Local students awarded prestigious Ericsson bursary

Three exceptional students from Athlone schools have received the Ericsson Bursary, recognising their outstanding academic achievements and potential in the field of Computer Science.

Éle McCarthy from Coláiste Chiaráin, Ngoc Thanh Mai (Kathy) Tran from Our Lady’s Bower and China Lynch from Athlone Community College were celebrated at a special awards ceremony held at Ericsson’s Software Campus in Athlone.

All three students achieved H1 grades in Higher Level Maths and have now embarked on their Computer Science studies at University College Dublin (UCD), TUS Athlone and Trinity College.

Presenting the awards, Denis Dullea, Head of NM Engineering & R&D Athlone, praised the students for their dedication and talent.

“These students represent the next generation of software engineers,” said Denis. “We are proud to support their journey and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in the years ahead.”

Sinéad Pillion, Head of Programs and Operations at Ericsson, also personally congratulated the students on their success and spoke about the company’s commitment to creating opportunities that help students thrive both academically and professionally.

The Ericsson Bursary forms part of the company’s Investing in Future Software Engineers (INFUSE) programme - an initiative that partners with primary and secondary schools across the Midlands to inspire students to explore careers in Computer Science and technology.

In addition to financial support, bursary recipients gain valuable real-world experience through paid summer internships at Ericsson, where they can apply their academic knowledge in a professional setting.

Applications for next year’s bursary are now open to sixth-year students in local schools who demonstrate exceptional ability and interest in technology. Interested students are encouraged to apply through their career guidance teachers.

Through the INFUSE programme, Ericsson hopes to empower more young people to discover the exciting and rewarding possibilities that lie in computer science and technology.