At the beginning of November Intel Shannon celebrated its 11th Women in Technology scholarship awards evening. This year a total of 15 scholarships were awarded, including four new scholarships to first year students.
The scholarship program aims to encourage a new generation of high-achieving women to take up the challenge of a career in science and technology. The program forms part of a wider focus by Intel on empowering girls and women by fostering educational opportunities and encouraging women to participate, prosper, and lead in the global economy.
The awards celebration provided a fantastic opportunity to recognise this new generation of amazing young women who have been selected for the scholarships after a nationwide application process which concluded in October.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sophie Lennon, Shannon Women in Technology Coordinator, said “The Women in Technology scholarship program has once again showcased the enthusiasm and passion young women in Ireland have for technology”.
Also speaking at the event was Intel Shannon General Manager Brian Aherne who added “We pioneered the Intel Women in Technology Scholarships here in Shannon as far back as 2006, we wanted to raise awareness of the benefits of a career in engineering. It is very satisfying to see how successful the program is in attracting a new generation of high-achieving women to our industry & our company”.
Among the attendees of the awards evening were representatives from the universities who are engaged in the scholarship program including Dr. John Nelson and Martin Hayes from University of Limerick and Michael Murray from GMIT. Speaking about the initiative Dr. Nelson said “It was fantastic to see the commitment Intel Shannon have to encouraging young women to pursue careers in engineering”.
The Women in Technology Scholarships continue to be a very important program to Intel in Shannon and since first being offered in 2006 over 80 placements have been awarded with over €900,000 of funding and 2,500 hours of volunteering being devoted to the program.
The scholarship program offers a monetary grant valued at €3,000 per annum as well as opportunities for work placements at Intel Shannon. Each scholar is also assigned a mentor who is an Intel employee to assist and provide advice on managing their academic career. The program is open to school leavers entering undergraduate degrees in relevant courses.
The newly selected 2016 Intel Women in Technology scholars are:
| Name | Academic Institution | Home county |
| Courtney Conroy | University of Limerick | Co. Tipperary |
| Emma Kenny | NUI Galway | Co. Galway |
| Aishling Cahill | NUI Galway | Co. Galway |
| Sinead O’Dowd | University of Limerick | Co. Limerick |
The awards ceremony also included the presentation to recipients of the Paul Whelan memorial scholarship which is provided to a number of students starting technology and engineering courses in the University of Limerick.
Look out for further details on www.intel.ie of Women in Technology Scholarships and Awards in the New Year.
Further images can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/intel_irl/albums/72157673037484334
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) expands the boundaries of technology to make the most amazing experiences possible.
Additional information about Intel is available at:
Web – intel.ie | Twitter – @Intel_IRL | Facebook – Intel Ireland
Media contact: Sarah Sexton | sarah.sexton@intel.com | + 353 1 606 8537
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