expliCIT, CIT' Students' Union magazine

CIT Students’ Union Magazine Volume Twenty One, Issue 5

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3-6 FEBRUARY

SAFETY WEEK 2020 Your Union Your Voice

VALID NORTH MAIN ST. STORE ONLY Sun (10am) - Thur (4am) before 31st Dec ‘20 Not valid bank holiday weekend.

NORTH MAIN STREET (Off Washington Street) PEMBROKE STREET (Opp The G.P.O.) OLIVER PLUNKETT STREET (Opp USIT)

AIB STUDENT CREDIT DROP INTO AIB 64/65 COLLEGE ROAD TO FIND OUT MORE

Lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Credit facilities are subject to repayment capacity and financial status and are not available to persons under 18 years of age. Security may be required. Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

CONTENTS 4 SU OFFICERS’ ADDRESS

6 FLYNNERS FLYING COLUMN Flights of fancy - Utrecht

8 A GOOD START

13 CIT ABÚ!

CIT’s success stories in pictures

14 LIVE CIT, LOVE SPORTS

16 LIVE CIT, LOVE SOCIETIES

Welcoming you back to Semester 2

17 VOLUNTEER ABROAD Mexico, by Demi Fabamila

10 CIT SU ELECTIONS 2020 Would YOU think of standing?

18 COMPETITIONS

12 #FANCYFOLLOWINGCIT

Hard cash on offer! Simply deliver your entries into the Students’ Union, 1st Floor, Student Centre

Alumni success stories

LAST ISSUE WINNERS: CHRISTMAS QUIZ: Zach Harrington, DSE4 WORDSEARCH: Francesco Murray, BIBLA BRAINTEASER: Louise Marnane, DBE3

Notice of UNION Students’ Union Elections Thursday 5th March 2020 CIT STUDENTS’ ELECTIONS 2020

SABBATICAL President Vice-President Education Vice-President Welfare

NON-SABBATICAL Projects Officer Communications Officer Entertainments Officer

Nominations forms will be available from the Students’ Union office from Monday 12th February or to download at www.citsu.ie

Nominations will close at 5pm, Friday 28th February 2020 Vicky O’Sullivan, Deputy Returning Officer.

You could be the next member of the Union Executive!

? ?? ?? ?

Any questions?

Tel: 021 433 5270

CIT Students’ Union, Bishopstown, Cork.

Tel: 021 433 5274 Web: www.explicit.ie CITSU

CITSU

expliCIT Production, Design & Advertising Keith Brown, supublications@cit.ie CIT SU President AaronBuckley supresident@cit.ie

You can be a hero...

Give Blood!

Visit us in Melbourn Exam Hall Mon 10th Feb & Tues 11th Feb 2020 12pm - 3.30pm Did you know...

• 1 in 4 people need a blood transfusion at some point.

• 3,000 units of blood are needed every week in our hospitals.

• 1 donation can save up to 3 lives.

More information Web: giveblood.ie Phone: 021 480 7400

VP Education Aisling O’Mahony sueducation@cit.ie VP Welfare Cian O’Driscoll suwelfare@cit.ie Projects Officer Felix Milner dg_citsu@cit.ie Communications Officer Conor Flynn supublications@cit.ie Entertainments Officer Aoife MacGaley Event@cit.ie Entertainments Manager Mick O’Mahony Event@cit.ie

Advertising Opportunities

CIT has 17,000+ full and part-time students with over 1,500 staff. Why not use expliCIT to promote your business to this large audience?

Our copy deadlines, advertising rates and technical specifications are available from our website www.citsu.ie and upon request from the Publications Office in hardcopy or via email. expliCIT magazine is published monthly by CIT Students’ Union. The views expressed in the magazine are those of their authors and are not necessarily those of CIT Students’ Union. All articles and pictures are the property of their respective owners and should not be reproduced without their permission.

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STUDENTS’ UNION OFFICERS ADDRESS

Elections 2020

We can’t believe that election season is once again almost upon us, and of course we are referring to the most important elections of 2020, the SU General Elections! This will take place on the 5th of March and you can read full details on pages 10 and 11.

Of course, we also urge you to vote in the national General Elections coming up on 8th February. This the perfect opportunity for you to directly engage with candidates to find out what their views are in relation to investing in education, the SUSI grant, lack of accommodation and hikes in rent. Use your vote and use it wisely by taking the time to examine each candidates/political parties manifesto.

SU Constitutional Review

The Students’ Union was mandated to undertake a full constitutional review. The constitution is the set of rules that guides how the Union works and also state the rights of our members. We have been working over the past number of months and in particular this January to focus on the process. A copy of the proposed new constitution will be emailed to all students in early February. A referendum proposing the adoption of the constitution will run in tandem with the SU General Elections which will be held on 5th March. We urge you to read the proposed constitution and to exercise your right to vote.

Electronic Voting

The Union is currently investigating the possibilities around electronic voting. We recognise the challenges that students may face when it comes to exercising their right to vote. Many students are on placement during the elections, and we can only resource limited polling station times in our constituent colleges. Delivery of on electronic voting system in itself is challenging – implementing a system that is robust and ensuring the confidentiality of votes, secure data handling and a one person, one vote system. Departments within the Institute have been actively assisting us with this project and, it is our hope that a system may be available for the upcoming SU elections and referendum in March. We’ll keep you posted.

