A Derry woman was among 151 people from all walks of life, of all ages and backgrounds, from a spectrum of careers and industries, who gathered Croke Park in Dublin recently to celebrate achieving their degrees with The Open University.
Many of those who have studied with The Open University have done so alongside working, bringing up a family and juggling many different responsibilities in their busy lives.
One such student is Karenanne Coughlan-Pierse, from Derry, who began studying with The Open University in 2009 and is graduating with a BA in Modern Languages Studies with French and German.
Karenanne (pictured) said studying with the OU had allowed her to revisit a love of languages and sent her in a direction she hadn’t considered.
She added: “Although I had given up my career to be at home with my children, studying with the OU kept me in contact with the adult and academic world.
“I was challenged, but found every module worthwhile and enjoyable. I think it showed me that I can do anything that I put my mind to.
“That really helped me when, after 11 years of not working, I was offered, out of the blue, the opportunity to re-enter the medical arena in a totally new area to me.
“I grabbed the chance, knowing that I would be able to manage this new role.
“I had confidence in the interview that, because of my OU studies, my CV looked vibrant, despite not having been at work.”
She concluded: “Since returning to work, I have had to do a lot of work-related study, but every so often, I look longingly at the Masters of Laws course that OU is offering. I think I just have a chronic addiction to learning!”
Open University Facts:
- The average age of an OU student in Ireland is 33
- 30% of new undergraduates in Ireland are under 25 years old
- 27% of our students in Ireland are sponsored by employers
- 14% of our students in Ireland have a disability
- Nearly 2 million people have studied with the OU since it was established in 1969
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