Castle Hotel Adare Manor, Limerick, Ireland
January 24, 2018
Beginning with the Spring 2018 semester, St. John’s University students can experience Ireland by attending Mary Immaculate College (MIC) in the historic city of Limerick. The third largest city in Ireland, Limerick is now one of the three European destinations included in the University’s signature Discover the World: Europe program.
Students in the 15-week study abroad program will continue to spend five weeks each at the Rome, Italy, campus and Paris, France, location. The final five-week module will take place in Limerick, where students will take classes and have full access to the facilities at MIC. Students will reside in a city-center hotel, which is a short walk from campus.
“St. John’s University’s Discover the World: Europe program and our new strategic partnership with Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland, will open many new exciting opportunities for students of both institutions to live and learn together,” said Dr. Gempesaw. “The addition of Mary Immaculate College to our study abroad academic programming will greatly enhance global learning for our students.”
Eugene Wall, Ph.D., (Acting) President of MIC, welcomed the new initiative. “We at Mary Immaculate College are proud and excited to have been chosen by St. John’s University as a partner location for its students in the Discover the World: Europe program,” said Dr. Wall. “Mary Immaculate College offers exceptional opportunities for academic and personal growth and has put world-class supports in place for our international students, who find a home away from home here with us in Limerick.”
The new partnership with MIC has “the added advantage of a close affiliation with a highly respected fellow Catholic institution,” said Robert A. Mangione, Ed.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at St. John’s. “Students will benefit from an outstanding campus community of professors, support staff, facilities, student organizations, and connections to MIC’s talented student body.”
Meghan G. Ames, a Biology major with a minor in Chemistry, says studying in Ireland is a dream come true. “When I heard the news that Ireland was added to the program, I immediately called my parents—they were so excited for me,” said Meghan, who graduates from the University in 2020. “As an Executive Board member of the Irish Society here at St. John’s, I feel this will be a great opportunity to share my experiences with all of the members and hopefully encourage them and other students to go abroad as well.” Meghan added, “I feel extremely lucky that I will be among the first in this program to study in Ireland.”
Beverly Y. Danquah, a junior majoring in Communication Arts with a concentration in Journalism, is a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipient and will receive $2,500 to support her travels throughout Europe. The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness.
“I am looking forward to expanding my network, my horizon, and my worldview,” said Beverly. “I was born and raised in New York City, and as result, I am a fast-paced person. Because of St. John’s global presence, I will immediately immerse myself in different cultures and truly learn from others around the world.”