Michelle McCarthy nominated for Lecturer of the Year

SERC lecturer Michelle McCarthy from the School of Hospitality, Management, Tourism and Languages has been shortlisted for the Institute of Hospitality Awards for Professionalism (IOH) Lecturer of the Year award.

The awards recognise talented individuals who have made contributions above and beyond to their business and the industry over the past year. The awards are organised by the IOH, the professional membership body for individual managers and aspiring managers who work and study in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors. The charity partner for this year’s awards is Leukaemia and Lymphoma NI.  

This is the first time Michelle has been nominated for the award.

For over 10 years, Michelle has worked at SERC and has set an excellent example to her students throughout the years. Thanks to her commitment to teaching as well as fundraising efforts for numerous charities and causes, colleague Cathy Finnie nominated Michelle for the award.

Cathy said “Michelle puts an incredible amount of effort into everything she does especially in the setting up of the Geraldine Boden Student Enterprise Fund. In total she has raised nearly £17,000. This money raised was divided between a range of great causes including the Geraldine Boden fund and mental health and cancer charities which she is very passionate about.”

As part of her nomination, Michelle had to attend a formal interview and give a short presentation.  For her presentation, Michelle explained using three coffee cups how through the student’s life, their knowledge, like the first cup is small, with her input and help and employer support by the time they leave their cups should be overflowing. Michelle also explained how the cups can be refreshed at any stage of their career e.g. lifelong learning.

Michelle explained that for her the first small cup represented The Geraldine Boden Student Enterprise Cup. Which she described how the cup was small, powerful and just for a certain number of people. A very dear cup to her and to the memory of Geraldine.  

The second Cup represented her continuous development in SERC. This cup needs continually topped up and refreshed.

Finally, the third cup represented Michelle’s Level 3 food and beverage class. Michelle explained that when she started there weren't any front of house qualifications in Downpatrick and how these have developed over the years.

SERC Head of School for Hospitality, Tourism and Events James Currie said: “Excellent tutors have a profound and positive effect on their students’ learning; widening their students’ knowledge and skills base, increasing their self-confidence and raising their aspirations. Michelle is no doubt a fantastic tutor and an invaluable asset to SERC. I wish Michelle the very best of luck in the competition.”   Michelle said, “I am delighted I got shortlisted in Geraldine's memory, as she was a very dear colleague to us all in SERC.”

There are 6 finalists for Lecturer of the Year. The winner will be announced on the night at the IOH Gala Ball which takes place of 11 May at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast.  

From everyone at SERC we wish Michelle the very best of luck.