Common Room

The Students’ Union brought a proposal to the finance committee to refurbish the existing common room. We are delighted to announce that there has been great progress with the refurbishment of the existing space. Some of the new improvements include new flooring, freshly painted surfaces, new booths have been put in place and we are also waiting on the delivery of some trendy furniture to finish off this new space! Work is ongoing but expected completion is within the first 2/3 weeks of February.

RAG Week

While RAG week is one of the pinnacles of college social scenes, we need to remember what it’s all about! RAG Week is CIT’s Annual Raise And Give Charity week. It’s about giving back to our community and having a little fun in doing so. This years’ RAG week will run from the 24th to the 27th of February. Exciting plans are underway now with regards to different events being held to raise as much money possible for the chosen charities. The theme of this years RAG charities is homelessness. We would appreciate all the support we can get for those who are just about surviving without a roof over their head. Donations will be given to the following organisations;

COMING SOON! 24 - 27 Feb, 2020 4

1. Edel House (Main Beneficiary) provide emergency housing and support for homeless women and children.

2. Cork Penny Dinners provide the homeless with free meals on a day to day basis.

3. Cork Stand Together is a group originally established by CIT students’ who try to fill the gaps in homelessness by offering food and other living necessities to Cork’s homeless.

Let’s fill those buckets to the brim lads and lassies!

SUMMER JOBS WORK VISAS

JA N / F E B H I R I N G FA I R S

J1 USA & CANADA

Exam Results

Just ASK! This guide has been emailed to you to help you with any queries you may have in relation to your exam results. However, if you need further clarification on your results we are here to help. The Students’ Union office door is always open to you.

See http://www.citsu.ie/education for more.

usit.ie

Safety Week 2020

We will run Safety Week from Monday 3rd to Thursday 6th February. There will be a special focus on Road Safety and perCITAd_JobsUSA&Canada_PressAd_125mmx88mm.indd sonal safety. Crashed cars will be on display at various locations across the campus with the aim of assisting students to visualise the dangers connected with unsafe driving. The RSA will kick start the campaign with a stand and workshop on Monday the 3rd February.

There will also be stands/displays on the main corridor including; Cork City Fire Brigade, National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána and Cork City Council Road Safety VR Headset/Goggles. A car crash re-enactment will take place in front of the Library on Thursday 6th February and this is really worth viewing – to see the emergency services at work following a car crash really gives pause for thought. Please take the opportunity to engage with our interactive campaign – your personal safety should be a top priority and you may pick some information that could potentially save your life in the future.

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16/01/2020 15:45

Best Wishes,

Aaron, Aisling and Cian, your CIT SU Officers

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Flights of Fancy…

By James Flynn

Flynner’s Flying Column Travel to Utrecht, Netherlands

M

ay 2016, after finishing my degree exams, I decided to visit some top fellow students who invited me to their flat in Utrecht, the Netherlands. After a very dawn flight from Cork Airport, I landed in Schipol Airport and took the train to Utrecht (30 mins away), where the boys appreciated the consignment of Taytos I brought them! Utrecht is popular with Irish Erasmus students who study in Utrecht University, and CIT students certainly avail of the opportunity to study there and visit Holland, with easy and regular connection to Cork Airport.

Ok, it is not as hyped as Amsterdam, but it is a much easier paced city to relax at your own leisure.

•T he most prominent building is the Dom Tower, part of the Cathedral of Saint Martin. The nave connecting the tower with the rest of the cathedral collapsed in a storm and was never repaired, hence the unusual arrangement.

The tower is open to the public, with Amsterdam and Rotterdam visible.

•U trecht FC is the local soccer side. In the top-flight of Dutch soccer, it has had a successful history. The Stadion Galgenwaard, not far from the Uni-campus can be visited, and the club shop has some colourful shopping to be purchased.

• Centraal Museum is the scene to some wonderful arts, crafts and historical ar-

tefacts. Also, there is the Dick Bruna Museum, which pays tribute to the works of Dick Bruna towards entertaining and educating children, notably his publishings of Miffy. Museum Speelklok has many exhibitions of musical instruments.

•M any famous people came from Utrecht (Hermann Van Veen, Marco Van Basten, Karl Doorman) and there is plenty around the city to remind one of the significant contributions these people made to Dutch History.

• There are plenty of canals to walk – and cruise - along. And these give one the chance to discover the best kept and idyllic secrets along these areas, notably the Oudegracht.

• Bus and train is standard transport, as are the bicycles! So know the Safe Cross Code!!

• There is plenty of canalside bars and cafes where one can enjoy a beer, a relaxing lunch and some sumptuous teas and pastries. O’Leary’s Irish Bar is the ideal Irish bar which is home from home, with good value beer and full Irish meals to go! And there is good nightlife that has to be sampled.

• FLY FROM CORK: Aer Lingus to Amsterdam 0650 and 1650 daily from €35 each way. KLM will start a Hopper service 13th March 2020.

Accommodation per person from €35 per night. www.booking.com

MEND YER WAYS DERE! ...

