Some of our Alumni in the Spotlight - April 2016

Dominik Mjartan, MBA Business Administration 2003, Jordanstown

Dominik Mjartan has been named in the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s first-ever '40 Under 40'. The Chronicle is a 25-year-old independent US-based news organization covering the non-profit world. 

Dominik leads a community-finance non-profit that provides banking services, loans, and financial counselling based in southern Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest regions in the country.  He is taking steps to make sure the organization is reaching the people who most need assistance.

"We’ve seen a lot of community-level progress," says Mr Mjartan. "But then the question came, ‘Are we making sure that the right folks, those who really, truly lack economic opportunities, are also benefiting, that we’re not leaving them out?’ "

The disparities between the rich and poor were a shock to Mr Mjartan when he arrived in the Delta as a 16-year-old exchange student from the former Czechoslovakia. He later won a scholarship to attend Southern Arkansas University, completed his MBA at Ulster University  and worked for a tech start-up.

"I came to this country with a few dollars and have lived the American Dream," he says. "So I’m very interested in how to make that available and accessible to every child in America."

Source:  Chronicle of Philanthropy

Back to top

 

Tanya Beatty, BSc Hons Nursing 1985, Coleraine

Tanya Beatty's role as a Nurse Practitioner in a Sister Nurse-led Minor Injuries Unit in Co Down allows her to diagnose and treat patients with minor injuries, without the need for supervision by a physician. She has been in this role for 15 years and enjoys the work very much.

Tanya has very happy memories of her time as a student, she loved campus life and gained some very valuable life learning experience while there. Friends she made at that time are still lifelong buddies. 

"I first organised a ten-year reunion in 1995 which many graduates attended," says Tanya.

"Then last year, I decided another reunion was well and truly due! The reunion was held in October 2015, 30 years after we had graduated. Although only a small amount of people actually met up, others were very keen to hear about the reunion and how we all were keeping.  I do keep in touch with my fellow alumni and it is always lovely to hear from them. We all certainly recognised each other at the reunion and felt we hadn't changed too much!  

"We all chatted away as though we were back at University, time created no barrier for us. They are all a great bunch of girls whom I am very proud to call my friends. We will always keep in touch and will definitely have another reunion at some time, as I said we are life-long friends and that bond cannot be broken. I have very treasured memories from 1981 to 1985!"

Image:  Marie Campbell with Tanya Beatty (right)

Source: Graduate

Back to top

 

William Blair, PGD Cultural Management 1998, Jordanstown

A new exhibition exploring the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme in 1916 opened at the Ulster Museum recently.  Remembering 1916: Your Stories, features artefacts donated by the public, as well as loans from the National Museum of Ireland and the Imperial War Museum. Many of the objects on display have a direct link to prominent personalities from both conflicts.

William Blair, Head of History at National Museums Northern Ireland, said he hoped the display would give people here a greater understanding of the impact which the events of 1916 had on wider society. The exhibition will run until 2017 and will be accompanied by a series of talks and curator-led tours, workshops, film screenings and family activity events. Admission to the Ulster Museum is free. For further information on the exhibition visit www.nmni.com/um.

Full story can be found: Belfast Telegraph

Back to top

 

Nicholas Boyle, BSc Informatics 1989, Jordanstown

Europe’s largest floating solar farm is powering up.  Based on the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir near Heathrow airport, the solar panel array, which is the size of eight football pitches, has been built to supply energy to a Thames Water treatment plant fed by the reservoir.

Nick Boyle, CEO of Lightsource, the company which has built the array, said that although constructing the array on water added to the logistical challenge of the project there were benefits as well.  The solar panels work optimally at low temperatures, as does the wiring; the water acts to cool them, increasing their efficiency.  The solar array will not connect to the National Grid, but after testing is complete it will be attached to the private electrical grid at the water plant, where it is expected to provide 20% of the plant’s electricity needs. 

Full story can be found: The Telegraph

Back to top

 

John Browne, MSc International Business 2012, Magee and BSc Computing Science 2003, Jordanstown

Straight after graduation in 2003, John Browne left Northern Ireland and headed to Gibraltar to work in IT administration.  Very quickly, he was promoted to a Project Manager role.

In 2007, he moved back to Ireland and began work as a Project Manager and then Business Programme Manager for an insurance company. Following a short time with a major bank in Dublin, he moved to his current company, a PCI cyber-security company, which runs services for large banks, acquirers and ISO’s.

In 2012 he completed his MBA in International Business at Ulster University. He describes his graduation ceremony on the Magee campus as the proudest moment of his life.  Following graduation he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and shortly afterwards was promoted to General Manager of the Company's Salt Lake City office, with complete responsibility for the running of the location.

Last year he moved to Atlanta Georgia to become Senior Business Relationship Manager for all major clients in the US. The role is varied and exciting and brings new challenges every day.

