MTU crowns intern of the year

Munster Technological University (MTU) has named Ellie McCarthy as its Marketing and International Business Intern of the Year 2025.

Ellie, who is originally from Skibbereen, completed her placement with Red Bev Brands.

During her internship she made a strong impact through her work in trade marketing, events, content creation, and business insights. Her performance stood out to the judges, who praised her commitment and creativity.

The final stage of the competition took place in June, when five shortlisted students presented their placement experiences to the judging panel. Alongside Ellie, the finalists were Ella O’Callaghan Griffin and Ellie McGuinness, who both interned with NetApp, Mark Linehan at Enterprise Mobility, and Eoin Nash at Eli Lilly.

The overall award was announced last week, as the students returned to MTU to begin their final year of study.

Brendan Butler, Managing Director of Canto Ireland and sponsor of the award, sat on the judging panel. He described the competition as “incredibly close” and said the quality of the finalists was exceptional.

“The standard was so high that we would genuinely have hired any one of these finalists,” he said. “Their performance speaks volumes about the quality of MTU’s placement programme and the professionalism of the students.”

Leigh Gillen, Chair of Marketing Institute Ireland Cork and Managing Director of Leigh Gillen Events, agreed: “Each one of the candidates had something special going for them. It was tough to choose just one winner.”

Dr Katie Power, Head of the Department of Marketing and International Business at MTU, represented the department on the day and accepted the award on Ellie’s behalf. She said the finalists had done both themselves and the university proud. “Every student today represented themselves, and MTU, with great distinction. Their confidence, skill, and insight tell us that the future of marketing is in good hands.”

This year’s finalists were supported during their placements by lecturers Michelle Collins, Anna Horan and Colette Murphy. The lecturers praised the students for their dedication, professionalism, and willingness to learn throughout the year.

MTU also extended thanks to all the companies who hosted placement students this year and gave them the opportunity to gain real-world experience.