People have expressed outrage at WWN re-printing (2017) their satire about a snowplough bulldozing the homeless off the streets in the wake of a homeless man having an industrial vehicle remove him inside his tent recently, seriously injuring him.

These same people had two years to do something about it, and what did they do?

Thus come election time, make sure YOU make YOUR stance about the need for an income and a roof over your head felt when the TDs come looking for your vote. Otherwise it will be more of the very same.

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3-6 FEBRUARY

SAFETY WEEK 2020 Featuring

RSA Stand & Roadshow Car Crash Virtual Reality Experience Car Crash Re-Enactment Drug Task Force / Traffic Corp National Ambulance Service

CRASHED CARS ON CAMPUS ALL WEEK SEE EXPLICIT, SOCIAL MEDIA & WWW.CITSU.IE FOR MORE

Welcome Back for Semester 2

AnSEO STUDENT ENGAGEMENT OFFICE

about EXAM RESULTS

http://studentengagement.cit.ie/goodstart/S2

by Dean Oke

3rd Year, Community Development Student Hey CIT Squad, welcome back to CIT for Semester 2!

Congratula�ons on ge�ng through your first semester, we are delighted to see you again.

So, first things first, we just want to tell you that second semester is an opportunity to make a FRESH START. Start Semester 2 as you intend to con�nue. The earlier you develop good study habits the be�er. It takes 21 days to make a habit. That means that if you spend the next three weeks ge�ng into a good study/college work rou�ne (before the assignments pile up) will make the rest of the semester easier. Ge�ng stuck in now will pay off in the long run.

Good Start team are here to encourage you to se�le back into CIT, provide you with informa�on about understanding your exam results and �ps for making the most out of the semester.

We, the Good Start team, are students (just like yourselves) and have all experienced what it is like to do an exam and receive exam results; so, trust us when we say that it will be okay and that if it's not that you have op�ons. Do not fear, Good Start is here!

GETTING DOWN TO WORK

by Kate, Culinary Arts Student

“Star�ng a new semester can be a bit daun�ng but it really is a chance to start with a fresh slate. If you are happy with how last semester went, and your results are good, then congrats and keep up the good work. If you think that last semester didn’t really go as planned, then this is the �me to make a change.

Look back at last semester and see what things worked well and where you need to do things differently. Perhaps you were really good at making study plans but you never seemed to follow through, then maybe you should set yourself specific �me limits? Or, you might be great at studying for exams but not as good at wri�ng assignments or referencing, the CIT library has some great resources for this. Taking ac�on is the first step to making this semester great.

I like to look at my modules descriptors and see when all my exams are on and the �mes assignments are due in order to organise myself. You have to find what works for you and just do the best that you can do!”

Follow Good Start Semester 2 ac�vity on:

/mycit

cit_ie

cit_ie

@cit_ie

When you think about results, you might be hopeful, nervous, worried or even really happy. Whatever you are feeling, pause.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Then read this. Have you done that?

Good. Let’s begin!

The results will be coming out on the Thursday 30th of January.

Your results can be accessed online through www.mycit.ie/web4 allowing you to see your results at home, in the car or wherever you have an internet connec�on, its completely up to you.

If you have been successful… Congratula�ons! Keep up the good work and aim high for semester 2.

If you are not happy with your results, help is available….so read the Just Ask! about Exam Results informa�on and FAQs (in your emails) carefully. Detailed informa�on is accessible on www.mycit.ie/examina�ons.

If you have a specific ques�on or are confused and unsure about what steps to take next, don’t hesitate to email any of the following: academicsuccesscoach@cit.ie or exams@cit.ie or SUeduca�on@cit.ie

WHAT IF I HAVE TO REPEAT? WHAT IF I HAVE TO REPEAT? So, repeats... Generally, you have the op�on (depending on the module reassessment requirements) of being reassessed in the Autumn. Normally reassessment means submi�ng course work or doing a repeat exam or a combina�on of both. You must register for these reassessments by Monday, 6th of July 2020. If appropriate for you then you will receive an email in late June, following the release of end of year results with further informa�on promp�ng you to register.

Keep in mind this quote from Laura Henry, “Your exam results do not define you as a person and/or predict your future”.

FIRST YEARS PLEASE NOTE: There are a few reassessment op�ons for the CIT Module (Crea�vity, Innova�on and Teamwork) CMOD6001. If you have failed this module, please ask your Head of Department which op�on applies to you.

We would encourage you to make an appointment to meet with an Academic Success Coach to make a plan for success for Semester 2.

Book at h�ps://studentengagement.cit.ie/asc/book

REPEATS

by Akhil, Chemical and Biopharmaceu�cal Engineering Student “So, the results are out. You might have passed all your exams. If that's the case, well done! If you failed one or more modules though, don't worry. It's not the end of the world, even though for some people it may feel like it. It certainly did for me.

There are many reasons for why people fail exams. One thing is for sure, if you are repea�ng, o�en you're not the only one. It's a common worry for people who fail exams that they're a failure or that they're not smart enough. This is not true; people end up falling for various reasons.

Whatever the reason may be, you will have a chance to repeat. While studying during summer is not a pleasant experience, it is something you must do to sort out the situa�on.

