Students from Centenary Have a Connection with Ireland

Hackettstown, N.J.– Five female students from the Centenary campus all have one thing in common.  They all have a connection to Ireland in one form or another.  Christina King is studying at Centenary for the year.  She is from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland near Belfast.  Jacklyn McGackin is a Centenary student studying at the University of Ulster in Derry this year.  Two of her friends and fellow Centenarians, Megan Kelley and Brianna Gluck, were lucky enough to visit Jacklyn this semester for a week.  Anna Schwartz, also a Centenary student spent the semester as a student at the University of Ulster in Derry last year.

For Christina King, the size of the campus was an adjustment for her, as her campus in the United Kingdom has approximately 16,000 enrolled, whereas Centenary’s number is slightly over 2,600. 

The Law major likes the smaller class size and the ability to interact with the professors and fellow students in the classroom.
“With 250 students in a class, we were not required to conduct class presentations very often,” says King.  “At Centenary, this was required of me many times.  It definitely served as a confidence booster for me.”

King came to Centenary through a scholarship called Study U.S.A.  During her time at Centenary, she was able to ride horses at the award-winning Equestrian Center in Long Valley.  She also had an internship at the Hackettstown Business Improvement District (BID) and, coincidentally enough, managed their St. Patrick’s Day Parade!

She is graduating next month and plans to continue on to Law School in Ireland, but has enjoyed her time here in the United States.

Across the globe, Jacklyn McGackin finds her time at the University of Ulster in Derry to be “the most spectacular life experience to date.”   She is enrolled in a program that allows her to receive a Certificate in Irish Studies.

“Being here has helped me discover my love for traveling and experiencing how amazing other cultures are,” says McGackin.  “The teaching techniques are much different and now I feel I am much more-well rounded and better equipped to enter the business world.”

She also credits some of her enthusiasm to her love of the city of Derry and describes it as an “amazing city where everything I need is within walking distance, and there is so much culture and history within the walls of Derry, so there is always something interesting to do.”

McGackin’s friends were fortunate enough to visit her this semester for a week.  Kelley was pleased that she was able to visit family in Ireland and both she and Gluck were able to visit Derry and the surrounding areas and were impressed with the beautiful countryside in the surrounding areas.

Schwartz has spent the semester re-adjusting back to life in America and found her experience abroad to be unforgettable and rewarding.  Her advice to McGackin is to” cherish every moment during the remainder of her time there because it will go quickly and before she knows it the experience will be over.”

Centenary College offers qualified students who are in good academic standing the opportunity to study abroad or participate in an international internship. Presently, students may choose to study for one or two semesters at institutions in Korea, Japan, China, England and Ireland. 

For more information about Centenary’s study abroad opportunities, please contact Trish Mahaffey, Coordinator of Study Abroad and Internships at mahaffeyp@centenarycollege.edu. in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world.

Founded

Centenary College’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township (Morris County).  The Centenary College School of Professional Studies offers degree programs in three locations: Hackettstown, Parsippany and Edison, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.  The School of International Programs recruits international students for study at Centenary and Centenary students for study abroad.

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