North West Regional College Business (NWRC) student Katelyn McShane has been awarded a scholarship to study at an award winning University for women in Atlanta, Georgia.
The 22 year-old from Derry~Londonderry, who is currently studying for a Foundation Degree in Business and Enterprise will begin classes at the college, which empowers women to effect both personal and communal change, locally and globally, at the end of August.
Agnes Scott College is ranked number one in the Most Innovative Schools list in the U.S., second nationally for Best Undergraduate Teaching, and places No. 51 among national liberal arts colleges.
And Katelyn can’t wait to take this chance to get out and see the world.
She said: “This is an amazing opportunity. The interview process was extremely tough, but I’m delighted to have been chosen to have this year to study internationally.”
The former Thornhill College student came to NWRC in 2018, after dropping out of an Accountancy course at University after completing her first year.
She explained: “The course just wasn’t for me but I was determined to finish the year with a pass.
“I decided not to go back, and took the next year as time out to decide what I wanted to do.
“During that year I worked as a supervisor in Primark. It has taught me a lot about working in fast paced business so the next logical step was to enrol on a business course.
“I love learning, it’s always been important to me, but at university I felt like I was being swallowed up. The classes could have 300 people in them, and no one seemed to notice if you turned up or not.
“It wasn’t a good setting for me. I started doing my research and found the Foundation degree in Business and Enterprise at NWRC.
“The classes are smaller and I have more time with my lecturers and tutors. The course also covers so many aspects of business that I’m interested in, including Marketing, Economics, H.R., and Accounts.”
Encouraged by her lecturer, Catherine Gormley and NWRC’s European & International Projects Officer Bronagh Fikri, Katelyn decided to apply for the British Council Study USA programme which allows students in Northern Ireland to apply to spend a year in the USA, studying business and management and/or a subject related to science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
Katelyn added: “In the coming year I’ll be majoring in International Business and minoring in International Relations, Global SUMMIT leadership, Economics and Political Science.
“I know no one out in the USA but it’s a fantastic opportunity. I’m a little worried they won’t be able to understand my accent, but I’m hoping some of them will have watched Derry Girls so that’ll make it a little easier.”
Long term Katelyn says she hopes to map out at a career in International Business after completing her Foundation Degree at NWRC in 2020-2021.
For more information on business courses at NWRC log on to www.nwrc.ac.uk/apply
