30% Club Partnership

30% Club MBA Scholarship For Female Leaders

The J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics at NUI Galway, in collaboration with the 30% Club, is delighted to offer a scholarship for its MBA programme. Globally, the 30% Club is establishing partnerships with a number of business schools to rectify the under-representation of women pursuing post-graduate management education by offering scholarships for women.

The aim of this scholarship is to rectify the under-representation of women pursuing post-graduate management education by offering scholarships aimed at women.
The J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics is looking to identify and support a high calibre candidate who is best placed to match the 30% Club agenda (https://30percentclub.org). Outline career achievements to date, how this scholarship will help you achieve success and why you believe you are a good candidate for this scholarship.

Meet Sandra Divilly - 30% Club Scholarship Recipient 2017 and NUI Galway EMBA participant

2021 - 30% Club Scholarship Recipient

This year Evelyn Smyth - Allied Health Executive at Galway Clinic joined our prestigious list of scholars in receipt of the 30% Club Scholarship. Evelyn is pictured here with our winners from 2020 Sharon Fahy and Sharon Walsh.

2020 - 30% Club Scholarship Recipients

30 percent club winners 2020

The 30% Club is delighted to announce we had two winners of this MBA Scholarship for female applicants Sharon Fahy, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Medtronic and Sharon Walsh, Vice President, Technology Management at Fidelity Investments were the deserving winners of this highly sought after scholarship. Read more

2019 - 30% Club Scholarship Recipients

2019 MBA 30 percent club winners

In 2019 the 30% Club Scholarship was shared between two equally deserving candidates, Sarah-Jayne MacLaverty, Director - Strategy and Operations Consulting at Deloitte and Rosemary Casey, Director at Casey Commercial pictured here with 30% Club advocates Prof. Anne Scott and Prof. Breda Sweeney, NUI Galway.

Professor Anne Scott, Vice President for Equality and Diversity at NUI Galway said: “We see this scholarship as important in encouraging and equipping talented, experienced women to set their sights on senior leadership roles, to inform and shape the direction of Irish businesses – for the benefit of business and society.”

2018 - 30% Club Scholarship Recipients

30% Club 2018 winners

Following the success of the inaugural 30% Club Scholarship in 2017 for the MBA programme at NUI Galway, the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway were delighted to announce that the Scholarship was dually awarded to Siobhain Quaid, Senior Manager at Viatris and Emma Corcoran, Global Senior Operations Manager - NPI at Creganna Medical, TE Connectivity. Siobhan and Emma are pictured above with Prof. Breda Sweeney, J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics. Click here to learn more.

2017 - 30% Club Scholarship Recipients

Galway businesswoman Sandra Divilly (hatshop.ie) fought off tough competition to win the inaugural 30% Club Scholarship for the NUI Galway MBA programme. Click here to learn more.

Testimonials from MBA Scholars

Edel Kelly | Senior Manager of Development at Genesys

As someone who feels passionately about the importance of gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace I was delighted to be awarded the 30% Club scholarship. The J.E. Cairnes school of Business & Economics Executive MBA is helping me develop a broad range of skills in areas including finance, economics and leadership that will help me progress in my career. I have enjoyed the opportunity to learn from experienced faculty and guest speakers. It has started to change my way of thinking and how I approach problems. The MBA has introduced me to many like-minded people from a diverse range of backgrounds. Working and collaborating with them on this MBA programme has helped me broaden my understanding of business. The experience so far has been both challenging and rewarding. I am very grateful to the 30% club, University of Galway and Genesys for their support and this great opportunity.

Katie Devin | Product Manager at TE Connectivity

Being awarded with the 30% Club Executive MBA scholarship was an honour. I’m passionate about gender diversity, particularly in leadership and STEM. This scholarship demonstrates how critical it is for companies today to have a diverse leadership to ensure all perspectives are considered and are reflective of their customer profile. My background is in engineering but after achieving my engineering degree and working as an engineer, I realised I was more interested in the impact that engineering actions had on the business metrics. Working in a role that required more business knowledge than engineering, studying an MBA has provided me with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of today's business world and more confidence in my leadership abilities. I’m very thankful to the support of the 30% Club and TE Connectivity so I can continue to develop my skills further

