College of Business

Donal O’Criodain
UCD Smurfit School of Business

The Cormac Costelloe Dell Financial Services Scholarship 2022

Before I came to UCD, I...

I grew up in and went through school in Clare before doing an undergraduate degree in economics at UCD. I am dedicated follower of hurling and rugby, and a passionate member of Toastmasters International. I look to understand the world around me. I love engaging and exchanging with people from all over the world, and I have spend time living in other countries and studied multiple languages.

My UCD experience has been...

My time at Smurfit can only be described as rewarding. It was very challenging; the workload is intense, deadlines are many and often competing, and students are responsible for managing their own learning and progress. However, through that environment, students learn to take initiative, to lead, to cooperate with their peers, and foster time-management, communication, and problem-solving skills central to professional life. Doing so in a class of such diversity - so many academic backgrounds, nationalities, and personalities - adds both to the challenge but to the learning experience.

And, of course, the MSc. Finance programme develops analytical skills and an understanding of Finance that are a great and flexible foundation for a rewarding career. 

UCD Smurfit has a Toastmasters club which meets once per week. Like MSc. Finance, it is a very diverse environment but has students from all different majors. It is a great forum for the exchange of experiences, ideas, and opinions. I became an officer in club which brought deeper engagement and has helped to improve communication and leadership skills, all while having a good time.

At UCD, I learned to...

The biggest thing I have learned about in UCD is teamwork: cooperation and communication. Occasionally frustrating and always challenging, group project work at university has been a great way to develop skills necessary in work and in life - the skills that can only be learned through experience. It has taught me too be patient, to simply cooperate, to build trust, to lead, to deal with conflict. The quantitative nature of finance was a big attraction. I wanted to challenge and develop numerical and quantitative skills. Dealing with large datasets and having to comprehend the scale and meaning of numbers is a big learning from this programme. I have also acquired an enthusiasm for programming languages

The highlight of my time at UCD has been...

The time I will most fondly remember was studying and discussing course content with classmates. We routinely debated - occasionally outright arguing - the material from class and our approach in group projects. These conversations were a great exercise in people skills but also both reinforced and challenged our understanding of the material. We were all of different undergraduate majors: accounting, engineering, economics, etc., and so we view problems in different ways. It highlights to me the value of exchanging with people of different backgrounds.

Another highlight of my year was organising a game of touch rugby among twelve Smurfit students including five nationalities and five different majors. It was a good fun and a reflection of the environment in Smurfit: international and keen to learn and exchange. 

As a result of my scholarship, I have been/will be able to...

The big thing that the scholarship facilitated was my going to China. For a few years, I have been learning Chinese but had never been able to visit the country. In the summer, shortly after classes finished, I was able to spend one month in Beijing, immersing myself in the language and its people. I attended four hours of classes each day and stayed with a local Beijing family. When learning about a country or its language, there is no substitute for time spent there. This was a unique opportunity to build on my prior learning, to develop a spoken fluency, and to deal with a new and challenging environment where I knew nobody. I had to make new connections, and learn to survive a totally new country, and do so through speaking only Chinese. Though China was the main event, the scholarship facilitated other development. I took part in language classes through the year in Chinese and in German, took courses in programming languages, and subscribed to a couple of newspapers that I would otherwise not have done. 

A less tangible but no less significant impact was the motivation that the award gave me. It is a significant endorsement and show of confidence. The early days of the master were quite difficult. In those moments, I had greater belief and motivation to persevere. I cannot overstate the impact that had in my getting through the year as I did. 

My postgraduate and occupational plans include...

The primary goal of studying at Smurfit was to develop a flexible and adaptable skillset. I am not sure where my career will take me but I want to have options about what I do and where I do it. I am currently working for the new aviation team at a German bank in Luxembourg. So far, so good!

Have you any message you would like to pass on to the person/ people who supported your scholarship?

Quite simply: thank you. Firstly, the scholarship money enables further self-development and learning which is otherwise out of reach for a lot of students. Secondly, that people are willing to invest in the next generation is extremely encouraging. Recognising the progress and achievements of students is both gratifying and motivating. It will inspire students to push themselves to the next level. Your generosity and consideration are enhancing and accelerating student development. Thank you.