Caitriona is an academic scholar at the UCD Ad Astra Academy.

How the Ad Astra programme has added to her college experience:

The Ad Astra programme gave me a real head start at UCD – as accommodation is provided as part of the scholarship, I was able to be based on campus and become very involved in life on campus.

Getting involved at UCD:

As a member of the L&H society, TradSoc and St. Vincent de Paul, being on campus gives me the chance to go to many of their events, such as the weekly debates in the new student centre and volunteering at soup runs. I'm very involved in a lot of different areas of college life, which makes my typical day always a bit of an adventure! 

I play cello in the UCD symphony orchestra and in a string quartet group I started last year called The Cadenza Quartet. I am playing in the pit for the college musical Sweeney Todd, and also will be singing in the chorus of Phantom of the Opera, which will be so exciting!