A group of international students relived happy times and praised the transformation of IT Sligo and changes in Sligo town when they paid a reunion visit for the first time in 20 years.
“When they came to the campus, they just couldn’t believe it – the state-of-the art buildings and how modern it all is,” said the reunion organiser, Pilar Perlines Castro, who jokingly describes herself as “Sp-Irish” because she has stayed on in Sligo since arriving from Spain in September 1993.
“We were shown around the new buildings, including the wonderful Yeats Library, and were officially welcomed in the Institute Boardroom. It was just amazing. All the group were really impressed and, of course, impressed too with all the changes in Sligo itself, particularly along the riverfront.”
Ten former students from Spain, France and Germany made the trip and were joined by spouses and partners, as well as five Irish contemporaries from 1993.
They had come originally as part of the Erasmus Programme to study international marketing before returning to their home universities to complete their degrees.
Today they work in a variety of jobs, including banking, publishing, sales and marketing, and a number have their own businesses.
Ms Emer Ward, their former lecturer, was waiting at the Institute to welcome them, and the group was also very pleased to be greeted by Mr Dermot Finan, former Head of School, Dr Karl Bodeker, former Senior Lecturer in German, and Law lecturer, Ms Ruth Walsh, who is the current course coordinator for the Institute’s Bachelor of Business in International Marketing.
Ms Ward, who lectures in Marketing at the Institute, said: “It was marvellous to meet them all again and to see their reactions as they tried to take in the changes that have occurred since they were here.”
Twenty years ago when the students arrived in what seemed to them, the quiet rural town of Sligo, the RTC had around 350 students. The Institute of Technology now occupies 70 acres and has almost 6,000 students.
German businessman Frank Mecklenbrauck, who is based in the university city of Siegen, said: “The weekend was absolutely amazing.” He is CEO of his own full service office supplies, stationary and furniture company, H. Bottenberg GmBH/Bo2B.com, which is one of the biggest in the Siegen area.
Parts of Sligo had become more modern but the town and atmosphere were largely the same as he had remembered them, he said.
He added: “The IT has indeed changed a lot,” he said. “It’s a completely different Institute now, with very modern equipment and infrastructure. It would be great to study there again today.”
As the former students struggled to find their bearings at the new-look campus, Emer Ward was on hand to take them on a tour, and to a classroom where they used to study. It is now used for teaching in the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Care and Education.
Pilar said: “It was very nostalgic and very sweet, to be in the classroom again.”
The group of some 25 visitors went on mini-bus tour of beauty spots including Strandhill and Rosses Point and made sure to take in some of their old student haunts before enjoying dinner at the Glasshouse.
“Compared to 20 years ago, they couldn’t get over the number of cars in Sligo, and the number of taxis on the streets last night,” Pilar quipped. “They were saying there’s more taxis here than in Paris. They saw all the changes that have taken place in Sligo since they were first here. “
Pilar recalled that Sligo was so completely different then from her home city, Salamanca, that she didn’t know whether she would “survive” her initial year in the north-west town. She did though.
“After that year, I went back to Spain and finished my degree but, for some reason, I found I couldn’t settle in Spain. Then I applied to come back to Sligo on a work experience scheme.
“I started working in marketing for the Council for the West, and then I worked for Gilroy Gannon Accountants and later I set up my own business, Outsourcing Bookkeeping Services.”
Four years after arriving back in Sligo, she met a Sligo man and is now married with three children, Luna-Sofia (6), Beleteché (5) and Tarikayehu (4).
Pilar is now back again at IT Sligo, as a part-time student in the final year of a Bachelor of Business Studies degree.
Students from Ireland attending IT Sligo also have the opportunity to travel to other European counties on Erasmus. For more information click here.
Caption for above photo: IT Sligo international students from the class of 1993/94 met up with current and former staff at a reunion on the campus. Included in the photograph are Joerg Speckmann, Eva Cornejo, Pilar Perlines Castro, Thekla Olbert, Franck Mecklenbrauck, Olaf Otten, Mickaël Goraguer, Eric Lafontaine and Stéphane Theaud, and partners. Academics present are front row, first left, Ms Ruth Walsh, and, from right, Mr Dermot Finan, Dr Karl Bodecker and Ms Emer Ward. Photo: James Connolly / PicSell8
Above: IT Sligo Erasmus Programme students from 1993/94 at their reunion: (l-r) Stéphane Theaud, Franck Mecklenbrauck, Mickaël Goraguer, Olaf Otten, Eric Lafontaine and Joerg Speckman.. Photo: James Connolly / PicSell8
Above: Thekla Olbert and Eva Cornejo with reunion organiser Sligo-based Pilar Perlines Castro (right) when former Erasmus Programme students met again for the first time in 20 years at IT Sligo. Photo: James Connolly / PicSell8