NUI Galway were the big winner at the Board of Irish College Societies Award this year, taking home the prize in seven categories.
BICS is a national organisation that was founded in 1995 and whose role is to provide a national forum for the societies in Ireland’s higher education institutes.
The 25th Annual ICS Awards ceremony was broadcast live from the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone earlier this month.
Riona Hughes, NUI Galway Societies Officer, said: “Despite the unprecedented challenges faced by all of us due to the pandemic, with the hard work and dedication from all of our members we still managed to function as an organisation.”
She praised societies as a path towards a “greater experience” in university, building friendships and skills that will endure long after you have graduated.
NUIG won in seven categories including:
- Best Individual (Large College): Hannah Aris, Auditor of Energy Society, and Vice Auditor of WiSTEM Society
- Best Fresher (Large College): Anna Lee Dowling, Incoming Auditor of the Law Society
- Best Event (Large College): ‘S.O.C. Stream’, an online society collaboration that comprised of a 12 hour and a 48-hour live stream, raising €2,000 for charity
- Best Publicity Campaign: Galway University Musical Society (GUMS)
- Best New Society (Large College): Society for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (WiSTEM)
- Best Poster: Galway University Musical Society (GUMS) and the Drama Society (Dramsoc)
- Best Promotional Video: Fantasy and Science Fiction Society (FanSci)
Acknowledging the contribution societies made to the student experience during lockdown, Riona Hughes added, “Our societies continued to do what they do best.”
“Create supportive communities of like-minded people and to entertain and educate each other while finding ways to remain human and connected in very challenging circumstances.”
In the 2020-21 academic year, there were 96 actively running student societies at NUI Galway, representing over 10,000 students and holding 2,243 events online.
