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Clubs & Societies

Clubs & SocietiesWhether it's sport, culture or recreation, there’s a richness and diversity to life at ATU Donegal that extends far beyond the classroom walls. With dozens of active and passionate campus organisations, there’s always something to excite your passion and allow you to become actively involved in student life.

Learning teamwork, enjoying a great social life, developing as a person, striving for success outside the lecture theatre, learning about how the world works – all these are very important ways to enrich your student experience. That’s why we encourage our students to get involved in sport, clubs, societies, intervarsity competitions and student politics. When you take part in something enjoyable, stimulating and challenging, you discover talents you never knew you had and make great life-long friends in the process – all impressive qualities that employers look for in well-rounded people.

During Freshers’ Week you can join as many clubs as you like, free of charge. Here’s a small sample of some of the clubs:

  • Watersports: Canoe Club
  • Culture: International Society
  • Technology: Android App Society, Ethical Hacking Society
  • Politics: Law Society, LGBTQ+, Public Speaking Society
  • Charity: Gaisce Society
  • Other: Climbing Club, Badminton Society

If you have a particular interest or skill and can’t find a club to suit you, you can set up your own new club. Provided you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and can identify 10 people who’d like to join, you can put your idea forward for approval. If approved, the SU will provide you with administrative help and financial support to get your club off the ground.

Extra-curricular activity is not only encouraged, it is rewarded. One of the highlights of the student year in ATU Donegal is the Student Achievement Awards which takes place in March/April each year, at which we recognise and honour the achievement of students outside the classroom.

ATU Donegal is affiliated to the Board of Irish College Societies (BICS) and winners from the ATU Donegal awards go on to represent ATU Donegal at the BICS National Awards Ceremony each year. This national body recognises the civic, charity, community and voluntary work undertaken by students at third level.

Clubs and Societies Scholarships

These scholarships are aimed at existing students who are actively involved in the Clubs & Societies Programme at the Institute. The scholarships focus on the volunteering, civic engagement, community and charity work undertaken by the leaders of clubs and societies during the academic year.

Clubs & Societies Scholarships application packs are available internally from the SU Administrator at the beginning of March each year.  A portfolio, which includes photos, your stories as a leader and also references during your time as leader, should supplement your application.

Successful applicants in each of the various categories are presented their scholarships at the Student Achievement Awards Night which takes place at the end of Semester 2 each year.  This is one of the social highlights of the student year and offers an appropriate platform for these and other awards to be presented.

For further information on the Clubs and Societies Programme at ATU Donegal, contact:

Josephine Wilson
SU Administrator/Clubs & Societies Co-ordinator

Josephine Wilson
SU Administrator/Clubs & Societies Co-ordinator

T: +353 (0)74 918 6823
E: josephine.wilson@atu.ie

Student Achievement Awards

One of the highlights of the student year in ATU Donegal is the Student Achievement Awards which take place in March/April each year. The evening recognises the efforts of all Clubs and Societies with a range of awards presented by the President of ATU Donegal. To provide a flavour of the evening, awards are presented for the Best Society, Most Outstanding Individual and the Civic Engagement Award, the latter is awarded to the society most actively involved in the local community. The overall Sports Awards and the Sports Team Award are also presented at this event.

The Clubs and Societies programme in ATU Donegal is governed by guidelines for the setting up of a Club/Society. These guidelines are available to all new and returning societies at the commencement of each academic year. At present, ATU Donegal has over 40 active Clubs and Societies. Each year, a number of award winners from various categories go on to represent ATU Donegal at the National BICS Awards (Board of Irish Colleges Societies). These awards take place in a different location, nationally, each year.

A total of 11 individual Society Scholarships were awarded at a virtual event in 2020. These scholarships were awarded to 11 of the most outstanding students involved in clubs and societies last year. The Clubs and Societies Scholarships are presented in 2 instalments, the first instalment is made at the presentation event and the final instalment is paid on the successful completion of examinations by each winning student. The following is a list of the award recipients in 2019/20.

Clubs & Societies Awards Winners

  1. Leadership Award 2020 – Florian Moss, Badminton Society.
  2. Award for Civic, Charity & Community Engagement 2020 – Dance Society.
  3. Most Outstanding Club Member 2020 – Edward Ng, Malaysian Students Society.
  4. Best Society 2020 – Malaysian Students Society.
  5. Best Society Photograph 2020 – Ultimate Frisbee Society.
  6. Best Society Promotional Video 2020 – International Society.

Society Scholarship Winners

  1. Scholarship 1 – Lynn Chaim, Malaysian Students Society
  2. 2Scholarship 2 – Ooi Wen Feng, Malaysian Students Society
  3. Scholarship 3 – David Friel, Dance Society
  4. Scholarship 4 – Sean Imasuen, Afro-Caribbean Society
  5. Scholarship 5 – Jo Ezer Lau, Ultimate Frisbee Society
  6. Scholarship 6 – Edward Ng, Malaysian Students Society
  7. Scholarship 7 – Royce Rui Tze Tan, Malaysian Students Society
  8. Scholarship 8 – Ken Te Tang, Ultimate Frisbee Society
  9. Scholarship 9 – Gene Tuliao, International Society
  10. Scholarship 10 – Chin Sy Yao, Ultimate Frisbee Society
  11. Scholarship 11– Xiao Zexiao, Chinese Students Society

Sports Awards Winners

  1. Nicole Gordon (GAA & Soccer Ladies), Special Recognition in Sport Award
  2. Darragh Black (GAA Men), Individual Sports Star Award
  3. GAA Men’s Team, Team of the Year