Martin Lynch – DCU Business Studies student and Access Scholarship recipient

20 April 2009

This year, Martin Lynch will graduate from DCU with a Bachelor of Business Studies. Martin's success is due in large part to the help and advice that he received from the DCU Access Scholarship Programme.  Martin is one of 11 children and is now a role model to both his younger siblings and his community.  Below Martin talks about how the DCU Access Scholarship Programme has helped him and over 400 of his fellow students.

“I graduated from secondary school with 60 other kids and less than ten in my class went on to higher education. I never really thought too much about going to college until a representative from the DCU Access program visited my school and was very passionate about it. Her visit made me realise that college wasn't for other people; it could be for me too.  I’ve had opportunities thanks to the Access programme that I never would have had otherwise. My internship in Business Studies brought me to Paris and I learned firsthand about marketing and sales. I’ve even travelled to Thailand to do volunteer work with Burmese refugees. When I go home to my old neighbourhood in Dublin, my friends can see what the experience has done for me. I’m open-minded to different people and different ideas now. College changes you.  I now tell my younger siblings ‘you can do this, you can achieve this too.”

The DCU Access Scholarship Programme is celebrating 20 years of success this year. To learn more visit http://www.dcu.ie/students/access/index.shtml, or to support the DCU Access Scholarship Programme visit the Educational Trust website.

Martin Lynch speaks to Edele McAllister on Prime Time, RTE 1, 14 April 2009 - click here