STUDYING IN CIT CRAWFORD COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN? Tips for making the best out of Semester 2 from Ava, Iris and Jayne, Good Start Ambassadors in CIT Crawford College of Art and Design; • Bringing your own tea bags (it makes tea cheaper) • Stay on top of sketchbooks, try to bring around a small sketchbook so that if you think or see anything you can put it in • A�end your elec�ves and modules • Take full advantage of workshops, get ahead of the game!

• Stay open minded

So, heads up, focus on passing everything in semester 2 and deal with the repeats a�er semester 2.”

CIT CORK SCHOOL OF MUSIC TIPS & TRICKS

by Seán, Music Student, and Mandy, Theatre & Drama Student Yo CSM! Stop, collaborate and listen, today your homeboys Seán and Mandy have your back with some awesome �ps and tricks all CSM related. Ready? Okay, let’s go.

Buying tea or coffee everyday in the canteen when you’re on a budget, can be expensive and adds up. There's hot water in the canteen free to use and a ke�le in the common room for when the canteen closes. Just bring your own coffee/tea and cup and you’ll be sorted! Also, there’s a fridge for us to use in the common room. Did you know that?

Word on the street is that some students are not aware of the secret prin�ng room in 318. It’s also full of computers for ]everyone to use. This means the opening hours in the Library don't have to affect you doing your assignments - no more excuses for procras�na�ng!

YOU CAN DO THIS

Did you know there is a doctor in the city center that CIT students can visit if they are ill? This may be more convenient than going to Bishopstown as it is nearer our campuses. It is located on upper Grand Parade, simply call Grand Parade Medical Centre, just next to Phelan’s Pharmacy.

During Good Start Semester 2 you can catch us at the Just Ask desk for Just Ask! about Exam Results. We will be running events such as Open Mic, Breakfast Morning and li�le compe��ons throughout results week! The CSM Pool and Board Games Society will be running every Wednesday night from 7pm – 10pm and you are all most welcome join in.

Finally, all CIT Bishopstown facili�es and services are for CSM students too, such as the main CIT library (has a printer so you can print un�l it’s late closing hours) and Academic Success Coaching (if you want to make a plan for success in Semester 2).

We're roo�ng for you. Semester 2 is Semester You!

Everyone says college days are the best days of your life. Keep on top of your course assignments and deadlines as well as having some fun and college will be the greatest experience. Welcome to the vibrant CIT community and remember if you're unsure ... Just Ask!

http://studentengagement.cit.ie/goodstart/S2 /mycit

cit_ie

cit_ie

@cit_ie

Good Start is a programme of AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office, Office of the Registrar and VP for Academic Affairs, CIT

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CIT STUDENTS’

UNION

THINKING OF RUNNING

ELECTIONS 2020 Do you think you could be the right person to represent more than 8,000 students at CIT? If so, then you’ve got to throw your hat into the ring for CIT Students’ Union Officer Elections. The elections will see you run a campaign across the CIT Campuses to show that you’re the right person for the job. Interested? Keep reading to find out how to run and exactly what is involved. You as a Union Officer will take on the responsibility of representing students, ensuring they get the best deal from their college life. Whether you represent their academic or welfare needs, it is your opportunity to make a difference. The elections will take place on Thursday 5th March 2020 and nominations will close on Friday 28th February 2020 at 5pm.

The Union Executive is elected by the members of the Union and is made of up to three Sabbatical Officers (President, Vice President Welfare and Vice President Education) and three NonSabbatical Officers (Projects Officer, Communications Officer and Entertainments Officer). The Executive is responsible for the initiation of policy of the Union subject to Union Council, General Meeting and Referendum. Becoming a Union Officer involves attending meetings regularly and speaking on behalf of students in areas which will directly affect them. The main role is to defend the rights of students on all fronts, as well as representing student views to college management and political figures. The Officers support/organise a number of ongoing Union projects and events including Freshers Week, RAG Week, and Orientations for first years, as well as a number of Welfare Campaigns.

Could YOU be the next CIT SU President?

The President of the Students’ Union oversees all workings of the Union. The President is a member of many of the Institute’s boards including the Governing Body and its subcommittees.

The main areas of concern for the President will be representation, organisation, finance, supervision and guidance of policy.

The President is the main spokesperson of the students of CIT. This person communicates with local media, political figures and businesses where appropriate. The President is also the Union of Students In Ireland National Council Representative.

Could YOU Be The Next CIT SU Vice President Education Officer?

The role of the Vice President Education is very broad and includes everything relating to academia;

✔ building

positive relationships and partnerships between Institute staff and students,

✔ enhancing

student engagement to develop and improve quality in education,

✔ managing exams,

issues around course delivery, timetabling and

✔ managing Union Council and General Meetings.

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WHAT WILL

The Vice President Education meets with students on a daily basis to assist them with their educational issues. Some projects include student education campaigns, student engagement projects including Sparq at CIT, and Class Rep training and organisation. The Vice President Education is a member of many of the Institute’s boards including Academic Council, the Appeals Committee and the Student Disciplinary Committee.

Could YOU Be The Next CIT SU Vice President Welfare Officer?

