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Aideen Cummins is a graduate of the Bachelor of Business (Hons) and specialised in marketing. Before studying at WIT she attended Coláiste Bríde in Enniscorthy, Wexford and worked part time in a fashion retailer.
About me:
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at WIT and had so many great experiences. I was the recipient of the Dean's List Award for my academic performance in the third year of my degree, I was the class rep for the marketing stream in our final year and I was thrilled to be awarded Marketing Student of the year 2020 upon completing my degree.
I am currently working remotely as an Operations Assistant at Grown Alchemist. I am really enjoying the role and I'm so excited to see what the future holds.
What attracted you to study at Waterford Institute of Technology?
While choosing where to study I had heard great testimonials from WIT students and graduates. The smaller class sizes and the level of interaction this allows with lecturers and peers was undoubtedly a deciding factor for me.
The support and guidance the lecturers provide hugely shaped my time at WIT. This support was particularly evident in our challenging final semester, where students and lecturers worked remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic; all of our lecturers were so accommodating and understanding during this time and I can't thank them enough!
Did you always know this was the course you wanted to do?
I was unsure of what to study at third level, not knowing exactly what career I wanted to pursue. I had an interest in business and upon exploring this further I found WIT has one of the highest regarded Business Schools in the country. I was attracted to the BBS course in particular as students are given the opportunity to explore many business areas and gain a broad range of skills and knowledge before choosing an area to specialise in.
The course opens up so many career opportunities and I had seen previous BBS students achieve such success across many business disciplines. The flexible semester and the possibility of completing a work placement was also an important element for me when choosing this course.
What words of advice do you have for new students?
Enjoy it and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way! Try to get involved from the start and get to know people, there is a great social scene at WIT. Everyone is really approachable and help will always be there if you reach out.
What have been the highlights of your college experience?
I have been lucky enough to have so many great experiences during my time at WIT, I have made lifelong friends and memories. I would say the standout moment for me was being told I had been chosen for the Granville Hotel and WIT Marketing Student of the Year award 2020. It was so nice to be recognised for my academic and class contributions by the marketing department and it was a great end to my time at WIT.
How did work placement add to your college experience?
I feel the work placement I completed as part of my degree has been an invaluable experience. It gave me much more confidence in my ability and I felt motivated going into my final year having had a taste of working.
I would really recommend choosing the work placement option for the flexible semester, the work placement office are extremely helpful when securing your placement and have longstanding relationships with a number of great companies around Ireland. I completed eight months placement in Zurich Wexford and I learned so much, developing a range of new skills and having the chance to put my course work into practice.