A group picture of all of the Professional Staff winners.

2026 DCU President’s Awards for Professional Staff announced

23/04/2026

Professional Staff Awards 2026

DCU celebrates the "unsung heroes" of its community. See the full list of winners from the 2026 President’s Awards for Professional Staff held at the Glasnevin campus.

The annual Dublin City University President’s Awards serve as a definitive benchmark for excellence within our community. These awards recognise the individuals and teams who consistently exceed expectations, making profound and sustained contributions to the University’s mission and culture.

The 2026 ceremony took place today, Thursday 23 April, at the Polaris Building on DCU’s Glasnevin campus, celebrating the professional staff who underpin the institution’s success.

The 2026 Award Recipients

This year’s honourees have been recognised for their outstanding impact across student life, collaborative spirit, and values-led leadership:

Individual Staff Award for Impact on Students: Simon Devenney, Senior Technical Officer at DCU School of Health & Human Performance

Individual Staff Award for Collegiality & Collaboration: Nuala Lonergan, Senior Programmes Coordinator DCU Business School

Team Award for Collegiality & Collaboration: Curriculum Management Services (CMS) - Bernadette Dowling, Sandra Clarke, Alexandra Harkness

Mariana Migliacci Poppa with Prof Daire Keogh

Individual Award for Values-Based Leadership: Mariana Migliacci Poppa

A Tribute to DCU’s 'Unsung Heroes'

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Dáire Keogh, President of Dublin City University, remarked on the vital role professional staff play in the university ecosystem:

"The awards for Professional Staff recognise the often unsung heroes of our University community. Congratulations to all our winners on their fantastic achievement. I want to also thank all the nominees for their wonderful work; they each epitomise our University’s values and contribute greatly to life at DCU."