Sharon_ Walsh | Vice President, Technology Management - Fidelity Investments

Diversity in leadership is good for business, organizations that are led by inclusive and diverse leadership teams make effective decisions that deliver better results. Working for a company that is committed to increasing the diversity within our company at all levels, obtaining an MBA with close to fifty percent gender representation on the program, and receiving support from the 30% Club represents the positive collective change needed for inclusion and diversity in business. I have been fortunate to have a very successful career in Fintech spanning two continents. To now study alongside like-minded, multi-cultural, established professionals with a diverse set of expertise across many sectors is an opportunity for a transformational experience. I am very appreciative to the 30% Club, NUI Galway, and Fidelity for their collective support

Sharon Fahy | Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at Medtronic

As a leader in a global MedTech company inclusion of diverse perspectives is central to the success of my role. Completing an Executive MBA with the J.E. Cairnes School of Business & Economics, NUI Galway, has introduced me to a diverse network with a wealth of experience from a wide range of professional backgrounds. I am humbled and honoured to be a recipient of the 30% Club scholarship. The need for a diverse workforce, where inclusive practices and flexible work arrangements allow females to lean-in, continues to be of critical importance, and the 30% Club provides a great platform for raising this awareness

Sarah-Jayne MacLaverty | Director - Strategy and Operations Consulting at Deloitte

Gender Diversity is something that is very close to my heart, as the founder of the gender diversity initiative in my organisation and an active member of the30% club. Having now met and worked closely with the other recipient of the 30% Club scholarship - the talented and successful business leader Rosemary Casey, I am even more humbled to have been offered this award. I would strongly encourage women to consider the Executive MBA at NUI, Galway to apply for the 30% Club scholarship. Having been chosen as a scholar made the decision for me back in the summer of 2019, that pursuing an MBA was something I should go after.

Rosemary Casey | Director at Casey Commercial

The J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics support for this initiative, to increase gender diversity at board and C-suite level in organisations, influenced my decision on where to apply for post graduate learning after almost 25 years in industry. Having had the privilege of collaborating with and learning from my fellow students, I fully recognise the high calibre of applicants for this scholarship and feel truly honoured. Having become a Fellow and Arbitrator in my chosen profession as a Chartered Surveyor, the Executive MBA has provided an opportunity for challenging and highly rewarding academic and peer learning. I would encourage other women considering the Executive MBA to apply for the 30% Club scholarship as it does support the investment required to achieve greater diversity at senior levels.

Siobhain Quaid | SENIOR MANAGER VIATRIS

I am hugely thankful of the 30% Club and NUI Galway for selection as recipient of the scholarship. The partnership in this initiative is testament to recognising and understanding the growing importance of diversity and inclusion in the development of successful leadership for organisations. I have thus far enjoyed a fulfilling and challenging leadership journey within the Pharmaceutical Industry and value the opportunity to study the Executive MBA at NUI Galway to continue to learn and grow as an influential leader and role model for many others.

Emma Corcoran | Director Of Technical Operations at Neurent Medical

In an evolving world where inclusion and diversity are the key to successful businesses the 30% Club is a fantastic initiative to promote balance at a leadership level in organisations. I am very excited to begin my MBA journey in NUI Galway. I chose the Executive MBA at NUI Galway due to their holistic business learning coupled with a focus on team dynamics and networking which enable peer and academic learning. To date I have enjoyed a challenging and rewarding career in the Medical Device Manufacturing Industry as an Engineer and an Operation Manger. I feel the executive MBA will be the spring board of my career in pursuing a leadership role along with enabling further networking between Creganna/TE Medical and NUI Galway. I am very grateful to NUI Galway and the 30% Club for providing me with this exciting opportunity to undertake the MBA.

Sandra Divilly | Entrepreneur | Business Mentor | EMPOWER Programme Manager

The 30% Club is an inspiring initiative to address global gender imbalance issues in organisations. I commend NUI Galway for joining the list of successful universities, across the world, that support and drive the 30% Club goals. Having graduated from NUI Galway in 1996 with a degree in Industrial Engineering and Information Systems, I have since enjoyed a varied and challenging career in private industry and as a self-employed businesswoman. I am very grateful to NUI Galway and the 30% Club for providing me with this exciting opportunity to undertake the Executive MBA.”