Class Patron

The graduates were joined on the day by their Class Patron, Mr. Frankie Whelehan, Managing Director of Choice Hotels Ireland, who is a 1990 graduate of Shannon College. In his speech at the Gala Ball, Frankie Whelehan presented the graduates with a parting gift; a sponsorship of €6,000 to afford a new student an opportunity to enrol in Shannon College next year and begin a career in hotel management. The sponsorship will be a legacy to the 2010 class who can have faith that their class and patron will have provided a student with an education opportunity that they may not have otherwise been able to pursue.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, College Director, Mr. Philip J. Smyth noted the reason for the high level of employment of these graduates;

“One of the reasons for this high level of job placement is that today’s graduates are industry ready. They have achieved academic success, have completed rigorous practical and leadership training and have experienced the industry first hand through internships.”

 In the boom years, this education and experience was enough; hotels were thriving, new properties were opening weekly; and graduates were in high demand. However, in the current climate, being industry ready has a new meaning. Director, Philip J. Smyth advised graduates that they are expected to be proactive and hungry, to be flexible and to consider roles outside of their comfort zone;

 “A successful career in the hotel industry is no longer just about the desirable job title in a desirable destination. A successful career in our dynamic hotel industry is about making your mark in your hotel, about learning all the “ins and outs” of your property and what makes your organisation profitable and successful. Graduates who stay sharp, who say yes to every opportunity and challenge that comes their way, will be able to cherry pick their jobs in the future. No location, no organisation and no brand will be out of their reach.”

Further Information:

Please contact Sarah Geraghty, Marketing Manager, for further information on the 2010 Graduation, or for information on the job opportunities for graduates;

Email: sarahgeraghty@shannoncollege.com
Ph: +353 61 712523

Shannon College students picked up awards at the recent NUI Galway Conferring and Award Ceremony. The ceremony took place at NUI Galway on Saturday, February 6th, where the Campbell Beweley Award for the Highest Achieving Shannon College Student was presented to Yuanyi Liu, and the GlaxoSmithKline prize for Excellence in Human Resource Management was awarded to Anna Davey.

Yuanyi and Anna both studied the BComm programme at Shannon College (Bachelor of Commerce and NUI Diploma in International Hotel Management). The BComm students spend their first three years at Shannon College and on work placement, and then spend Year 4 studying at NUI Galway, where they join the BComm class for their final year studies.

Shannon Students Studying at NUI Galway:

In Year 4, BComm students specialise in a business mainstream at NUI Galway; Human Resource Management, Accounting, Marketing, Business Information Systems or Economics. Students graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from NUI Galway and a Diploma in International Hotel Management from the National University of Ireland (NUI).

The BComm programme is a great opportunity for students to experience the best of both worlds; the specialised and professional education at Shannon (where there are about 250 students at any one time) and also the big campus experience at NUI Galway with its world class facilites an over 10,000 other students! 

About the BComm programme:

Please visit the BComm page for further details: >> Click Here

If you are international student (Non-EU student) interested in the BComm, please visit the international section for admission details: >> Click Here

Students of the Bachelor of Business Studies in International Hotel Management (BBS) who graduate from Shannon College will be eligible to receive up to four exemptions from ACCA exams, while students of the Bachelor of Commerce with NUI Diploma in International Hotel Management who study accounting for one year in NUI Galway in Year 4 are eligible to receive up to seven exemptions.

For futher information on the ACCA exemptions at Shannon College, please visit the exemptions page: >> Click Here