Mary Immaculate College (MIC) Thurles continues to make a positive impact in the local community through its Mathematics Homework Club—an initiative connecting first-year undergraduate students from the Bachelor of Arts in Education programme with secondary school pupils seeking extra maths support.
In the spring semester of the 2024/2025 academic year, eight MIC Thurles students volunteered their time as tutors, delivering weekly one-hour sessions over ten weeks to help local Junior and Senior Cycle pupils build their confidence and understanding in mathematics.
On Tuesday 18 November, these eight MIC Thurles students were formally recognised for their contribution to the initiative, receiving MIC Maths Outreach Programme Certificates from Professor Dermot Nestor, President of MIC. The presentation acknowledged not just their time and effort, but also the real difference they have made to the local pupils’ confidence and learning. The certificates also mark the beginning of a wider ambition to expand MIC’s maths outreach through the new MIC Maths Hub, with MIC’s Enterprise and Community Engagement (E&CE) Office now working closely with Dr Páiric Treacy, Lecturer in Mathematics at MIC Thurles and coordinator of the initiative, to broaden the programme’s reach across the region.
Coláiste Mhuire mathematics teacher, Luke O’Mara, highlighted the positive impact of the initiative, noting:
“The programme has helped a number of our students build confidence in maths, and parents have been really appreciative.”
Building on this success, the MIC Maths Hub has grown out of the highly regarded Mathematics Homework Club, which has been running for the past three years in local schools. During that time, MIC tutors travelled to partner schools to support pupils directly in their own classrooms. The new Hub marks an exciting new step, as it brings the programme onto the MIC Thurles campus and opens it up to students from a wider range of schools across the locality. Operating for two hours each week, the Hub will offer a welcoming and supportive environment where pupils can strengthen their mathematical skills, boost their confidence and deepen their understanding of key concepts.
Dr Páiric Treacy highlighted the project’s growing impact:
“It’s been inspiring to see how the Homework Club has evolved over the past few years. Our student tutors bring great energy and empathy to their sessions, creating an encouraging environment for younger learners. The new MIC Maths Hub represents an exciting next step—offering a dedicated space where pupils from local schools can come together, ask questions, and see maths as something that’s both approachable and achievable.”
Professor Jennifer Johnston, Vice Dean of MIC Thurles, commended tutors involved in this programme: “The commitment shown by our BA in Education students to the Mathematics Homework Club exemplifies the power of community-engaged learning. Through their weekly tutoring sessions, they have made a meaningful difference in the lives of local post-primary pupils, boosting confidence and deepening mathematical understanding. Their efforts have laid the groundwork for the MIC Maths Hub, an exciting new initiative that will continue to foster educational support, inclusion, and opportunity for students across the region.”
The MIC Maths Hub will be based at the MIC Thurles campus and is provisionally scheduled to open from 5–7pm each week, running on Wednesdays during February to April.
The initiative has also been supported by MIC’s E&CE Office, which has contributed funding and administrative assistance to help bring the project to fruition. With continued collaboration between MIC staff, student tutors, and local schools, the Thurles Maths Hub aims to become a lasting resource for young learners in the region—supporting mathematics education, confidence, and community connection.
The E&CE Office at MIC is now working on expanding the Hub and its reach through collaborations with local teachers, business and industry. Support and input are warmly welcomed from local schools, organisations and industries. For those interested to get involved please email patricia.osullivan@mic.ul.ie or phone 061 205108.
