undergraduate of the year awards

2022

Winners & finalists

The Future Business Leader of the Year

Denis O’Sullivan

Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship

University College Cork

Denis is a final year BSc. (Hons) Food Marketing and Entrepreneurship student from University College Cork. Denis’s true passion for community stems from his involvement from a young age in his home village Whitechurch, on the outskirts of Cork City. His varied experience spans over agri-business, real estate, and the food industry. Denis previously worked in Musgrave’s Food Academy department, supporting small food and drink suppliers in Ireland. Denis has also worked in Bandon Vale Fine Cheese as a project management intern and also attained a diploma in Project Management from University College Dublin.

finalists

Alex Fitzgerald | South East Technological University, Waterford

Conor Mulcahy | University College Cork

Isaac Sylvester | University College Cork

Jack O' Doherty | University of Galway

Maria Chamney | TU Dublin

Niall Carden | Maynooth University

Orla Hughes | Trinity College Dublin

Ryan Munnelly | University of Galway

Sophie Treacy | Trinity College Dublin

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The Female Leadership Undergraduate of the Year

Katie McNicholas

International Business

University of Limerick

Katie studies International Business at the University of Limerick. As Team Lead of Enactus UL in 2021, she supported 143 members across 6 social enterprise projects. She led Enactus UL to win the Enactus Ireland National Championship for the first time in the society’s history. She was a founding member of Anytime Of The Month, an organisation that strives for period justice and has completed donations of period products to homeless shelters and direct provision centres. Katie has received two Presidents Volunteer Awards in recognition of her volunteering hours outside of college, with organisations such as the Share a Dream Foundation. She has been formally commended by UL on four occasions, in recognition of the exceptional grades she has maintained throughout her time in college.

finalists

Bronagh Cassidy | University College Dublin

Caoimhe Molloy | Trinity College Dublin

Ciara Martin | Letterkenny Institute of Technology

Ciara Saunders | Dublin City University

Dawn Attride | Trinity College Dublin

Edima Oku | South East Technological University, Carlow

Eva O’Beirne | Trinity College Dublin

Makalea Cooney | Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone

Roisin Farrelly | Trinity College Dublin

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The Undergraduate of the Year for Innovation

Alana Neenan

International Business

Munster Technological University, Cork

Alana Neenan is 20 years old, studying International Business with French at Munster Technological University. Alana has worked tirelessly over the year within her role as Marketing Officer for Enactus MTU. She showcases her entrepreneurial mindset by promoting the goal of ‘Creating sustainable change through the power of entrepreneurship’. She successfully tripled the following account on her society’s LinkedIn page and helped create sustainable entrepreneurial mindsets within the society and those who follow the account. In her words ‘I am extremely proud of this result as it helps with sparking innovative and proactive ideas among students which in turn allows business ideas to grow and develop within our society and our community’.

finalists

Adam Grant | Griffith College

Aifric Byrne | TU Dublin City Campus

Annie Madden | University College Cork

Ben Healy | University College Cork

Colm Mulligan | University of Limerick

Daire Stewart | South East Technological University, Waterford

Gary Kelly | Maynooth University

Manmehak Kaur | University of Limerick

Mariam Muhammad | Atlantic Technological University

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The Management Undergraduate of the Year

Jessica Turner

Sports Coaching & Business Management

South East Technological University, Carlow

A 25-year-old student in her third year of studies at South East Technological University, Carlow, studying Sports Coaching & Business Management. She previously completed a HND in Leisure Management in ICFE. She is an avid sports person having previously played in the Women’s National League and has won 2 All Ireland Titles playing for her club and county, which she captained. Jessica pays close attention to detail and has an innate ability to lead. She does so in her role as Supervisor and Class Rep in college. People management and operations are her main passion, and she would one day love to open her own small food business.

finalists

Abyomi Eniade | TU Dublin

Altynay Yegemberdiyeva | KIMEP University

Andrea Lenihan | University College Cork

Clara King | Atlantic Technological University

Dorota Zyrek | Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone

Ella Hensey | Trinity College Dublin

Faye Kennedy | South East Technological University, Waterford

Jordan Devery | University of Galway

Róisín Lee | University of Galway

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See more winners

2025

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2023