Showcasing Careers Female Team Leaders on International Women's Day
We in Queen's Careers, Employability & Skills would like to highlight our female Team Leaders for International Women's Day, to showcase their skills and to celebrate the hard work they carry out across all areas within the Careers department, working collaboratively with all University stakeholders, to help our students to realise their full potential and become Future-Ready graduates.
Deirdre Lynskey
Hello, I am Deirdre Lynskey and I manage the Student Development team here in Careers, Employability & Skills.
We enable students to develop their skills and confidence to make informed career decisions. We do this by 1-1 consultations, delivering employability skills within degree programmes and a wide range of experiences and connections to develop future ready skills. I am inspired by the transformative effect our work has on students.
There's nothing better than hearing how our support has helped them achieve their ambitions. I have a BS (Hons) Drama and English. Embrace each experience as a chance to learn and grow. My female inspiration is Erika Rushton because of her authenticity, she was a mentor to me at the beginning of my career and since then we have kept in contact, I admire her generosity and humility whilst also always being true to herself and not afraid of being herself. Erika continues to champion equity and community.
Donna Beckington
Hi my name is Donna Beckington and I am head of the Global Opportunities Team.
The team supports a range of programmes that enable students to get international experience by studying or working abroad during their degree.
What I love about my role is seeing the difference that these international programmes make to our students. They return home with enhanced personal and employability skills. Many describe their experience as life-changing.
I studied French and Spanish during my time at University and the one piece of advice I would offer to students is to grab every opportunity and make the most of it!
My female inspiration is my mum, who was devoted to her family, instilled a strong work ethic and courageously battled illness before leaving us too soon.
Eimear Gallagher
Hi, my name is Eimear Gallagher and I am the Business Operations Manager, and I manage a team of six survey and systems specialists, based in Careers, Employability & Skills at One Elmwood.
Things I love about my role are that I get to work with some amazing colleagues and students at Queen’s. Another thing I love is that is getting early access to some of the new digital technologies, and planning ways to best use them.
I also get to hear directly from students and graduates from right across Queen’s on different aspects of their study. I also get to hear how they are getting on in their early professional life or further study, after they leave Queen’s. Sharing student and graduate perspectives with colleagues and working collaboratively with them to inform new strategies and developments, at Queen’s, is genuinely rewarding.
I studied in Biological Sciences at Queen’s and then completed an MSc in Biotechnology at the University of Galway. As a committed lifelong learner, I also completed two professional postgraduate diplomas (both while working). The first was in Education at Ulster University and the second was in Career Education, Information & Guidance at the University of Warwick.
The advice I would offer to students is make good decisions, like lots of things in life, involve getting the balance right between your head and heart. When you come to making a career, or other life decision that really matters to you, it is important to set aside some time to gather relevant facts and think it through properly.
I would recommend seeking out feedback from trusted, reliable people and sources who have experience relating to the decision that you are considering. Once you have made up your mind, draw a line under thinking it over, and shift your mental focus and efforts towards the actions that will drive it all forward and help it all come together in the best way possible for you!
In my early years I was inspired by two female scientists. They were Marie Curie for her discovery of two new elements and X-rays and, also Rosalind Franklin (Watson & Crick got most of the glory, but it was Rosalind Franklin who first discovered the double helix shape of DNA). I have not yet managed to top either of those ladies in terms of stunning discoveries, but as the quote goes “Never say never”.
In my professional life, I am often inspired by some women in global leadership or entrepreneurial roles. To succeed at that level takes clear thinking, courage, drive, stamina, shrewd thinking and plenty of resilience!
However, I should also say, that I love sports, films and getting the chance of a hearty laugh. So, I think I will nominate Kiera Knightley for her performance in “Bend it Like Beckham” as my top inspiration for encompassing all those things in one piece of work (sorry Marie and Rosalind!).
Patricia Durkin
Hi, my name is Patricia Durkin and I am the Enterprise Project Manager at Queen's. I work predominantly with academic staff, supporting them to embed entrepreneurial education within the curriculum. I also oversee the Future Ready Skills Course in Careers, Employability & Skills for students and to help with that, I manage a Digital Learning Consultant.
What I love about my role is that entrepreneurial education isn’t necessarily about setting up a business, although it can include that, the actual focus is on creating value – which could be a business, but it could be about creating social or cultural value. The best part of my job is seeing students recognise the potential they have to create value and become changemakers.
I myself studied Psychology at Queen’s and the one piece of advice I would offer to students is check if you have access to the Future Ready Skills Course through Canvas. If you have, then start working through it. It’s never too early or too late!
I don't really have one stand out female inspiration, but I do get inspired by the people I work with. There are some amazing people working at Queen’s.
Sandra Scannell
Hello, I am Sandra Scannell and I am the Employer Engagement Manager in Careers, Employability & Skills. I lead the Employer Engagement Team with a focus on building mutually beneficial relationships with employer organisations.
The role of the team is to secure student and graduate job opportunities, as well as collaborate with employer partners to give students access to work related learning and skills development. I also oversee CES Student Engagement activity with responsibility for the Marcoms and Event teams.
What I love about my role is the variety. It gives me the opportunity to utilise my network with industry whilst helping students shape their journey to employment. There is great fulfilment in enabling students to realise their potential.I myself have a BA (Hons) in Psychology and an MSc (Dist) in International Business.
The one piece of advice I would give to students is if the path you find yourself on, is different from the one you imagined – don’t get hung up on how you got there. Focus on where it’s taking you and embrace the new way forward.
My female inspiration is Ruth Bader Ginsburg – sometimes you need to stand out from the majority for the right reasons!