The Vice President Welfare delivers an educational and awareness programme throughout the year to help students to manage personal issues including sexual health, mental health, accommodation, finance, safety, bullying and addictions. The programme features campaigns such as S.H.A.G. (Sexual Health Awareness & Guidance) Week, Positive Mind & Body Week, Exam DeStress Campaigns and Safety Week. These campaigns address different issues which may affect students in an attention-grabbing, fun and effective way. Along with this, the Vice President Welfare sits on college committees which, this year, include Governing Body, Student Services Co. Ltd and the Safety Committee.

Could YOU Be the Next CIT SU Communications Officer?

The Communication officer aids in the development of the Union’s information and communication policy. This Officer must be familiar with all the communication policies and all the communication media available to the union and ensure they are used to their full potential. The Communication Officer will keep the membership of the Union informed through the provision of a regular Union publication “expliCIT” in conjunction with the Sabbatical Officers and Union Staff.

Could YOU Be the Next CIT SU Entertainments Officer?

The Entertainments Officer is responsible for the provision of entertainments and other forms of social and cultural activity for the members of the Union in conjunction with the Sabbatical Officers and Union Staff.

Could YOU Be the Next CIT SU Projects Officer?

The Projects Officer is charged with a number of one-off projects each year. These projects can be big or small, with the intention of freeing up time and resources for the other SU Officers. Also, the Projects Officer is often the Officer “on

? ?? ?

FOR ELECTION IN MARCH 2020?

YOU

STAND FOR?

call” should the other officers need help. A vital resource to the working of the Union, and can be described as “The oil in the SU engine”.

What qualities are needed to be CIT Students’ Union Officer? ✔ Focused/Dedicated: The Officers’ roles are extremely broad

and they need to set out a strategy for the year with realistic and achievable goals. Project management skills are vital.

The summer is a great time to learn what they need to know as well as prepare for the year ahead.

✔ Commitment: It is essential that Officers are committed and

understand what is involved with the role. Sabbatical roles are full time and paid while non-sabbatical roles undertaken in tandem with studies and are voluntary in nature. Consideration must be given to how much time can be allocated to the role and potential candidates should assess other commitments such as course requirements and part time jobs before opting to run for election.

✔ Responsible: The Officers of the Union must oversee many

activities so having a responsible attitude is vital. They must keep themselves informed of issues, while being responsible for the students’ views is imperative. They will also need to sit on boards that deal with sensitive issues

✔ Innovative/Creative: New ideas for events, campaigns and promotion will truly benefit the Union as a whole.

✔ Diplomatic: Good interpersonal skills are necessary to ac-

complish tasks and Officers need to be able to manage relationships with staff, students, management and others in a tactful way. Often developing good relationships and gaining mutual respect is the key to affecting change and improvement.

✔ Confident/Assertive/Influential:

The Officers must often stand their ground when it comes to all sorts of initiatives, be it stand firm against Institute management, press or political figures. They will also need to become comfortable speaking in public and be able to influence the opinion of others.

✔ Self-Aware:

? ? ??

Officers should understand their strengths and weaknesses and by doing so create an opportunity to grow as individuals and as effective Union leaders. It is important to put the needs of the students and the Union as a whole ahead of the needs of the individual Officer.

✔ Realistic: The Officers must be able to assess the feasibility

of projects, ideas or campaigns in terms of legal, financial and resource limitations. When dealing with students’ needs, an un-biased approach has to be brought to every specific case. Officers must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. This will avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. Bringing every case to a fight will weaken credibility when a genuine case emerges.

✔ Caring/Approachable:

Officers should be approachable, friendly, non-judgemental and welcoming to students. They also need to be able to keep their work with students confidential within reason. They must possess the ability to listen sensitively to people’s problems and be able to deal with them in a sympathetic, mature and non-judgmental way.

What’s in it for you? ✔ Develop your management, communication, organisational, negotiation and leadership skills

✔ Differentiate yourself from others on the jobs market ✔ Expand your work experience profile ✔ Join an energised team What are the terms of employment?

For Sabbatical Officers including the President, Vice President Welfare and Vice President Education, it is a full time job, commencing on the 1st June and ending 31st May. The pay is set for all Officers and can be found out by enquiry. The hours are generally Monday to Friday nine to five, but due to the nature of the job this can vary considerably from week to week depending on how busy it is along with various campaigns that may be running. You will occasionally have to work at night time events during Fresher’s Week and Rag Week and other projects. It is essential to get a copy of the Officer’s Code of Conduct before deciding to run for a Sabbatical position.

For non-sabbatical Officers, including the Projects Officer, Entertainments Officer and Communications Officer, the jobs are non-paid and hours of work will be based around the class time/free time of the non-sabbatical Officers.

It is advisable to speak to the current Officers to find out more and they can be contacted through the Students’ Union Office. Should you require information relating to election process and rules, please contact Vicky O’Sullivan, Assistant Returning Officer by email at vicky.osullivan@cit.ie

Nominations open 12th Feb 2020

You could be the next member of the Union Executive!

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#FancyFollowingCIT

See more at: twitter.co/CITAlumni www.cit.ie/alumni

Interested in the paths that current students and soon to be graduates are taking? The CIT Alumni Office offers you that opportunity. Check out some of these profiles and get a taste for how successful you could become after your chosen course at CIT...

