St. Angela’s Students and Staff Success at Enterprise Ireland Awards
Final year students of the BASc (Nutrition, Food and Business Management), Clare Finnegan and Rachel McDonnell, both received a High Achieving Merit Award at the Enterprise Ireland Student Enterprise Awards 2022 which were held in Trinity College, Dublin on Friday 10th June. As part of their studies, final year students develop a new food product concept which is assessed locally in the College by external industry experts and members of the Local Enterprise Office. Following this, students are encouraged to enter the business model they build around their food innovations into the Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards, all-Ireland competition which takes place annually.
One of two Programme Co-ordinators, Mr Ronan McArt describes the process “each year we see the passion and great potential that our students bring through their food product ideas and we know they will give their best efforts into pitching their products to the selected panels”. “The student innovations and business models just get better and better and by participating in these competitions, students get a real insight into establishing and scaling a start-up food business”.
Clare developed ‘Rollagen’ - a tasty, ready-to-eat high protein and vitamin C collagen-based snack designed for female athletes which helps both injury prevention and recovery. While Rachel has developed ‘NutrixBix’ - a delicious, crumbly biscuit snack containing galactagogues which boosts a nursing mothers milk supply, supporting her on the breastfeeding journey. “Being able to support and empower our students for this type of success is its own reward and we feel great pride in being a part of it, right from the start” explains Ms Roisín Lydon, Programme Co-ordinator. “We truly cannot wait to see what the future holds for these innovative and entrepreneurial young women”.
Both students competed against eight other finalists from 3rd level colleges on the island of Ireland by pitching their business concepts to a panel of professionals from Enterprise Ireland, the Local Enterprise Office, Grant Thornton and Cruickshank. Claire and Rachel had already beaten competition from over 1000’s of other teams through two rounds of competitive judging to make this year’s final where they were placed in the top four students overall, securing associated prize money of €5,000 each in the process. In addition, both Programme Co-ordinators, Mr Ronan McArt and Ms Roisin Lydon were recognised for their dedication in helping young entrepreneurs in Ireland develop business ideas and achieve success in the marketplace, winning the Academic Achievement award 2022.
Considering your CAO Change of Mind options? The BASc (Nutrition, Food and Business Management) is a four-year Honours Degree (CAO Code AS051) which includes industry placement in year three, either here in Ireland or abroad. For more visit https://www.stangelas.ie/nutritionfoodbusiness/
Subject to full incorporation, St. Angela’s College will become a campus of Atlantic Technological University which means students applying for the BA Sc, as well as any other CAO courses in September 2022, will be awarded an Atlantic TU qualification on completion.
