Design success for former St Mary’s student

FORMER student of St Mary’s Grammar School Magherafelt, Owen McMeel, currently studying Product Design and Development Engineering at Queen’s University has recently been named ‘Queen’s Entrepreneurial Student of the Year’, as well as picking up ‘Individual Contribution to Queen’s Student Union’ at Queen’s 2012 Awards Ceremony.

The Moneyglass student is no stranger to the business world, and has been involved in many university projects throughout the academic year including presidency of QUB SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) which he led to the UK SIFE Nationals in London last month. SIFE work to assist charities in setting up sustainable development projects, embracing the motto, “give a man a fish, he eats for a day, teach him to fish & he eats for a lifetime.”

In a recent ‘Fusion’ project Owen assisted in bringing together 8 schools from Northern Ireland, in a bid to sell bottled water. Owen’s Enterpernial skills came into play and after drafting the help of local MLA Basil McCrea, the schools total revenue exceeded £9,000.

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With a summer abroad in 2011, working as an intern in the ‘Washington Ireland Programme’, followed by an internship with Indian Computer Company ‘Infosys’ in Bangalore, Owen came back to Ireland in September where he went on to win the QUB Apprentice, and as a result an internship with ‘Deloitte’.

Owen has said, ‘It is an honour to have received the awards, as there are so many students within Queen’s coming up with new and innovative ideas every year, as well as dedicating their time and efforts to the Students Union. We all benefit from the Union and are very lucky to be part of such a successful Student Body.’

Whilst celebrating his awards Owen is currently studying for his exams and preparing to jet of to Brussels’ in June as one of only 8 Student’s from the UK to attend a Global Changemakers Summit. With his time as a student coming to an end, the future is looking bright and we look forward to see what is coming next for the budding young entrepreneur.

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