AARON KENNY

I studied Chemical & Biopharmaceutical Engineering at CIT and graduated in 2014. I started working in Kingspan in Cavan/Monaghan in August 2014. I worked there for 2 ½ years. I was primarily based in Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan but travelled and worked in UK and Dubai also. Kingspan were a really good Irish multinational company to work for and I made some lifelong friends in both Monaghan and Kingspan.

I returned to Cork with Rockwell Automation (Proscon) in 2017 for a year to work in process design. I left Rockwell towards the end of 2017 to move to Dublin (to be closer to my girlfriend) and Jacobs.

I have worked in Jacobs Engineering since and love it. With Jacobs, I have worked on large biopharmaceutical projects such as Shire (Takeda) and WuXi Biologics. I find the work extremely engaging, suitably challenging and endlessly stimulating. I thoroughly enjoy delivering large scale biopharmaceutical projects which will have real health benefits for hundreds of people.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-kenny-beng-miei-amicheme-8b1a7356/

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MIKE COUGHLAN

Mike Graduated with a BSc. (Ord) in Applied Physics and Instrumentation in 2018. He worked as a QA Engineer for BMD & Co. for a year and a half on a large-scale pharmaceutical project while continuing his studies before joining Stryker as a Manufacturing Engineer. He has been working on the European Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR) which will ensure high standards of quality and safety for medical devices being produced in or supplied into Europe.

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecoughlan1/

The CIT Alumni Office develops and supports alumni relations at CIT through a number of initiatives. The office encourages links between CIT and its graduates and supports the ever-growing CIT Alumni community.

The community proudly has over 30,000 members.

CIT ABÚ!

Pics by Darragh Kane

Presentation by CIT’s MSc Digital Marketing Strategy for Cummins Sports.

Cummins Sports collaborated on a project with CIT students as part of their part-time Masters in Digital Marketing Strategy. The brief was to create a proposal for Cummins Sports to engage with consumers by delivering impactful marketing campaigns focusing on both digital and traditional marketing methods.

3rd Year marketing students Aoife Mairead O’Sullivan, Newtownshandrum, Grace O’Donnell, Carrigaline, Charlie Petford, Skibbereen, Clodagh Forde, Ballyphehane, Avril Pratt, Carrigaline at their project stall ‘How Rich Do Like It’ at a Gym + Coffee Brand Challenge for 3rd year CIT Marketing students.

Joint winners of Best Honours Degree students in Biomedical Engineering Eimear O’Regan and Eveleen Clancy from Clonakilty at the CIT Faculty of Engineering & Science Awards.

Aisling Walsh, Kilkenny winner of the Marshal Hudson Award at the CIT Prizegiving ceremony.

Joint winners of best hons degree students in School of Mechanical Electrical and process engineering Eimear O’Regan and Eveleen Clancy, Clonakilty at the CIT Prizegiving ceremony.

3rd year marketing students Brianna Connick, America, Dean Sexton, Bishopstown, Jamie Sheehy, Ballyvolane, Kate O’Meara, Carrick-On Suir Tipperary and Aoife O’Sullivan, Macroom with their project ‘Into The Woods’ gym coffee brand challenge at a Gym + Coffee Brand Challenge for 3rd year CIT Marketing students.

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LIVE CIT, LOVE SPORTS

Would you like to have your club featured in expliCIT? Simply email your submission to: supublications@cit.ie

by Miriam Deasy, Sports Officer

Operation transformation

Well done to all who turned out on Saturday 18th January for the operation transformation walk, in conjunction with Cork Sports Partnership, with our three Cork Leaders; Tanya, Andrea and Barry. Huge turnout on a cold frosty but bright morning. 2020 saw the biggest year yet for the Operation transformation walks with over 135 walks nationwide. Huge well done to all, keep it going now for 2020!

James O’Driscoll, Goleen; Stephen O’Leary, Mahon; Danny Reynolds, Dungarvan and Evan O’Sullivan, Carrigaline

CIT to host Freshers Basketball Tournament February is a very exciting month for our CIT Basketball Club as we host the Freshers Basketball tournament on the 15th & 16th February. The tournament will run over two days, with some fantastic displays of basketball as some of the top players in the country descend on CIT. Best of luck to the CIT Men’s and Womens basketball teams competing #CITAbú.

Cian Heaphy, Tivoli; David Murray, Rochestown; Dylan McCarthy, Mahon; Louise Scannell, Blarney St; Jessica Quirke, Glanmire; Simone O’Shea, Blarney and Adam Heaphy, Tivoli Basketball

CIT Sports Scholarships

The annual Sports Scholarship Evening was held in the Rory Gallagher Theatre on Monday 25th November at 6pm. Our guest speaker for the evening was the great Rena Buckley, the most successful GAA player in the country with a record breaking 18 All-Ireland medals.

We in CIT take pride on offering a broad range of sports and we are particularly pleased that 81 scholarships will be awarded across Australian Football League, Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Camogie, Canoe, Equestrian, Gaelic Football, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Hurling, Orienteering, Powerlifting, Rowing, Sailing, Soccer and Tae kwon do.

