SERC Excellence Awards 2022
SERC students, staff, friends, and family gathered across our Bangor, Downpatrick, and Lisburn campuses to celebrate the best of the College community at the South Eastern Regional College Excellence Awards 2022, which took place on 29 – 31 March. .
This was the first time the event has returned to college campuses in three years, and more than 200 certificates and awards were presented at special ceremonies in recognition of outstanding student and staff achievements.
On three separate evenings, guests were welcomed with a drinks reception and canapes, offering the opportunity to mingle and for photographs before the award presentations began.
Lisburn and Ballynahinch
Sponsored by Greenview
The celebration for SERC Lisburn and Ballynahinch students and staff took place on 29 March at Lisburn Campus. The ceremony began with a welcome from the Master of Ceremonies Alan McCrum, SERC Governor, followed by a talk from the guest speaker Dr Katrina Collins, Director - Collins Consultancy and current President of the Lisburn Chamber of Commerce.
This was followed by Richard Armstong, SERC Lisburn Campus Manager / Head of Schools Partnership, and Heather McKee, SERC Director of Strategic Planning, Quality and Support, announcing the nominees and overall winners of student and staff awards. Students and staff were photographed receiving their certificates and awards from Dr Collins.
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Bangor, Newtownards and Holywood
Sponsored by Greenview
Students and staff from Bangor, Newtownards and Holywood campuses gathered at Bangor campus for their celebrations on 30 March. The ceremony started with the Master of Ceremonies Karen Fraser, SERC Governor, welcoming the audience, followed by words from guest speaker Paul Reilley, UTV Broadcast Journalist and past SERC student.
Afterwards, Kieran McKenna, SERC Bangor Campus Manager/ Head of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship and Claire Henderson, SERC Chief Officer Quality Excellence and Development, announced the nominees and overall winners of the student and staff awards. Students and staff were photographed with Paul Reilly as they collected their awards.
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Downpatrick and Newcastle
Sponsored by Greenview
The Downpatrick campus ceremony, celebrating SERC Downpatrick and Newcastle campus students and staff, took place on 31 March. Master of Ceremonies John Mackell, SERC Governor, welcomed everyone and introduced the guest speaker, Naoise Davey, past SERC student and Solicitor in training, who spoke about his experience at the college and the grounding it gave him for further study and future employment.
Paul Walsh, SERC Downpatrick Campus Manager (Learning Support/ Pastoral Care), and Heather McKee announced the nominees and overall winners of student and staff awards categories. Students and staff had the opportunity to be photographed with Naoise Davey when receiving their awards. SERC Downpatrick campus also hosted a ceremony the previous week for Knockevin Special School students attending the College.
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Knockevin School
Students from Knockevin Special School were nominated in the Excellence in Project Work category for Downpatrick.
The class studies at SERC every Wednesday and the whole group was judged to have achieved excellence in all the criteria for the award:
- Team work
- Problem-solving
- Self-management
- work professionalism
The class was praised particularly for their commitment to learning during the Covid pandemic, when their activities (including cookery) moved online. SERC hosted a special celebration lunch for the Knockevin students and their guests
Watch On YouTubeSpecial Thanks
A special thanks is extended to SERC hospitality staff and students for the excellent food and drink provided to guests, as well as to the SERC music students who provided a wonderful musical ambience at the receptions. Thanks also to SERC student company Cutting Edge for the fantastic award engravings.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the sponsors of the events.
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Headline Sponsor - 'Eco Committee Member of the Year' - Bangor event |
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Headline Sponsor - 'Apprentice of the Year' - Downpatrick event |
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Headline Sponsor - 'Excellence in Project Work' - Lisburn event |
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'Trainee of the Year' and 'Entrepreneur of the Year' - Bangor and Newtownards event |
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'Entrepreneur of the Year' - Lisburn event |
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'Apprenticeship of the Year' - Bangor, Lisburn, and Newtownards events |