The University of North Carolina Wilmington: Attention FYSA students! Curious about Ireland?

National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM)
Maynooth, County Kildare

Admissions counselor Shannon Rodenheiser recently visited Dublin regarding a program for First-Year Spring Admit freshmen. She notes the following about her experience:

From March 8 to 14, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit one of UNCW’s Academic Partner institutions, the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM). The university is located in Maynooth, County Kildare, approximately 30 minutes outside the capital city of Dublin.

While UNCW has been sending study abroad students to Maynooth for quite some time, I was there with UNCW Academic Advisor Geoff Zuckerman to expand our relationship with NUIM, and develop a program specifically for our First Year Spring Admit students! Starting this fall, all FYSA students are invited to spend the fall semester studying abroad in Ireland at NUIM. Students will earn a full semester of academic credit while living on NUIM’s campus with other UNCW FYSA students.

During my visit, I met with many of the university’s student service offices to get an idea of the resources that would be available to our FYSA students. I was also able to tour both their historic South Campus (including the famous historic seminary St. Patrick’s College), and their very modern North Campus. One evening our host Jodi, who works in the NUIM International Office, even took us for an evening walk at Carton House, a golf and spa resort facility where the national Irish Rugby team trains just down the road from NUIM. Imagine our surprise when on our walk we stumbled upon the entire team staging a group photo! That Sunday they went on to become Six Nations Champions!

I was also able to spend some time in nearby Dublin. I walked the campus of historic Trinity College and visited their Book of Kells exhibit, took a tour of the old Jameson distillery, walked all over St. Stephen’s Green and ate lots of Irish food! The trip from Maynooth was a pleasant 30 minute train ride, and gives students in Maynooth convenient access to all Dublin has to offer.

Of all the wonderful sights I got to see, my favorite part of the trip by far was meeting so many lovely Irish people. I am so envious of our FYSA students who will get to spend the entire fall semester in such a beautiful country full of such kind, fun people!”