A ceremony was held at SETU’s Cork Road campus in Waterford on Wednesday, 29 May to recognise the achievements of women across the University who have completed this transformative programme and those who act as Aurora mentors and champions across SETU.
The Aurora programme, renowned for its focus on developing future leaders in higher education, provides participants with a unique opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, expand their networks, and gain invaluable insights from experienced mentors. This year’s cohort from all SETU campuses reflects their personal commitment to career development and the University's ongoing support for gender equality and leadership development.
At the event, this year’s participants were presented with their certificates of completion by SETU President Professor Veronica Campbell, who shared insights into her own career journey and lessons learned along the way in a Q&A session with Dr Allison Kenneally, Vice President for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Dr Yvonne Kavanagh, Director for Engineering Research at SETU’s Kilkenny Road campus in Carlow.
Fostering excellence in leadership
Addressing the attendees, Dr Kavanagh, who is one of SETU’s Aurora Champions, said, “It's truly inspiring to see the Aurora community from across SETU come together to celebrate this year's graduates. The commitment to fostering excellence in leadership at SETU is clearly evident as I look around at the present and future leaders here today.”
Roisin Shanahan, one of this year’s Aurora graduates, stated, “The Aurora programme has been a transformative experience, equipping me with the skills and confidence to pursue leadership roles within SETU. I am grateful for the support from the university and the inspiring network of women I have connected with through this journey.”