Seán Leonard, Mitchelstown; Gary Ward, Kinsale Golf; Jerry Cronin, Gneevuguila AFL and Alan Riordan, Blarney

Zach Harrington, Enniskeane; André Christie, Wilton; Dan O’Mahony, Grange; Cian O’Neill, Ballyphehane; Cathal Ryan, Ballingassig and Clodagh Walsh, Mallow Athletics

William O’Donohoe, Thurles Tipp; Ryan Broderick, Shanagary and Ross O’Connor, Power lifting

Dr Áine Ni Shé, Registrar & Vice-President for Academic Affairs, President of CIT Dr Barry O’Connor, Rena Buckley, Berrings Camogie and Football player and Dr Dan Collins, Head of Student Services

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20 x 20 Student

Champion Profile Name: Saoirse Mc Carthy Walsh Course: Recreation & Leisure 1 Club: CIT Camogie Levels have played at: Club & County

Upcoming Competitions A number of our Sports Clubs are currently in training for upcoming competitions/ Intervarsities over the next few weeks.

Best of luck to all! Keep an eye on the CIT Sports facebook and Instagram page for all the up to date/results/pics.

Powerlifting

Well done to our Powerlifters who flew the flag proudly for CIT over before Christmas at the Push/Pull Competition in 20 x 20 Student

Champion Profile Name: Louise Scannell Course: Business Administration 1 Club: CIT Basketball Levels have played at: Superleague with Glanmire Club, Cork & Ireland Highest achievement to date: Winning a European Silver & Bronze medal U18 & U20 Your experience of sport in CIT: As a fresher I’m really enjoying it Why did you agree to become a CIT 20 x 20 Student Champion: As this is a great platform to promote womens sport Words of advice: Don’t give up. Keep going and when it feels like you can’t anymore its mind over matter

Dublin. All the hard work & training paid off with 4 podium finishes by Aaron Kelleher, Callum McCarthy, Conor O’Donohue and Finbarr Buckley. An added bonus for Aaron Kelleher being in “the top 3 for best male lifter” for the day. He missed out by 1 point to get the gold. Praise was also heaped on our students for their willingness to help and were thanked at the end by the host gym for all they did. Well done to all who participated for CIT and to main organisers Ross O Connor and Rachel O’Mahony.

Highest achievement to date: winning three All-Ireland Camogie Finals in 2018-Minor, Intermediate and Senior. As well as receiving “Player of the Match” in the Minor and Intermediate games Your experience of sport in CIT: Has been totally positive since arriving in the college in September, I found it extremely easy to join sport in CIT and have been hugely welcomed by the team and management alike. I like that’s it’s not all about winning and you can just enjoy the game no matter what skill level you have. This “Fun Factor” has really helped me gain some confidence as a player Why did you agree to become a CIT 20 x 20 Student Champion: because I want to encourage other female first years like me to join sports and get more active when they come to college. To help them settle in and broaden their circles, make new friends and gain new skills. Many girls my age leave their chosen sport due to the pressures of the leaving cert and I’d live to see them take back up where they left off when they come to college Words of advice: My advice for any girl thinking of joining a club in CIT would be to sign up as soon as possible and commit to it, you won’t regret it. It’s a great way to make friends in what could be a strange experience of coming to college. What do you have to lose to get out of your comfort zone, start something new like the brand new AFL team where everyone is a beginner

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LIVE CIT, LOVE SOCIETIES For full list of societies go to www.societies.cit.ie

ENGINEERING & HUMANITIES BALL IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 12TH. HAVE YOU GOT YOUR BALL NIGHT PLANNED?

T

he style and entertainment was fabulous at the Engineering & Humanities ball last year and this year promises to be just as good. The organising Ball committee, with experience from being involved last year, are Structural Engineering students Tom Power and Conor Moynihan. They have been joined by 2nd year Structural engineering student, Kate Brady, and 4th year Mechanical engineering students, Melvin Sunny and Dan Sweetnam. The committee have been busy planning this years theme and are excited about launching their social media and poster campaign over the coming weeks on campus. They are encouraging final year students to think about organising their classes to attend the full Meal event, to mark their time in CIT in style. The ₏25 ticket is unbelievable value for the 3-course meal, entertainment and free transport from CIT to the hotel. Tickets are likely to go on sale March 2nd on campus. Last year’s event sold to capacity after four days of ticket sales so we encourage students who wish to attend to purchase a ticket early.

The event is open to all CIT students and their guests to attend but it specifically targets students in the School of Building & Civil Engineering, School of Mechanical, Electrical & Process Engineering, School of Humanities and students studying on the NMCI campus.

Tom Power and Conor Moynihan with guests at The Greatest Ball Engineering & Humanities Ball 2019.

CIT STUDENTS & STAFF 2020

5k FUN

WALK

& RUN

FREE

Entr y, T-shirt & Medals

Thurs, 12th March at 1pm, CIT Track

REGISTER ON THE DAY OR FILL OUT THE FORM AVAILABLE ON CIT SPORTS FACEBOOK

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VOLUNTEER ABROAD Mexico

By Dami Fagbamila, Social Care

S

pending the summer of 2019 in Oaxaca (pronounced WAHA-KAH), Mexico was most definitely an experience of a lifetime, one that I didn’t realise I needed. I honestly feel so blessed and so grateful for this opportunity and for CIT Volunteer Abroad for helping me get there. My eight weeks in Oaxaca consisted of two weeks in fully immersive Spanish classes and the other six weeks teaching English to children in a local community just outside of Oaxaca city. These eight weeks left me feeling even more passionate about culture and definitely added a new burst of colour to my life. Time in Mexico can only be described as rich, and while not everybody was rich in terms of physical wealth, they certainly did not fall short when it came to culture. The vibrancy of their culture was displayed on every corner through the striking street art, in every dish prepared, through the mouth-watering aromas that danced out the doors and into your nose and every note played that filled the air and graced your ears. Oaxaqueñas were not only proud of their heritage but were always so willing to share it with you and help you experience the beauty of it.