John has continued and maintained professional qualifications along his career path such as ITIL, PRince2, Certified Manager (CM), which complemented his Ulster University qualifications.

John’s memories of his time at Ulster University are mostly centred around the great staff at the University, and how much help they were in making sure he got the most out of his course.  He says that Ulster University provided an important foundation which gave him many options, both in life and in career.  His advice to current students is to make the most of their time at Ulster University and look forward to the many and varied challenges to come!

With the 15 year anniversary since finishing the BSc in Computing Science course coming up shortly, John would like to link up with old classmates and try to arrange a reunion. Please contact the Development and Alumni Relations Office for more details!

Source: Graduate

Back to top

 

Michael Budden, BSc Hons Interactive Multimedia Design 2012, Jordanstown 

Friendship and business do not always go hand in hand, but for young online entrepreneurs Michael Budden and Johnny Clarke, their friendship is what makes growing their business even more exciting. The 26-year-olds from Belfast are co-founders of Locate a Locum Now - a pharmacy locum recruiting online business.

Johnny is a pharmacist and Michael is a graphic and website designer and together they work on their business in the evenings and over the weekend.

"We are essentially running an online platform that matchmakes locum pharmacists with pharmacies who need pharmacists for cover," said Michael, an Ulster University graduate.

"We supply pharmacies all over Northern Ireland but over the last six months we have expanded throughout England.”

The site has become so well established in such a short space of time, that now English pharmacies are using it to recruit temporary pharmacists from Northern Ireland to provide cover. Pharmacists can register free and the business takes commission on the daily charge per shift to the pharmacy provider.

Full story can be found:  Belfast Telegraph 

Back to top

 

Quentin Devine, BA Hons Visual Communication 1999, Belfast

Quentin Devine, from Plumbridge, used nearly 13,000 Pokémon trading cards to make a giant Pikachu mosaic which covers more than 750 square feet.  He has set a new world record by creating this giant mosaic.  It is around 33ft tall and 23ft wide and was unveiled at a packed event in Paris. It secures a new record for the largest single-piece  mosaic made from trading cards.

Quentin, who now lives outside London, was commissioned to create it as part of events marking the 20th anniversary of the popular Japanese children's franchise.

The 38-year-old spent three weeks creating the mosaic in a warehouse in Guildford, but had to make it on rolled-up canvas as the space was too small.

"I had a house full of boxes of Pokémon cards – it was insane.   At one stage it almost fell apart and I was sweating, but I got there in the end," he said.

The father-of-three had to work while two cameras from Guinness World Records recorded him to prove he made it. Mr Devine said he was amazed by the huge interest in Paris.

"You could see the fans. You see how crazy they are, tattoos up their arms, all their phones are Pokémon – everything is Pokémon," he said. "They're all really passionate about it."

Full story can be found:  Irish News

Back to top

 

Raymond Hutchinson, PGD Administrative and Legal Studies 1994, Jordanstown

Northern Ireland building giant Gilbert-Ash has completed work on two major projects in London worth a total of £44 million.

The Belfast-based firm, which employs 119 people, has finished work on the Fetal Medicine Research Institute, which also includes King's College Hospital.  On Savoy Place, also in the centre of London, Gilbert-Ash have also completed the headquarters of the Institution of Engineering & Technology.

Raymond Hutchinson, Managing Director of Gilbert-Ash and an Ulster alumnus said: "Both of these projects have been particularly exciting to work on, not least because of the clients involved but also because of the way they have brought together traditional features with a very modern sense of style. Our work has demonstrated how practices and technologies can be used to bring important historic buildings up to modern standards in a sustainable way." 

Full story can be found: Gilbert-Ash 

Back to top

 

Martin McGonigle, LLB Law with International Politics 2012, Magee

Energy lawyer, Martin McGonigle, an Ulster alumnus, said he was pleased to have achieved a deal on the purchase of a windfarm despite the uncertain marketing conditions facing the industry.

ERG Renew purchased Brockaghboy Wind Farm, outside Garvagh, Co Londonderry, from TCI Renewables. The development has permission for up to 19 turbines generating a potential 57mw of electricity, one of the largest in the region.

Martin said: “We are delighted to have completed this transaction with a structure that aligns the interests of TCI and ERG to optimise the value of the project throughout construction, but also provides both parties the protections necessary given the on-going regulatory uncertainty within the industry.”

He added: “As one of the world’s leading energy legal teams we believe this deal offers the market clear direction on how to mitigate legislative risk, but also maximise value from this excellent project in Northern Ireland".

TCI will remain involved with the development during its build phase and operation due to its experience of the Northern Ireland regulatory landscape.

Full story can be found: Irish Legal.com 

Back to top

 

Patrick Moffett, BA Hons Business Studies 1992, Jordanstown

Antrim-based printers, W&G Baird, have invested over £4 million in a highly specialised technology leading printing press, folding machines and binding line. The company, Ireland's largest and most successful commercial printing firm, prints a wide range of digital and lithographic products, everything from leaflets to coffee table books and folders to magazines.

