As part of one of Trinity’s longest-standing traditions, Provost Patrick Prendergast announced the election of 55 scholars, 10 Fellows, four Professorial Fellows and one Honorary Fellow on the steps of the Public Theatre as part of Trinity Week.
The honorary fellowship was awarded to Prof Roy F Foster. Foster, a well-known critic and broadcaster, is a Trinity graduate who became the first Carroll Professor of Irish History at Oxford and a Fellow of Hertford College. Foster currently holds a part-time position as Professor of Irish History and Literature at Queen Mary University of London.
Trinity refers to election to scholarship as “the most prestigious undergraduate award in the country”.
Wth 55 scholars elected, recent trends that have seen a decline in the number of scholars elected every year has been reversed somewhat. Fifty scholars were elected in 2016 compared to 99 in 2014.
To be eligible for scholarship in most cases, a second-year undergraduate student must achieve an overall mark of 70 per cent or higher in a set of optional “searching” examinations held in January, with the majority of their papers also receiving a mark of 70 per cent or higher. The student must receive a mark of 65 per cent or higher in the remaining papers.
Aside from the work required over Christmas, the scholarship examinations are perhaps best known for the perks that students receive for being successful in the examinations, including being eligible for accommodation on campus or in Trinity Hall free of charge, to have their tuition fee paid for and to attend Commons for free.
Fellowship is awarded to those who can prove “scholarship or research achievement of a high order” coupled with “evidence of the candidate’s contribution to the academic life of the College”, including effective teaching.
Those announced today were Prof Raj Chari of the Department of Political Science; Prof Imelda Coyne, Professsor of Children’s Nursing; Dr Daniel Geary of the Department of History; Dr Naomi Harte of the School of Engineering and Dr Laure Marignol of the School of Medicine.
Also announced as Fellows were Dr Bernice Murphy of the School of English, Dr Redmond O’Connell of the School of Psychology,
Dr Alan O’Connor of the Department of Civil Engineering, Prof Stefan Sint of the School of Mathematics and Dr Martin Sokol of the Department of Geography.
In addition, Prof Ursula Fearon of the School of Medicine, Prof Brendan Kelly of the School of Medicine, Prof Michael Morris of CRANN and Prof Valeria Nicolosi of the School of Physics were elected to Professorial Fellowship.
Scholarship and Fellowship have been some of the most enduring aspects of Trinity life. When Trinity was founded in 1592, the Foundation Charter cited the Body Corporate as consisting of the Provost, the Fellows and the Scholars.
Today, Trinity Monday, marks the first day of Trinity Week – the first day of Trinity Term. The week offers a range of events open to the College community and to the public. This year’s events are based on the theme of “Health in Our Changing World”, organised by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
A full list of those announced today is available here.
