The graduation was an important milestone on Anna’s journey to fulfil her ambition of becoming a PE teacher. Having graduated from the Foundation Degree with distinction, she has now progressed to BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Sciences at Ulster University.
The former Dungannon Royal School pupil explained how her gap year came about:
“Dungannon Royal School has an annual exchange programme with Dilworth School, its sister school in Auckland, New Zealand. I was one of four pupils in my year from Dungannon Royal fortunate to get a scholarship to spend a year at Dilworth.”
At Dilworth, Anna acted as a classroom assistant and coached the school’s hockey teams.
Since returning home, she has maintained her interest in both playing and coaching hockey at Dungannon Ladies Hockey Club as well as fulfilling the role of swimming instructor.
She said the Foundation Degree was an ideal pathway for her:
“I really enjoyed the course and feel it was great preparation for going on to university. I’d have no hesitation whatsoever recommending it.”
Congratulating on her graduation, Damian McCarry, Course Director of the Foundation Degree said:
“Anna’s determination to achieve a career in PE teaching is clearly evident in the lengths she has gone to in the past three years to gain a variety of experiences in both teaching and sports coaching. Anna’s application to her studies, and willingness to make the most of every opportunity presented to her, while studying the Foundation Degree have proven to be invaluable in her quest for a career in teaching.”