Young Alumni Ambassadors Attend New York & San Francisco Information Sessions
The School of Veterinary Medicine hosted its annual Information Sessions for prospective students in New York and San Francisco on 8 January. Four members of our Young Alumni Ambassadors Group very kindly volunteered to come along to the sessions and speak about their experience of studying and living in Ireland.
Marissa Silva, Alaina Bush, Danielle Guglielmo and Julie Edmondson gave first-hand accounts of their UCD experience to 2024-25 Veterinary Medicine (Graduate Entry) applicants. Robert MacGuinness also came along to the session in New York and very kindly gave his time to speak about life as a Vet student in UCD. From detailing their reasons for applying to UCD, to studying and living in Ireland and then life after UCD, each graduate gave a unique perspective which was invaluable to the applicants. There was time after the sessions for the applicants to speak to our alumni and to say that they were inundated with questions is an understatement! (Please see below for some photos from our Information Sessions)
About Our Young Alumni Ambassadors Group
The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine launched a new initiative in 2023 for our Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Nursing alumni - the Young Alumni Ambassadors Group (YAAG). The YAAG was established following discussions with current students and recent graduates around how the School can engage with and support new graduates in the years after they leave UCD. The YAAG will help to foster interaction and communication between the School and its recent graduates through establishing a shared sense of community - cultivating and encouraging a continuing affiliation among young alumni and the institution.
The Group will promote and support the School’s programmes and activities through outreach and engagement with recent graduates and the wider UCD Veterinary Community, including current and prospective students. The work of the Group will support the School’s mission to be an inclusive community, delivering excellence in education, research and clinical endeavour. The School hopes that through the YAAG, it can tap into constructive feedback from recent graduates, and that the Group will act as a peer-to-peer network through which alumni can be assured feedback and suggestions are brought to the attention of the School. It will also serve as a sounding board for new ideas and will support ongoing efforts to improve academic, social and career experiences and create continued engagement opportunities for all members of our community.
For more information and YAAG member profiles, please see our website:
https://www.ucd.ie/vetmed/about/alumni/youngalumniambassadorsgroup/
If you would like to get involved in this initiative, please email our Communications Manager, Dr Helen Graham on (opens in a new window)helen.a.graham@ucd.ie
From left to right: Seamus Hoey, Vilhelmiina Huuskonen, Laura Barnes (UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Admissions Team), Julie Edmondson, Danielle Guglielmo, Robert MacGuinness (Alumni Ambassadors), Colm Reid & David Kilroy (UCD School of Veterinary Medicine Admissions Team)
Alaina Bush, Young Alumni Ambassador, presents at the Information Session in San Francisco
Marissa Silva, Young Alumni Ambassador, speaks to attendees at the Information Session in San Francisco
Young Alumni Ambassadors Julie Edmondson and Danielle Guglielmo speak to prospective students at the Information Session in New York