{"id":10508,"date":"2023-03-16T08:25:30","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T12:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/?p=10508"},"modified":"2023-07-27T10:40:38","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T14:40:38","slug":"a-magical-place-for-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/2023\/03\/16\/a-magical-place-for-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"A Magical Place for Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wexford, Ireland, Study Abroad Center Hosts First Students and Plans Year-round Expansion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Georgia Southern University takes students to new Wexford Campus\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NCKiiFtDWhY?wmode=transparent&amp;rel=0&amp;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Stirring descriptions and enchanting memories are common for Georgia Southern students who have traveled to the University&#8217;s new learning center in Wexford,&nbsp;Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Located almost 3 hours by train and just over 2 hours by bus from Dublin, the center hosted the first cohort of Georgia Southern students in the Wexford summer study abroad program last year. The center complex features a historic castle constructed in 1812, but it has been transformed into a contemporary and colorful high-tech educational space where participating students learned from experts and presented their research to their peers and to visiting Georgia Southern&nbsp;alumni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In recalling the magical feeling she experienced, senior Honors history major Sarah Townsend said, \u201cWhen I came back, I couldn\u2019t stop talking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>RESEARCH, STUDY AND TOUR<\/strong><strong>ISM, TOO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On their first full day in Wexford, the students visited the Wexford County Archive, spending two days conducting research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe archivist brought out a box of handwritten letters from the Irish famine years that no one had really looked at before,\u201d said senior Honors English major and adult learner April Trepagnnier. \u201cShe handed me a pair of white gloves to wear while going through them. It was kind of surreal. After reading the letters and then being in the local community, hearing people speak in their native tongue, their accents, it makes it personal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe had two days in the archives studying the actual Dunbrody ship logs coming from New Ross [County Wexford ] into Savannah,\u201d said Townsend. \u201cWe digitized the logs and then we went to the actual historical site of the Dunbrody reproduction, toured the ship and saw the research previously conducted and displayed by Georgia Southern students and faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such research helped Georgia Southern students experience Ireland firsthand during their Wexford visit. Their stay in Wexford included visiting Irish landmarks and historical sites, seeing what school is like for Irish children, interacting in classrooms, and teaching the children to play baseball, among other&nbsp;things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m an avid lighthouse visitor,\u201d said Townsend. \u201cOne of the first things we did when we got there was to climb up Hook Lighthouse, one of the oldest functioning lighthouses in the world. It really cemented in me that I was going to love the trip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lilly Kasra, senior public health major, took maternal and child health and social marketing courses in Wexford. Since breastfeeding rates in Ireland are one of the lowest in Europe, Kasra decided to develop a social marketing campaign geared toward the benefits of breastfeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing able to be in the city and the country that I\u2019m actually studying about, being able to speak with locals on a daily basis and getting to know their culture was incredible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1369\" height=\"1669\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371.jpg 1369w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371-246x300.jpg 246w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371-492x600.jpg 492w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371-82x100.jpg 82w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371-768x936.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_4371-1260x1536.jpg 1260w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1369px) 100vw, 1369px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"346\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0078-550x346.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0078-550x346.png 550w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0078-250x157.png 250w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0078-100x63.png 100w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0078.png 662w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"346\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_6824-550x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_6824-550x346.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_6824-250x157.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_6824-100x63.jpg 100w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_6824.jpg 662w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1369\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0288.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0288.jpg 1369w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0288-250x97.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0288-550x214.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0288-100x39.jpg 100w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0288-768x298.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1369px) 100vw, 1369px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Georgia Southern students exploring Wexford, Ireland.