The University of Limerick has honoured four individuals who have provided leadership in key functions at the University of Limerick over a long period.  This year, 2012, marks the fortieth anniversary of the enrolment of the first students at the then National Institute for Higher Education, (NIHE) Limerick and celebrates 40 years of innovation at the University of Limerick.   Our picture shows the recipients front row from left Leo Colgan, UL’s Founding Registrar; John O’Connor, UL’s first finance officer and Director of Finance and Physical Development; Dr John McGinn, Director of UL’s flagship Cooperative Education Programme and Patrick Kelly, UL’s first librarian and Director of Library Services who all received Honorary Doctorates at the University today.  Also in the photograph are back row from left Peter Malone, UL Chancellor, Prof. Paul McCutcheon, Vice President Academic and Registrar and Prof. Don Barry, UL President.
 
Leo Colgan - Honorary Doctorate of Laws

Leo Colgan was appointed founding Registrar of NIHE and by the time of his retirement in 2002 had the distinction of being the longest-serving registrar in the history of the state’s seven universities. He helped put in place robust academic and administrative systems appropriate to the mission and ethos of the young institutionand played a crucial role in the campaign for University status for NIHE.  The culmination of 17 years of endeavour paid off when the University of Limerick – the first university to be established since the foundation of the Irish state – came into being in 1989. 
Leo’s 30-year career also included membership of the Higher Education Authority from 1982 to 1987, his role in establishing academic links between UL and Mary Immaculate College in the early nineties, his role in the development and implementation of the Freedom of Information Act across the Irish third-level sector, his membership of the Inter-University Quality Steering Committee from 1995 to 2002 and his membership of the University of Limerick Governing Authority.
 
Patrick J. Kelly - Honorary Doctorate of Letters
 
Pat Kelly was appointed director of Library Services at NIHE in 1972. He retired in 1998 as director of the Information Systems & Services Division, a title that reflects the innovation he brought to the service during the University of Limerick’s formative years.
Pat was responsible for the growth of the library from its original location in the basement of Plassey House to the current purpose-designed Glucksman Library & Information Services building. He secured a European Documentation Centre for Limerick in 1974 and built up a network of regional medical libraries in Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh. He worked closely with the Regional Development Organisation, the National Technological Park and Shannon Development to support regional development with an innovative commercial information service for local business. Under his directorship of information systems and services, the IT backbone of the institution was created. Throughout his career, Pat Kelly strove to develop the fundamental role of the library in the advancement of learning and the role of librarians and information professionals in collecting, safeguarding and making available the records of humankind.
 
John McGinn - Honorary Doctorate of Economic Science
 
One of the cornerstones of UL’s pioneering spirit and a defining characteristic of UL’s unique vision for higher education is its Cooperative Education programme.  Modelled on the US university system of integrating theory and practice by providing students with periods of off-campus employment, Cooperative Education ultimately became an integral part of NIHE’s undergraduate programmes. The concept was entirely new to higher education in Ireland in the early seventies and was greeted with much scepticism by the established universities.  Dr John McGinn was appointed director of the newly established Cooperative Education Division in 1979.
Under John’s direction the Cooperative Education programme grew from an initial base of 80 placements to in the region of 1,800 students being placed annually with a network of 1,700 employers, making it the programme the largest in Europe. With 30 per cent of all placements being international, UL’s is one of the largest international placement programmes worldwide. Despite their initial scepticism, some of the other Irish universities have seen the benefits of the UL work placement model and now include placements in their curricula, but only on specific programmes – UL remains the only Irish university to offer Cooperative Education to all undergraduate students.
Dr John McGinn and his colleagues in the Cooperative Education & Careers Division have played a significant role in developing UL’s excellent graduate employment record. Over the years, our graduates’ rate of employment tends to be consistently higher than the national average – 16 per cent higher in the most recent comparison. UL’s track record in this regard was recognised in 2011 when the University was awarded the maximum of five stars by the independent evaluation agency QS Stars™ for the ‘work-readiness’ of our graduates.
 
John O’Connor - Honorary Doctorate of Economic Science

From a single building on a 167-acre site in 1972 to 43 developments comprising 210,000 square metres of building space on 332 acres today, the physical and infrastructural expansion of UL campus achieved under the leadership of John O’Connor. John was hired in September 1972, was appointed finance officer in January 1973, becomingDirector of Finance and Physical Development in 1980 and leading a successful bid in 1983 to secure European Investment Bank funding for Phase 1B of the development plan, the first time the EIB had provided loan finance for university development in the EU.  John’s vision led the development of a range of communal, cultural and sporting facilities for students, staff and the wider community that are are nationally and internationally recognised as leaders in the sector.  Developments presided over by John O’Connor and funded in partnership with philanthropists include the University Concert Hall, the Glucksman Library, the Irish World Academy building, the Graduate Entry Medical School, the University Arena, student residences and two bridges over the River Shannon. 

John played a leading role at national level in negotiating with the Department of Health and Children for the provision and funding of nursing degree programmes across Irish universities and played a key role in UL’s bid in 2001 to deliver a range of clinical therapy programmes and subsequently in the establishment at UL in 2007 of the Graduate Entry Medical School. When Professor Roger Downer stepped down as president of UL in 2006, John O’Connor took on the role of president until the appointment of Professor Don Barry 2007. John leaves behind a legacy that will benefit generations of learners and researchers for many years to come.