By 
THE achievements of South West College’s ‘Class of 2025’ were celebrated at a special graduation event held at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh.
Across morning and afternoon ceremonies, families, friends and staff gathered to mark this important milestone for graduates completing a wide range of Higher Education programmes.
Graduates were addressed by College principal and chief executive Celine McCartan, director of development and support Ciaran McManus, and director of curriculum Padraig McNamee.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr Barry McCarron, managing director of KORE Retrofit and a recognised leader in sustainable construction and retrofit innovation in Ireland, who shared his inspiring professional journey and insights into the future of the sector.
The ceremonies were hosted by journalist Julian Fowler, whose three-decade career across local, regional and national media brought warmth, professionalism and strong support for the college and its graduates.
More than 30 Scholar of the Year awards were presented, recognising the highest-achieving graduates across each programme for their academic excellence, commitment and dedication.
This year also marked the launch of the Strule Achievement Grant, developed in partnership with the Woodvale–Lowry Joint Venture to support exceptional talent contributing to sustainable, community-focused projects such as the Strule Shared Education Campus.
The awards were presented by Annette Palmer, Director of Tertiary Education at the Department for the Economy, to Ronan Fox for Best Graduate in Construction Engineering with Surveying and Áine McCaffrey for Best Graduate in Civil Engineering.
The ceremonies concluded with closing remarks from Ms McCartan, who congratulated graduates on their achievements and encouraged them to embrace the opportunities ahead.
She said, “At South West College, we are proud to deliver Higher Education that is accessible, locally-based and directly aligned to industry and regional skills needs. These programmes provide our students with practical skills, clear progression routes and the confidence to succeed in their chosen careers or further study.
The Class of 2025 leaves us not only with recognised qualifications, but with the capability, adaptability and mindset needed to contribute positively to our economy and communities. We look forward to seeing the impact they will make as they take their next steps.”