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>WEXF<\/strong><strong>ORD TOWN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wexford, Ireland, is a town with rich history and culture. Founded by Vikings in 1169, it is one of the oldest towns in southeast Ireland and is a welcoming, friendly community where students can easily interact with locals and gain a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn\u2019t just the campus\u2019s signage that made Georgia Southern, locally referred to as \u201cthe American university,\u201d familiar to people in Wexford. Georgia Southern students, often sporting Georgia Southern gear, were immersed in the Wexford lifestyle and quickly blended into the crowds walking the town\u2019s streets and alleys lined with shops, pubs and restaurants. Students could be spotted stopping at coffee shops on their way to campus, hanging out at pubs and restaurants to grab lunch or study (except on the bank holiday), or feeling the harbor breeze walking along the Wexford quay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students and participants say the familiarity of the Georgia Southern logo on signage in town, the camaraderie of fellow students and faculty, the helpfulness of the community&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;even the sounds of the harbor coming through the open windows of student housing&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;made Wexford feel like home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWexford was great,\u201d said Kasra. \u201cI often sat down with locals and just hearing their opinions about things was awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI can&#8217;t imagine being in a better town,\u201d said Trepagnier. \u201cEverywhere we went, folks were just really glad to see us. I also wanted to find a local pub and right off the corner of the hotel, there was the perfect spot. You never felt like a tourist. Wexford just takes you in and loves&nbsp;on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PLANS FOR YEAR-ROUND E<\/strong><strong>XPANSION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginning in the spring semester of 2024, the Wexford Center will teach students year-round. As part of the Global Scholars Program through the Honors College, students will spend more than seven weeks in Wexford during their first year at Georgia Southern in either the fall or spring semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe students will do an integrated humanities and social science core of nine credit hours&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;three in English, three in history and three in political science,\u201d said Howard Keeley, director of the Wexford initiative. \u201cBut rather than having three siloed classes, there will be a lot of shared instruction and shared experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Georgia Southern is also building student housing nearby and is negotiating with the main university in the region, Southeast Technological University, to collaborate in teaching, research and internships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeley anticipates \u201cenough demand where we would cycle a total of about 100 students a year in four groups.\u201d He added, \u201cThe historic nun quarters building we are renovating for student accommodations should be complete. So, the investment that we are making in Wexford will yield year-round results and not just be a summer experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GREAT FOR AL<\/strong><strong>L MAJORS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The students who participated in last summer\u2019s study abroad program said that it is important for others to know the trip is a valuable experience for all\u00a0majors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe variety of students at Wexford was something I wouldn&#8217;t have gotten anywhere else,\u201d said Trepagnier. \u201cI can&#8217;t think of another situation where one research project was being worked on by biology majors, literature majors, accounting majors and engineering majors in a single cohort. We had all of these different strengths, the way our different brains worked and how we contributed. Working with all those folks was probably one of the coolest experiences I&#8217;ve had academically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"346\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0408-550x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0408-550x346.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0408-250x157.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0408-100x63.jpg 100w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_0408.jpg 662w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"550\" height=\"346\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_7760-HDR-Edit-550x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_7760-HDR-Edit-550x346.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_7760-HDR-Edit-250x157.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_7760-HDR-Edit-100x63.jpg 100w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/MC_7760-HDR-Edit.jpg 662w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA lot of my friends in other majors asked, \u2018what am I going to get out of this?\u2019\u201d said Townsend. \u201cBut when we came back, everybody said, \u2018I feel like I can do research a lot better, I feel like I present myself a lot better.\u2019 Everyone felt like they gained confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>STILL RESONATING<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, Townsend is working on the Savannah Irish Neighborhoods Project with a grant from the Georgia Humanities Council. After going through the historical Savannah neighborhoods of Frogtown and Yamacraw, she is creating a walking tour for students prior to the trip next summer to&nbsp;Wexford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI feel like I am very much changed after Ireland,\u201d said Townsend. \u201cI think it showed me definitely that I wanted to work in public history. But it also showed me that I could explore the world and be able to adapt to a different country. It showed me most of all that I can&nbsp;do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trepagnier enjoyed the trip so much she is continuing her Irish studies at the Armstrong Campus in Savannah this semester and plans to enter Georgia Southern&#8217;s master\u2019s program in English next fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDr. Keeley developed an independent study class for me when I came back from Wexford because I really got enamored with Irish literature,\u201d said Trepagnier. \u201cA lot of the stories are so heartbreakingly beautiful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trepangier wants to keep Ireland in the minds of her family, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs a matter of fact, my daughter just got accepted into the Honors College and she&#8217;s going to Ireland next summer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no better endorsement for the Wexford, Ireland, Study Abroad Center than that.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right\">\u2014\u00a0Story by Liz Walker<br>\u2014 Photos by Jonathan Chick<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This summer, Georgia Southern students traveled to Ireland \u2014 the first group of students to study at the beautiful Wexford, Ireland Study Abroad Center.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":10669,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[75],"class_list":["post-10508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-spring-2023"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10508"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10508\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}