School of Business students were recognised for their academic achievements during the 2019/2020 academic year at the 18th Annual Recognition of Awards Ceremony
Anita Osborne has been awarded Graduate of the Year Award in the School of Business Awards. Anita received this award for the grades she achieved in her final year examinations in WIT during a year none of us will ever forget - 2020. A past pupil of Yeats College Waterford, she is a 2020 Graduate of WIT’s BA in Accounting degree.
“'I am overwhelmed and extremely grateful for this honour, I am so proud of the grades I achieved during my time in WIT. But more importantly I am so proud of the personal journey I have completed and the friendships I have made with both classmates and lecturers along the way.”
Anita says she is delighted to have just started as a graduate in PwC Waterford where I will complete my professional accountancy exams. “My long term career goal is to return to WIT as a lecturer and hopefully be as influential to students as some of the lecturers here have been to me. Both in personal growth and self-confidence along with future career ambitions and job choice.”
About the awards
Altogether more than 60 School of Business students were recognised for their academic achievements during the 2019/2020 academic year at the 18th Annual Recognition of Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 12 November 2020. This ceremony recognises continuing students with outstanding academic achievement in their previous year.
About me
I studied BA in Accounting in WIT over the past two years. During my time here I had the absolute honour of being awarded Graduate of the Year 2020. I also completed a 12-week summer internship with PwC based in their Waterford office.
What attracted you to study at Waterford Institute of Technology?
I moved to WIT in 2018 after completing two years of an honours degree in business, looking back on it now I can honestly say the move proved to be one of the best things that ever happened. The smaller more personal nature of WIT was a huge benefit to me (I came from a class of 450 to a class of 35 students here) .It made interacting with peers both socially and in the classroom more enjoyable along with creating a friendlier atmosphere to develop connections with lecturers.
What words of advice do you have for new students?
My biggest advice to any new students is to be brave and willing to put yourself out there. I would also highlight the importance of working on yourself as a whole throughout college not just focusing on the academic aspects but on improving or continuing to work on your personal confidence and self-belief.
What have been the highlights of your college experience?
Although covid was definitely a curve ball in terms of final exams along with any plans of graduation and the associated celebrations, I really enjoyed my time in WIT. The highlights for me include; the connections I have made with both peers and lecturers alike. During my time here I also joined the gym... it only took me 21 years! My new found interest in exercise (wouldn't call it a love yet!) was hugely beneficial to me during lockdown. Being closer to home also allowed me to spend more time with family even if that did involve milking cows and feeding calves on some Friesian evenings! Get It? (Hey! I’m a trainee accountant... we're not known for being funny).
How did your experience at WIT help get you to where you are now?
I credit WIT and the lecturers with providing me with the knowledge and support I needed to gain my start in PwC through help with CV and interview prep along with the extra push I needed when it came to believing in myself. I have just began working as part of PwC's 2020 graduate intake where I will spend the next few years completing my professional exams.
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SETU Waterford, Cork Road, Waterford City, 
