Director of the College Health Service Dr David McGrath and Director of Student Services Brenda Walls have both been awarded honorary membership of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) “in recognition of their service to students and to the mission of the Union”.
A motion passed at TCDSU council this evening – proposed by TCDSU President Eoin Hand and seconded by TCDSU Welfare and Equality Officer Leah Keogh – granted honorary membership to the two College staff.
Speaking in favour of the motion, Hand said: “I would be delighted if council could vote in favour of this motion to recognise the immense work that was done in this year in supporting students in relaying and remedying issues, concerns, in vaccinations, in student breakouts, in everything and anything orientated around the positive student experience.”
By passing the motion, Council noted “the incredible work of Dr David McGrath, Director of College Health, in supporting the most vulnerable students in our community, and for their endless dedication in ensuring College remained a safe environment for staff and students”.
Council also noted: “The dedication of Ms. Breda Walls, Director of Student Services, in their continued work and support in ensuring campus remained a safe environment for students, both before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Addressing Council after the motion was passed, McGrath said: “I’m just extremely fortunate to work with a team of marvellous people at College Health. They’re just so professional in everything they do and they put the student at the centre of everything.”
“The reason that I’ve been able to perform this outward role this year is that the people who have been working at College Health have never stopped. The Health Centre never closed for one day since the pandemic started and the team have been going to extremes I could never have hoped to ask them to or expected that they would do.”
The primary aim of the Health Service throughout the pandemic, McGrath added, was to “keep you as safe as we possibly can”.
“They have just been incredible. This is an opportunity for me to say thanks to them for all they do for all of you.”
Also addressing Council, Walls said: “I too am honoured, I am absolutely honoured to be recognised by the students and I accept on behalf of all of the people across the university that worked tirelessly to help make your student journey a little bit better.”
“It’s been hard this year, it’s been hard to make it better. Anything we can do we do so very willingly and happily.”
College started its on-campus vaccination programme today, beginning with students and staff with medical conditions that put them at a very high risk of severe illness or death.
The vaccines arrived on campus today, with another set of Pfizer vaccines set to arrive on May 10th for the remaining very-high risk staff and students, as well as those with high-risk medical conditions.
There are 56 staff and students with very high-risk medical conditions – who are in group 4a of the vaccine rollout plan – and approximately 500 in the high risk category, called group seven.
The two groups include patients with certain levels of diabetes, obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, severe mental health illnesses, chronic respiratory diseases, COPD, chronic heart and vascular diseases, immunocompromised patients and patients with cancers or chronic kidney, liver or neurological diseases.
