Students at ɫƵ contributed almost 50,000 hours of volunteer work in their local communities over the past year.
It comes as the students involved were awarded this week for their volunteering efforts, which have been described as a ‘profoundly rewarding experience’.
In a special ceremony held as part of the annual UL President’s Volunteer Award (PVA), 797 students from across the University were recognised for their individual contributions to a combined 47,123 hours of registered volunteer work.
Students were presented with gold, silver, bronze and Plassey medals, respectively, in acknowledgement of their hours dedicated to voluntary work, having engaged in mentoring, fundraising and coaching across everything from international projects to environmental initiatives.
Among the almost-800 students receiving medals at the event were this year’s Student Volunteers of the Year – five students who were specially recognised for their outstanding dedication to volunteering in the community.
Cora Rooney, a high-performance swimmer, who is part of Swim Ireland’s National Centre Limerick squad, spent a portion of her volunteering hours working with Nemo Special Olympics Sports Club. For Cora, a Bachelor of Arts student from Donegal, it was a passion for helping others that motivated her to participate in the PVA.
“I chose to get involved in volunteering because I have always enjoyed helping others reach their full potential, and bringing positivity and hope to my community, especially to those with intellectual disabilities,” she explained.
“Volunteering has been a profoundly rewarding experience, allowing me to grow as a young person, develop my personal skills, meet incredible people, and witness firsthand the value of enthusiasm, empathy, communication, kindness, and support to others.”
Also recognised as a Student Volunteer of the Year was Óran Fleming, an Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) student from Limerick, who had a deeply personal motivation for participating in the PVA this year.
“The main work I did was with the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland (ASI). I lost my grandfather to Alzheimer’s in October last year, and so I wanted to do something to honour him,” he explained.
Óran also ran the Paris Marathon in April, in aid of ASI – raising over €2,100 in the process – and went on to organise events in ISE to raise both money and awareness for the charity.
Jack Comber, from Limerick, was also specially recognised. A current Pharmaceutical and Industrial Chemistry student, Jack completed his volunteer work with the UL International Buddy Programme – an initiative that seeks to assist international students with settling into student life in a foreign country; and Be MindfUL, a programme that seeks to promote mental health in students and bystander intervention.
Oluwadara Alabi, from Nigeria, completed a staggering 112 volunteering hours over the past year. Currently undertaking the MSc in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, her contribution spanned across units including UL Global (Student Ambassador and International Buddy programmes), UL Student Life and Milford Hospice, among others.
The Student Volunteer of the Year lineup was completed by Seán Byrnes. The Limerick native, who is a current Bachelor of Business Studies student, dedicated his volunteer hours to several UL initiatives across the Access Office (Destination College Programme; Academy for Children) as well as UL Global’s International Buddy Programme.
Acting UL President Professor Shane Kilcommins applauded the hard work and dedication of each and every student volunteer receiving their medal at the ceremony.
“The President’s Volunteer Award stands as a powerful testament to the spirit of generosity, leadership, and civic responsibility that defines our student community at ɫƵ. Through nearly 50,000 hours of service, our students have not only enriched the lives of others but have deepened their own understanding of empathy, resilience, and purpose,” said Professor Kilcommins.
“These awards celebrate more than volunteerism; they honour a transformative journey of personal growth and social impact. UL is proud to champion and embed volunteerism as a core value of our academic and societal culture, fostering a university environment where compassion and commitment to the common good are not just encouraged, but celebrated.”
Now in their fifteenth year, the PVAs have become a highlight of the academic year, providing an important opportunity to acknowledge UL students’ dedication to engaging with and giving back to their local community.
Linda Fitzgerald, Student Volunteering and PVA Manager, explained how the volunteering programme “plays a vital role in fostering creativity, engagement, and community spirit” ɫƵ.
“It offers students valuable opportunities to develop key skills while contributing to the cultural and social life of the University and the wider community. We’re incredibly proud to celebrate nearly 800 student volunteers this year for their outstanding commitment and contribution throughout this academic year,” said Linda.
UL PVA – which is also the host HEI of StudentVolunteer.ie – has proven to be a trailblazer in the space, helping students to stand out to future employers by virtue of being the only higher education institution in Ireland to record a student’s volunteer achievements on their academic transcript. UL’s Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences has recently followed suit with the launch of its Degree Boost initiative – the first in Ireland to offer skill-specific digital badges to students and record transferable skills on their academic transcripts.
With 1,000 students already registered for the 2025/26 academic year, and a Civic Engagement Scholarship set to open for applications at the end of this semester, the UL PVA is set to continue going from strength to strength.