Diageo Ireland announces 20,000k support for DCU Access Programme
-24 May 2010

Diageo Ireland announces EUR20,000 support for ten student scholarships under the DCU Access programme. The largest of its kind in Ireland, Access at DCU assists high-potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds continue their education to 3rd level.

On a recent visit to the university, which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary of the Access Programme this year, Peter O'Brien, Diageo's Group Corporate Relations Director, congratulated CEO of DCU's Educational Trust, Patrick McDermott, and the DCU Access Service on 20 years of successful work in assisting disadvantaged young people reach their potential to play a full and productive role in society.

Two of the Diageo Access scholarship recipients are Sarah Corcoran and Hassan Abdul Ali. Sarah Corcoran is a former pupil of Warrenmount School in the Liberties in Dublin. She is the first person in her family to attend university: "I was extremely lucky my school had connections with the Access programme and that it was in operation in DCU as this was my first choice on my CAO form in 6th year".

19 year old Abdul Ali Hassan arrived in Ireland on his own from war-torn Somalia when he was just 15. He was enrolled in O'Connell's School who helped and supported him to integrate academically and emotionally. "Getting the scholarship is benefitting me in so many ways, I am closer to my overall goal and it is helping me believe I can be what I want to be."

DCU Access Programme aims to develop positive attitudes to education and encourage more students to consider going on to third level education. It provides financial and other support to those students who go on to third level to complete their course of study. Over 1,165 students from all over Ireland have benefitted from Access scholarships:

"One of the most important parts of our work is addressing the financial burden and other barriers that prevent deserving young people from taking their rightful place at university" said Catherine Brady, Director of Development at the DCU Educational Trust, which raises the private funding necessary to provide the access scholarships. "We are extremely grateful to Diageo who see the long term benefits and impact that the Access Programme is delivering and are willing to partner and support us".