April 2016 Two NUI Galway Students Awarded for the Global Travel Scholarships

Two NUI Galway mature students, Brian Doherty and Arron Claffey-Conneely, have been awarded two Experiment Intercultural Learning (EIL) Group Explore Travel scholarships. This is the fourth year in a row that students from the University have received the award. This year four NUI Galway students were shortlisted among the 25 applicants from every Irish institution reviewed for the scholarship, with four overall winners.

EIL Explore is a programme that funds participants with an interest in global issues to travel abroad for the purpose of volunteering, cultural immersion, or language education through a variety of awards.

Brian, from Galway City, is a first year mature student of Youth and Family Studies under the College of Arts Social Sciences and Celtic Studies. Under the EIL scheme, Brian will be going to Ecuador in June to work with children in need.

Also from Galway City, Arron is currently in his third year of his Arts degree studying Psychology and Social and Political Studies. Aaron, who came in to his degree via the Access Course, will be going to Thailand to work with Burmese refugees.

The vision is that upon their return to Ireland, students will have grown as individuals and will use this wonderful learning experience to be agents for change in their local community advocating for a more globally just society.

Trish Bourke, NUI Galway’s Mature Students Officer, said: “Working with Mature and Access students on these EIL Travel Scholarships is one of the highlights of my year. I am proud that NUI Galway’s Mature Students have been winners for four years in a row outperforming all other universities.”

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