But you need to embrace your hopes rather than your fears. You have to ask yourself what you would do if you weren’t afraid”.

Aine’s proudest career achievement was co-founding ‘Kinzen’ alongside Mark Little. Having been part of teams in major corporations, it was refreshing to work in a company “that was truly mine. My ethics, my values and my morals. The goal of Kinzen was for 20 people in Dublin to play their part in a misinformation crisis”.

Reflecting on leadership Áine says that there is a distinction between good managers and good leaders. “A great leader is the person in those hard moments, who reminds people where they are going. Asking for that re-commitment and to give energy rather than take energy by leading without ego.” Each week she would speak to every member of the team at Kinzen for 30 minutes, about how things were in their life. These phone calls would come for the most senior executives and the most junior interns.

Looking back on his own time in DCU, Martin said “I learned more about things in DCU that I wasn’t studying during my courses here, than what I was studying - the experience of learning is so broad”. Martin revealed to our emerging leaders he met his wife in St. Patrick’s College in 1983 training to be a teacher. He may even have spotted her on the first day. He’s not sure, but they are still together.

Martin’s career path was not straightforward, he told us. His first job was teaching in a remand school for young offenders. Ill prepared for the demands of such work at 20 years of age, he left after two years and took up a mainstream teaching job where he  subsequently stayed for 16 years.

He then took up a position as a principal in a school for blind children. Again, Martin was very frank about being unprepared for the demands of such a role and his struggles with the demands of leadership. Returning to DCU to study for a Masters was an important step forward. He subsequently took up a position as principal of a mainstream school at ‘The Happiest School in Ireland’, Scoil Fhursa in Kilmore West, Dublin 5. This was a position in which he thrived, driving educational innovation in the school community..

He quoted the US songwriter Sammy Cahn who, when famously asked if it’s the tune in your head or the lyrics that come first when composing, once said ‘it’s the cheque’! In reality Martin pointed out, many people take roles of responsibility and leadership because of the financial aspect involved. That’s reality. 

On the 12th of March 2020, when Irish schools closed  as a response to the spread of Covid-19, Martin said that there was no master plan in place to allow for the contingency of education.

“Children needed us. They not only needed the skills we offer but they needed the ‘win’ attitude in life that teachers provide”.

Martin emphasised how the implementation of the school’s positive discipline plan was based on clear open communications with parents and families. The school used their successes in this plan and their positive relationships with families to set up communication phone Apps for home learning.

In times of crisis he noted, the best leadership response is found in building on and adapting plans that have already proved successful, not trying to invent new ones in the midst of the crisis. 

Distinguishing leadership from management, Martin offered the opinion that “you won’t learn leadership from your employer”. The best leadership learning comes from independent knowledge bases such as that in DCU. “Come to DCU”, he added. Martin reflected on his faith and on the leadership model of Jesus Christ.  

Before programme leader Katie Keogh concluded with thanks to all of the participants and presented them with their certificates of completion, DCU President Dáire Keogh quoted Maya Angelou when wishing our Emerging Leaders all the best in their careers.

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.”

 If you would like to take part in the 2023/2024 Emerging Leaders Programme or would be interested in sharing your expertise and experience with the programme next year, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Please email alumni@dcu.ie or apply for the 2023/24 programme here.