Trillick student wins £20,000 scholarship

A NATIVE of Trillick has been awarded a prestigious JP McManus Scholarship award of £20,000 towards his undergraduate studies.

The scholarship, funded by Irish philanthropist JP McManus, will provide former South West College student Fionn McAnespy with financial assistance of £5,500 per year throughout his degree at Ulster University, where he is currently studying Mechanical Engineering.

The scholarship in total equates to a maximum of £22,000 for a four-year course and aims to provide students from both the North and South of Ireland with access to third level education, irrespective of their background, by offering financial support to high achieving students who completed their Leaving Certificate/ A Level and BTEC qualifications in 2023.

Fionn, who met the criteria applied for the scholarship and excelled in his Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Engineering at South West College, Omagh campus, achieving a triple distinction star, the equivalent academic standard of three As at A-Level.

Fionn expressed his delight upon being chosen for the esteemed award, which he says will help alleviate financial burdens as he pursues his higher education goals. He credited his lecturers at South West College for their support and guidance in helping him achieve his academic goals.

Fionn said, “I had a great experience at the college due to the amazing lecturers who help you focus on what you want to achieve.

“I would thoroughly recommend the BTEC pathway as it provides a seamless transition into higher education at either the college or university level.

“Thanks to my time at South West College, I am now pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Ulster University and have been awarded the prestigious All-Ireland Scholarship for my high academic performance.”

Celine McCartan, principal and chief executive of South West College, said, “Receiving this scholarship is a significant personal accomplishment and a pivotal moment for Fionn. It signifies our dedication to fostering academic success and creating avenues for our students to thrive.

“We are confident that this scholarship will further empower Fionn to achieve his dreams and make a positive impact on his educational path. We wish him all the best in all his future endeavours.”

For more information on scholarship, further and higher education opportunities, visit www.swc.ac.uk.