Andrew Ralph

 _{As a 2014 graduate, the Ratoath College year book of that academic year had me nominated by my fellow students to go on to do one of three things, or all three things; (1) become Taoiseach (still working on it – but I was very involved in Leo Varadkar’s leadership campaign, so does that count?) (2) return to Ratoath College as a teacher (who knows) and (3) become a priest (not likely – was very much a part of the last two referendum campaigns).} 

 _{What has actually happened since I delivered the opening & closing remarks at my graduation ceremony at Ratoath College is that I have only just completed my masters degree at UCD in International Relations & last November, I graduated in the Helix from a 3 year undergraduate degree in Journalism at DCU – I am currently writing a 10,000 word thesis and searching for a full-time job; I currently work part time at the Irish College of English in Malahide as an Activity Leader.}

 _{My adventures over the last 4 years have included an American J1 in 2015, in which I worked as a Participant Services Coordinator at the Council for International Educational Exchange (C.I.E.E) in Portland, Maine (two hours north from Boston) – this role meant that I was in charge of registering all visa holders entering the United States on work & travel visas to a State Department database, assisting fellow J1 students with insurance & employment related issues and for one week in August, chaperoning J1 high school age visa holders in the New York & New Jersey area.}

 _{In the summer of 2017, I worked as a digital content producer for News UK & Ireland (the Sun & the Times; Ireland Edition) at Dublin’s fast paced Grand Canal Dock district – this exciting & ‘no two days are the same’ job had me writing articles, curating the Facebook like page and playing a role in managing the website of the Irish edition of the Sun newspaper.}

 _{During my days as a student at DCU – I was a current affairs radio broadcaster on DCUfm, a news reporter and columnist for the CollegeView & Trendster, Chairman of the DCU Student Alumni Network, a PRO for StudentSlingshot and in my spare time, I worked part time as the Southside correspondent for the Dublin People newspaper & as a fundraiser for the DCU Educational Trust’s Access Scholarship programme for students from socioeconomic disadvantaged backgrounds.}

 _{I worked as an intern in the summer of 2016 at the European Parliament in Brussels for Mairead McGuinness MEP, the first Vice President & was also selected as 1 of 6 students across Ireland nationally to go on a special delegation to the Middle East, visiting Israel & Palestine – my time in Belgium was a very interesting experience as it occurred around the time of the Brexit vote in the UK & therefore never lacked a dull moment.}

 _{Since May 2016, I have organised Darkness into Light Fairyhouse every year with a team of local volunteers I assembled from scratch from across the community – the 5km walk/run for the mental health awareness & suicide prevention charity Pieta House, has seen €90,000 generated locally in the past 3 years for the great work this charity does to those who require it and only this year, over 2,200 people attended & participated.}

 _{I currently coordinate & created Ratoath & Dunshaughlin Meals on Wheels for elderly & vulnerable members of our community, Campaign for a County Meath Rail Link-Post 2021 & Campaign for a Dunshaughlin Educate Together 2019 – in addition to this, I am a co-founder and PRO for Ratoath Youth Club, played the eponymous ‘Forrest Gump’ for Ratoath GAA in their professionally produced GAA OsKaRs fundraiser & am one of the street market coordinators at Dunshaughlin Harvest Festival.}