By Sean Ryan - 07 October, 2017
Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
Ireland’s largest Catholic third level institution, Mary Immaculate College (MIC) in Limerick City, announced this week that it is forming a new academic and international collaboration with fellow Catholic institution St John’s University in New York.
Welcoming the initiative, the Acting President of UL Professor Eugene Wall said: “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 on the Discover the World programme.
“MIC 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.
“We look forward to welcoming students from St John’s University to our campus. Their interaction with our students and staff will significantly enhance the global outlook of our community, which is a core pillar of Mary Immaculate College’s Strategic Plan (2017–2021).”
Beginning with the spring 2018 semester, St John’s students will spend five weeks each at the college’s Rome and Paris campuses, as before. With this new collaboration, St John’s students will now spend a third five-week module at MIC in Limerick.
Speaking about the new partnership, Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, President of St John’s University, said: “Ireland is a doorway into Europe. The St John’s University’s Discover the World: Europe programme and our new strategic partnership with Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland opens many new exciting opportunities for students of both institutions to live and learn together.”
Discover the World: Europe at St John’s allows students to study in unique locations, completing course requirements while engaging with historic cities through field trips, site visits, academic service-learning and independent exploration.
The new partnership with MIC is the first time the programme will feature an English-speaking country. It is also unique in that it is St John’s first collaboration with a fellow Catholic institution, allowing for students to grow in their faith as they study abroad.
Founded in 1870, St John’s University is a Catholic and Vincentian university that prepares students for ethical leadership in today’s global society. There are three New York City campuses—in Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. The university also has a campus in Rome, Italy. St John’s has academic locations in Hauppauge (New York), Paris and Seville.
