25 year reunion takes place at MTU

A lot has changed since one class of Mechanical Engineers graduated back in 1997 in Cork. Then the college was called Cork RTC. It subsequently became CIT and is now named Munster Technological University (MTU) of course.

Oasis were riding high in the charts while ‘Men in Black’ was the biggest movie of the year and Clare were the best hurling county in Ireland.

MTU hosted the 25 year reunion of the Mechanical Engineering class of 1997 where graduates from as far as Canada returned to reminisce with classmates and lecturing staff.

The reunion started with a tour of the Mechanical Engineering lecture theatres and labs with former lecturer Dr Matt Cotterell, currently Head of School of Mechanical, Electrical and Process Engineering at MTU. It also featured a visit to the €22 million MTU Arena which is currently under construction.

Dr Cotterell said: “It was great to welcome back so many of the class of 1997 to show them the developments that have taken place on the Bishopstown campus over the past 25 years. The graduates of the class have gone on to pursue a wide variety of careers spanning engineering, management, education, research, and start-up enterprises in Ireland and across the globe.

“The most fulfilling aspect of our role as educators is to see how students and graduates develop both professionally and personally. It was particularly rewarding for myself, and colleagues, to share stories and memories with the 1997 Mechanical Engineering graduating class group and to learn of the opportunities that their education in the then-Cork RTC provided for them and the subsequent impact that they have made collectively in their careers to date,” he added.

Ronan Deane organised the reunion. He is a Senior Project Development Manager at North America Construction Ltd in Vancouver, Canada.

Professor Maggie Cusack, MTU President said: “MTU graduates form a global network of leaders who make positive contributions to the world of business, culture, science and engineering and we’re delighted to welcome this class of 1997 back to Cork.

“It's great to hear how our alumni are doing and to catch up on how much has changed, not least with the establishment of MTU as the southwest's newest university.”