I remember waking up every morning for the first two weeks in genuine disbelief that I was in Mexico. I would wake up and actually say to myself ‘Dami, you’re in Mexico’ then I would go on to ask myself ‘how did you end up here?’. Strangely enough, it wasn’t the heat or the unfamiliar surroundings that was hard to digest but the mere fact that I was in Mexico and that I would be for two months, completely unaware of the great adventure before me. That and constantly being eaten by mosquitos.

These first two weeks of Spanish school really trained and prepared my ears for the weeks to come. It acted as a great foundation and like a key to unlocking another level because it enabled you to have conversations with native speakers and build a connection with them. Any attempt made to communicate with them was always well received and they were always eager to help you learn and improve. The basic Spanish I did have was incredibly useful to have during the six weeks of teaching English as I was able to communicate and understand the children, even if it was in broken Spanish. They got a good laugh from it and so did I. The two things that I found trumped language barrier were laughter and baby shark.

The first week was just an introduction week and after that I had various groups from the ages of 8-15. I had the privilege to volunteer with a local organisation called Casa de la Cultura “Herberto Castillo”, who hold various workshops throughout

the year such as music, orchestra, dance, art and guitar. The purpose of this organisation is to help children, young people and even adults reach their potential and channel their energy and abilities through the arts. And so, I taught English as a part of their summer school programme, which was open to primary and secondary school children from different socio-economic backgrounds. I would typically have two groups a day, whom I grew super fond of the first being eight to ten year olds who were always full of energy and excited to learn new words, phrases and sing songs. The second group were from eleven to thirteen and I quickly came to learn that they preferred to play games over singing. But that was one of the beauties this volunteering experience, because English was not taught in primary schools and it was only an option in secondary schools, there was no lesson plan to follow. While initially it was a challenge, I grew to appreciate the freedom I had to tailor and teach the classes as I saw fit.

As well as volunteering, I got to meet some amazing people along the way who had such beautiful life stories and experiences. From my wonderful host families who were incredibly hard working people, who took me in as their daughter, brought me to every family gathering, and were so generous, to the lifelong friends I made along the way with whom I got share these precious moments with. All of this combined made for an unforgettable summer, filled with memories that I will forever carry with me.

Mexico has most certainly won my heart over and will always hold a special place in it which made it so hard to leave but also gives me reason to go back one day. To anyone thinking of going abroad, I cannot recommend it enough, and to have a programme like CIT Volunteer Abroad who are willing to support you and help you get there, gives you no excuse not to go for it.

CONTACT THE SOCIETIES OFFICE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING

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SUDUKO WIN €50!

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Sponsored by: AnSEO - CIT Student Engagement Office and CIT Department of Mathematics as part of Maths Positive.

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Name:

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Class:

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Mobile Tel:

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FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN €50...

Deliver completed entries to the SU shop, 1st Floor, The Student Centre.

Easy QCITuizSTUDENTS & STAFF WIN €30!

Last issue’s winner: Louise Marnane, DBE3

All answers can be found in this issue! ... submit your entry to us at the CIT SU shop for your chance to WIN the prize!

1st Floor, Student Centre.

Safety Week 2020 is coming up on what date? p7

You can be 2020 a hero...

Give Blood!

5k FUN

WALK Where on campus can you give blood from 10th to 11th Feb? p3

& RUN

? ?? ?? ?

What date are nominations open until for the upcoming CIT SU elections? p11

Name any of this years chosen RAG Week Charities? p5

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Mobile Tel:

Which students’ Union amenity is currently being refurbished? p5

FREE

Entry, T-shirt & Medals

Thurs, 12th March at 1pm, CIT Track

Name: Class:

What date is this year’s CIT Fun Run? p16

Name any of the latest CIT student award winners, p13

Where did Volunteer Abroad storyteller, Dami, travel to? p17

WIN €30!

Deliver completed entries to the SU shop, 1st Floor, The Student Centre.

Last issue’s winner: Zach Harrington, DSE4

REGISTER ON THE DAY OR FILL OUT THE FORM AVAILABLE ON CIT SPORTS FACEBOOK

Student

DELIVERING TIL 4AM

SPECIAL 14” LARGE CHEESE PIZZA + 3 TOPPINGS

€10

T&C: *UP to 3 toppings. please mention offer when ordering. only valid with student id. not vaild with any other offer. valid for a limited time only and at participating stores.

WIN €30!

SAFETY WEEK WORDSEARCH Sponsored by http://societies.cit.ie

Wordsearch Prize: €30 Deliver completed entries to the SU shop, 1st Floor, The Student Centre.

Last issue’s Crossword winner: Francesco Murray, BIBLA

Name: Class:

Mob:

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STUDENT DEALS

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