The investment represents the latest technology in sheet fed printing and maintains the company’s position at the forefront of the industry in Ireland, in terms of both quality and environmental responsibility, with support from Bank of Ireland UK.

Ulster graduate, Patrick Moffett, Managing Director of W&G Baird said: "We are continually looking at ways to innovate, deliver growth and remain competitive. We already operate the largest print room on the island but the installation of this new press and binder will enhance our already considerable capacity and maintain the company’s position as an innovator in the industry."

Full story can be found: Belfast Live

Back to top

 

Anna Morris, BSc Hons Communication with Public Relations 2008,  Jordanstown

Work experience during the early stages of her career was crucial in helping Anna Morris gain inside knowledge of the world of public relations.

Give a brief outline of your career to date. I started out working for a local PR agency when I was a student and spent every day I wasn’t in class at the office gathering as much experience as possible. When I graduated, I was lucky enough to be offered a permanent role with the company. I spent several years at other PR companies and agencies, until in 2013 I established my own agency, Clearbox and it has been an explosive couple of years. We have grown from having nothing but a laptop and a phone to working with some of the world’s biggest brands such as Amazon.co.uk and Universal Pictures.

What was your favourite subject at school? My favourite subjects were maths and physics — both of which I continued to A-level.

Did you go on to further/higher education, if so what did you study and where? I studied advertising and marketing in London for a year before moving back to Belfast where I enrolled in the Communications degree at Ulster University. I had a fantastic course director who was extremely supportive and helped to open a lot of doors for me.

How did you get into your area of work? While studying, I was keen to build up my practical experience so I knocked on the door of a local agency who gave me a job doing press clippings and taking names at events.

Is this what you always wanted to do? I had an interest in news from a young age, but I wasn’t sold on being a journalist. The more I learned about this job, the more determined I became to forge a career in PR.

Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed? In public relations I would strongly recommend building up a good bank of experience and transferable skills.

What are the main personal skills your job requires? A career in PR requires good communication skills — both written and oral. The job involves a lot of interaction with clients, suppliers, colleagues, media and the public so it’s important to be able to communicate confidently and effectively.

What does a typical day entail? I know it’s a cliché, but every day is different in PR. The one constant is that we are always monitoring the news agenda and online conversations, so our team is fully aware of what is going on in the world and how this could potentially affect our clients. Each morning we’ll read the newspapers, listen to the news bulletins and monitor online media. We’ll be logged into twitter all day for ‘social listening’ so nothing noteworthy escapes us. Aside from that, our days completely differ from one to the next. One day we could be filming a corporate video in London and the next day we’ll be overseeing a publicity stunt in Dublin.

What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path? The most important advice I could give anyone who is considering a career in public relations would be to go out and get as much experience as possible. Don’t worry if it’s not necessarily related to your chosen discipline — everyone has to start somewhere and employers will respect your enthusiasm and commitment.

If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do? I would be doing something with horses — maybe working with an organisation such as the Irish Horse Welfare Trust or Crosskeenan Lane.

If you could go back, what is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day? Toughen up! The best careers advice I ever received was: Surround yourself with people who are smarter, faster and better than you.

Full story can be found: Belfast Telegraph

Back to top

 

Dr Jameela Al Sammak, MSc Advanced Nursing 1996, Jordanstown

Dr Jameela Al Sammack, who studied an MSc in Advanced Nursing at Jordanstown is now a Member of Parliament in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

She is a consultant in healthcare management, with many years’ experience in health management.  She was a nursing supervisor, the nursing manager, an administrative director in a hospital, and then a director of all periphery government hospitals.

She worked as Vice Dean of a nursing and allied health college, and  also established the oncology nursing system in the relevant department in Bahrain. She has conducted many workshops and lectures in Europe, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and many other countries.

Source: Graduate

Back to top

 

Wendy Ward, MFA Multidisciplinary Design 2015 and BA Hons Contemporary Applied Arts 2013, Belfast

Wendy graduated with an MFA in Multidisciplinary Design in 2015 and went on to secure a place on the Craft NI Making It programme, a business start-up programme for craft businesses. She is currently the designer in residence with Belleek Pottery Ltd where she is developing her porcelain lighting range. Over the past year she has gained retailers for the product, worked on private and corporate award commissions and will be exhibiting in London in July at her first international trade show.

Wendy was a recipient of the Broadening Horizons Travel Bursary in 2014, which allowed her to fund a trip to the International Ceramic Research Centre in Guldagergaard, Denmark, the only place in Europe offering a two day 3D printing workshop, an experience she described as ‘life changing’.  In Denmark, Wendy learnt to create and print ceramic designs using the Blender programme (digital design software) and, just as importantly, had the opportunity to network and share ideas with fifteen ceramic artists from Lithuania to the USA.  

Source: Graduate

Back to top