Trinity Business School offers multiple scholarships which are merit-based and aim to promote gender, geographic and sector diversity, alongside recognition for academic and professional excellence. Candidates who have excelled in their professional career or personal achievements and are deemed a valuable addition to a Trinity MBA cohort are eligible for a Trinity MBA Merit Scholarship.
The scholarship - one of many scholarships available for The Trinity MBA - is determined following the candidate’s interview and assessed holistically across their application, references, CV, academic achievements and interview performance. The scholarship value can vary but the average award is €10,000.
MBA alumna Emily Keep was one candidate who successfully secured a Trinity MBA Merit Scholarship. Emily talks about her MBA experience, her scholarship journey, and offers advice to future applicants who wish to apply for this unique scholarship programme.
MBA Alumna Emily Keep
My Background
I’m Emily Keep, and I am originally from the north of England. Before the Full-time MBA programme, I worked and lived in London and New York in Financial Services and have previously run a small consulting company. Fun fact; this year in the first lockdown I managed to crank up over 300 miles on Dublinbikes!
Towards the end of my time on the Full-Time MBA programme, I secured a new job as Director of Technical Product at Salesforce in Dublin, where the company's EMEA Headquarters is located.
Choosing The Trinity MBA
Completing an MBA was always a long term goal of mine. I wanted to learn the terms and theories shared by senior leaders with whom I was engaging along with gaining skills beyond my prior education. Trinity Business School offered the combination of subjects, real business engagement and international opportunities that set it apart from other programmes that I considered.
The name is recognised internationally, and the campus is just stunning. It seemed the perfect setting to gain traction into the Irish jobs market, which proved to be the case as I know live and work in Dublin.
The Stunning Long Room at Trinity
The Trinity MBA Experience
We certainly had a unique year with the interruption of the pandemic on live classes. Regardless of the change, the tutors quickly adapted to online teaching and encouraged the same level of commitment to the end. Our first week in Belmullet for our induction week allowed the teams to bond, creating a sense of camaraderie that continued throughout the year. No one will forget the story of the “hot bus”!
I was impressed in the strength of the alumni network, and the Trinity name in Ireland, which opened many doors that led to gaining my job at Salesforce. The programme has given me some incredible friendships and travel companions, with trips to Galway, Cork, and most recently to the Kerry Cliffs.
MBA Group Visit to HubSpot's European HQ Office in Dublin
The Impact of the Trinity Merit Scholarship
Moving countries is a big commitment. I left a secure job to move across the world, find an apartment and undertake the Full-Time MBA. The scholarship was an enormous help in starting that journey, enabling me to self-fund the entire journey.
My manager at Salesforce recently confided that my MBA from Trinity set me apart from other candidates. It was a well-known school internationally and gave him the confidence I had the right skills in strategic thinking and self-drive needed alongside my work experience and technical knowledge.
The job at Salesforce is a step up for me. It allowed me to make a move from Financial Services into one of the largest technology companies with a world-renowned workplace culture.
Celebrating with fellow MBAs
Advice for Future Merit Scholarship Applicants
The application process is very straight forward, and I would recommend anyone with a different background or interesting experience to have confidence in your skills and to apply. Having international and management experience is a plus, but I believe it came down to being authentic in the application.
The interview process revealed a fact confirmed on day one of the MBA; there are many different people with varied backgrounds on this programme. That diversity not only set the programme apart but brings a richness to the classroom.
Applying MBA Learnings in my Work
Practically speaking, the MBA taught me a different way to do group work. The skill to professionally separate work from other parts of life has always been a struggle for me. My company project group was fabulous; we had some passionate discussions about content and direction, each bringing our ideas to the table. At the end of the meetings, we left the room, and all went for lunch or a drink together.
The dynamic shifted, and we created stronger personal connections. Challenging and negotiating with your peers is a hard thing to do; the MBA taught me that a team could create more depth and variety in their work when they do, which was reflected in our final grade.
The project with “Team Love” taught me that great groups are more than just putting pen to paper. I apply this now in my current workplace and make sure to engage with every team member and openly ask for regular feedback.
The scholarship enabled me to accept my first choice offer, gain an MBA with distinction, a job, and make some life-long friends along the way in the country I now call home.
