TESTIMONIALS FROM STAFF
Dr. Pio Fenton, Head of Department, Marketing and International Business, MTU
“The Student Engagement Office, AnSEO, has had a transformative effect on MTU and reflects the best of the Institute’s ethos not just in its goals but in its methods and means. I’ve worked closely with the office over the past three years and have found it indispensable in enhancing student engagement. The range and quality of initiative supported by the office has had a direct impact on the outcomes for students in my department. They have acted as a figurative ‘hand on the shoulder’ of our students in various different ways and I can see the impact of this on individual students as well as class cohorts. Most strikingly for me however, is the impact their work has had on my own reflective practices as an academic manager – I’ve found myself unable to avoid student-centred thinking in my activities owing to the usefully provocative thought leadership that emanates from AnSEO. Finally, and perhaps, critically, the team have displayed approachability, affability and adaptability in all that they do. This, underpinned with keen consideration of all matters, has made this office as effective as such an office can possibly be.”
Dr. Jim O Mahony, Senior Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences, MTU
"The initiatives and programmes which have been implemented by Student Engagement Office have made a very real and significant impact on our students in lots of ways. We are seeing better retention, improved academic performance and a more effective transition to third level for many students, who ordinarily would have limited support outside of college".
Mr. Michael Loftus, Head of Faculty of Science and Engineering, MTU
"MTU’s Student Engagement Office has played a pivotal role in designing, developing and delivering an excellent framework for communication and engagement with MTU’s students. The framework is multidimensional in nature and covers everything from helping incoming students transition smoothly to life in MTU through to the provision of supports and peer mentoring to optimise opportunities for deep learning, progression and academic success. In addition, the Student Engagement Office has played a pivotal role in establishing fora where student-staff partnerships have been established to tackle challenges in a way where joined-up thinking and sharing of responsibilities for achievement of outcomes is the order of the day.
All of these developments have been directly beneficial to the Faculty of Engineering & Science. The student voice has been strengthened. The level of dialogue between students and staff members has increased significantly both in terms of volume and quality. Initiatives have been developed which are directly benefitting students as they strive to engage, learn and succeed”.
Ms. Catherine Fehily, Former Head of School, MTU Crawford College of Art and Design
"The impact of the work of our Student Engagement team on the quality of the conversation between staff and students here in the Crawford College of Art and Design has been tangible. The whole feel of that relationship has been transformed during the past few years, as a result of student engagement initiatives. The atmosphere now is one of cooperation and collaboration, where we (staff and students) work together to ensure the best possible experience for all concerned. Our students are genuinely empowered to make a difference and they come forward confidently with comments, feedback and suggestions for improvements. Staff are happy not only to listen to the views of students but actively to seek them out and to act on the positive insights gained. The knowledge, skills and enthusiasm of the Student Engagement team have supported me and my colleagues in finding highly effective ways to keep this two-way, open, honest and constructive conversation flowing.”
Mr. Gerard O'Donovan, Head of Faculty of Business and Humanities, MTU
"The MTU Student Engagement Office ensures that the student voice is heard in MTU, and through a partnership approach engages both staff and students working together in a respectful, valued and innovative environment that benefits the Institute. The MTU Student Engagement Office facilitates this process in a structured and collegiate way, which is appreciated by both students and staff who have seen the many positive outputs from the engagement."
TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS
Paddy O'Driscoll, Analytical Chemistry Student, Good Start Ambassador
“When I read the job description back when I was applying I didn’t realise how much more I was going to learn and experience during my time. I absolutely loved the creative freedom we had, from the conception of ideas for events during to the Good Start Campaign to the actual running of the events on the day.
I suppose the biggest experience I learned from was actually not taking a prominent leader role but instead working as part of a team and making team based decisions rather than myself making decisions for the team.
Good Start is an opportunity for an individual to become a ‘catalyst of change’. It’s so easy to just do the ‘college life’, to just attend college every day and go home. But it’s so important during your time in college to avail of every opportunity available to you, and Good Start has being of the biggest opportunities I’ve had in my college life to date. Not only do you learn new skills and meeting new friends and have an absolute ball of a time but you also have something on your CV that looks absolutely amazing that makes employers heads turn. Only the best are chosen for the role because we really are the ‘face of MTU’ representing MTU on a national level, so if you work hard enough and strive to be the best you can, you yourself can obtain the role of a Good Start Ambassador and be a source of knowledge and inspiration to new/current students of the institution.”
Maija Kiste, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
“Being able to put your own twist to the Good Start events and organizing what will be happening every week was something that I really enjoyed – definitely helped me uncover a creative side which I thought never existed within me. This is what I loved about Good Start, it made me realize I have skills that I never thought I had, I learned from others and definitely with the help of the student engagement team I felt prepared to help the first years transition into third level education. I do believe the workshops really helped in boosting our confidence and our knowledge about situations which we may encounter, I really appreciated how organized and relative the whole training was, it definitely was not a waste of time as I learned things that would be useful in other job areas, not just Good Start.”
Sean Nash, Accounting
“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience of being a MTU Good Start Ambassador for 2017. The time flew, between the first meeting at the end of August to the last day in week four in September. The training was very useful as it made you aware of the responsibilities and provided the necessary skills to deal with students queries at the, ’Just Ask Desk’. Whilst planning the activities for the Good Start campaign, team work and compromise skills had to be utilised. Communication within the group was another key skill which was developed during the initial weeks. These skills benefited me greatly in various aspects of my college work especially when completing a group project assignment.”
Stephen Desmond, MTU Student, PALS Study Leader of Computing Group
"I wanted to be a PALS Study Leader for many reasons but the main reason is while I was in 1st year I went to a few PALS sessions and the Study Leader helped me get to grips with the software we were using. This made me think that I would love the opportunity to use the knowledge I have in Programming and Networking and help show the new 1st years that the topics are not as terrifying as they think they are."
MTU Student who attended Academic Success Coaching
"Having met with an Academic Success Coach, I was much more organised with my day-to-day tasks. I learned how to create and achieve long and short term goals. Overall I believe this service is a big part of my successes here in MTU."