News
Graduate and Student of the Year named
The Vice-Chancellor presents Ramona Nicholas with her First Trust Bank Queen’s Graduate of the Year award
Entrepreneur, philanthropist and Irish television ‘dragon’, Ramona Nicholas has been named First Trust Bank Queen’s Graduate of the Year with undergraduate medical student Aidan Bannon the recipient of the Student of the Year Award.
The winners received their awards, which are presented by Queen’s Graduates’ Association (QGA) and supported by First Trust Bank, during Graduation Week.
Now in their 15th year, the awards recognise exceptional graduates and students for excellence, achievement or service either to the University or to the wider community.
Ramona Nicholas grew up in Ardboe, Co Tyrone and attended St Patrick's Girls Academy Grammar School in Dungannon before coming to Queen’s to study Pharmacy. Along with her now husband, Canice, she set up Cara Pharmacy in September 2002. The award-winning group now owns 15 businesses - 12 pharmacies and Cara Home Stores, its household division. A strong advocate of female entrepreneurship and science, Ramona became the sixth ‘dragon’ on RTÉ’s Dragon’s Den programme.
Aidan Bannon received the Student of the Year Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to University life. Aidan, who has just finished his third year at Queen’s, was singled out for founding the Queen’s University Red Cross Society, for his leadership in the Student Volunteer Academy and for spearheading the Mind Yer Mate Campaign. Last month he was also named Student Volunteer of the Year at the Students’ Union Volunteering Excellency Awards and has just been named Student of the Year at the NUS Awards 2013.
