Thread by @ireland

Pre-pandemic, I had the chance to travel widely across the US, visiting nearly forty of the fifty states. Alongside political, economic & community contacts, I always called into a College, many of which had fantastic Irish studies programs. A thread on US-Irish educational ties.

Having written several books on Irish history & literature, I've enjoyed the chance to speak with students at over 30 🇺🇸 universities, including @GUGlobalIrish & @GIHNYU, that have #IrishStudies programs. They're connected through @ACIrishStudies, a close partner of the Embassy.

At least 2 🇺🇸 universities have campuses in 🇮🇪. @NDIrishStudies has a base @unddublin on #MerrionSquare and in #Connemara @UNDKylemore. @BCDublin is based on #StephensGreen. Both schools also offer opportunities for their students to intern in Ireland.

The @NaughtonFound grants #Fellowships to support undergraduate, Masters, and PhD #STEM exchange for scholarship and #research across Ireland & at @NotreDame as @NaughtonFellows.

The @FulbrightPrgrm is the 🇺🇸 government's flagship cultural exchange program for Americans to study & research abroad. 730+ Americans have come to Ireland since the 1950s, and 1,500+ Irish have done the same — & taught #IrishLanguage #gaeilge — in the US @Fulbright_Eire.

The @mitchellscholar program, named in honor of Senator Mitchell & supported by our state, brings a dozen brilliant young American leaders to Ireland each year for graduate studies.

Through these & other programs many of our best friends here are Americans who studied in Ireland.

About 12,000 US students came to Ireland in '18-19, making it Americans' 6th most popular #StudyAbroad globally - & 1st on a per capita basis!

We're proud to be partnering with @cieestudyabroad to support 20 exceptional young students to study in 🇮🇪 under the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship, which @VP Harris & Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD helped launch on #StPatricksDay.

We're similarly proud to support the Choctaw-Ireland Scholarship at @UCC. @JessieMilitante became the first graduate from the scholarship this week, achieving a 1st class honor in creative writing (well done Jessie!) while @SimonHarrisTD announced the scholarships' extension.

Of course, in normal times, thousands of Irish students travel here also under the J1 & other programs. My first time in 🇺🇸 was in 1971 as a J-1 visitor in Kansas City, an experience I remember fondly & retraced in 2019. The BBQ was just as good as ever! bit.ly/3d6OuyD

Did you study or work in the States through a @StateDept program like @Fulbright_Eire @StateIVLP @WIPLive or the @EVPExchanges #J1visa? You can keep in touch with Irish-American relations with our friends at the Ireland-US Alumni Association @IrishUSAlumni & @USEmbassyDublin.

Another remarkable program, which we champion here & benefit hugely from, is the @WIPLive, which brings exceptional young Irish students to DC each summer. Our Tánaiste is a WIP alumnus, while @jomalleydillon & @JakeSullivan46 are amongst many DC leaders to support the program.

If you studied or worked in 🇮🇪 or 🇺🇸 through an exchange program, where did you go? And what was your experience like? While the pandemic has halted programs for now, we hope to restart before too long, as these people-to-people exchanges sustain & deepen our transatlantic ties.