Patrick Devine Bursary

Jack McCarthy, from Princeton, New Jersey, set up the Patrick Devine Bursary to commemorate the life of his great grandfather, Patrick Devine.

One Patrick Devine Bursary was available for one student on the Masters Degree programme in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s University Belfast in the 2025-26 cohort and included a monetary award of £11,000 as well as office space at the Mitchell Institute for the student for the duration of their studies. One Bursary was awarded to one student in the 2024-25 cohort and included a monetary award of £8,000 as well as office space at the Mitchell Institute for the student for the duration of their studies.

Commenting on the background to the Bursary, Jack said:

“Some people walk down Nassau Street in Princeton, New Jersey and think about its history going back to revolutionary times. But when I pass Charlton and Nassau Streets, I always remember my great grandfather Patrick Devine. Born in the small village of Beragh in County Tyrone, he emigrated, penniless, to the United States in the 1870s. He joined his sister and her husband in Princeton.

Through his family’s hard work and willingness to take risks, the Devine clan acquired three properties in the center of town. Patrick operated the family’s grocery store on the corner of Nassau and Charlton until his death in 1925. The other two properties are still owned by his great-grandchildren - over 140 years in the same family.”

 

Applications for the 2025-26 Patrick Devine Bursary are now closed.

Bursary Recipients

Chantelle Annan is the recipient of the 2025-26 Patrick Devine Bursary. Her academic background lies in political science, governance, and civic engagement, reflecting her commitment to inclusive development and transformative justice. Her research explores the intersection of conflict and migration, focusing on how refugee and asylum-seeking experiences are shaped by human rights discourses, immigration policies, and notions of belonging. She is particularly interested in how displacement and resettlement processes reproduce or resist social injustice, and how migrant narratives can inform more humane and inclusive policymaking.

Commenting on the Bursary, Chantelle Annan said:

“I want to sincerely thank the generous donor for this remarkable initiative and for their thoughtful commitment to the wellbeing of students here at Queen’s and the Mitchell Institute.

Receiving this bursary has lightened my academic and financial journey and has inspired me to dream bigger than I ever imagined. I applied with only a leap of faith, and being selected reminded me that no matter where you are from, believing in yourself can open incredible doors.

This award has encouraged me to trust more deeply in my abilities and to aim higher and together with the warm welcome from the staff and faculty at the Mitchell Institute, this support has helped me settle in comfortably, with confidence, and give off my very best, both academically and socially.”

Siddhi Salunke was the recipient of the 2024-25 Patrick Devine Bursary. Her MA dissertation explored the ways in which global health organisations become political actors in conflict and engage in methods of conflict transformation and transitional justice. Siddhi is originally from California. Siddhi has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Global Health and a Masters Degree in Global Health from the University of California, San Diego. Her research interests include healthcare systems in conflict zones, medical neutrality, militarism, and digital protest/resistance.