Applications will open next week for the Three Ireland Connect to STEM Scholarships at Trinity College Dublin, offering eligible students financial support worth up to €20,000, alongside mentoring and professional development opportunities.
Designed to help address the underrepresentation of women in STEM, the programme aims to encourage greater participation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The partnership was established in 2021, with the first scholarships awarded in the 2022/23 academic year. Since its introduction, the programme has supported more than 20 female Trinity students pursuing STEM degrees.
The financial support can provide greater flexibility in how scholarship recipients spend their time at university, reducing the need to balance study with paid work and enabling them to pursue opportunities that support their academic and career development.
Prof Sylvia Draper, Dean of the Faculty of STEM at Trinity College Dublin, said: “We need many more women studying, shaping and leading in STEM, and it is vital that we create pathways that support and empower them to do so. The Three Ireland Connect to STEM programme is an important part of that effort, providing talented students with the support, confidence and opportunities to develop their skills and ambitions throughout their time at Trinity.
“The enthusiasm and achievements of our scholars continue to inspire us, and we are very grateful to Three Ireland for their commitment to the programme and to advancing diversity in STEM. I would encourage eligible students to come along to the information evening, hear from our scholars and take the opportunity to apply.”
Nicola Mortimer, chief strategy & new product officer at Three Ireland, and Trinity STEM graduate and mentor, said: “As a major employer in the technology sector, we know how important it is to build a more diverse and representative STEM community. Through our partnership with Trinity, we want to help remove barriers, build confidence and give more women the opportunity to see where a career in STEM could take them.
“As a Trinity STEM graduate and now a mentor on the programme, I also know how valuable it can be to have someone to talk to as you begin thinking about your career. The combination of financial support and mentoring gives scholars greater freedom to pursue opportunities while also helping them build the confidence, connections and perspective to shape their own path.”
Charlotte Ledwidge, from Co. Kildare, a third-year Environmental Science & Engineering student at Trinity and Three Ireland Connect to STEM scholar said: “The scholarship has had a much bigger impact on me than I expected. Going to college meant giving up a lot of my working hours, so the financial support relieved some of that pressure and allowed me to focus on my studies and make the most of my time at Trinity.
“It also enabled me to take part in a month-long conservation research expedition in Croatia, where I gained hands-on experience directly relevant to my degree and future career, an opportunity I simply wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise. It has also been a huge confidence boost. Starting university can be overwhelming, but receiving the scholarship gave me a sense that I was meant to be here and the confidence to believe I can succeed in STEM.”
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