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Aquinas College Ireland Program 40 years of Cultural Immersion and Community Engagement
Aquinas CollegeIreland Program40 years of Cultural Immersion and Community Engagement
Institutional Commitment to Community Engagement & Service
• Mission & Vision• College Strategic Plan• Publications (website and Aquinas
Magazine)• Faculty Handbook – promotion and
tenure “evidence of academic-based service learning activities”
An Engaged Campus
Community
TEACHING
SERVICE
RESEARCH
Co-Curricular Engagement and Service• Project Unite: Love Where You Live! • 14 week-long Service Trips• Student-led service through LLCs, Honors,
Athletics, Residence Life, Scholarships, CAVA, SAC, & Service clubs
Service-Learning, Community Engagement and the Curriculum
• 2012-13 Academic Year• 1,274 (61%) of students engaged
in service • 465 students engaged in
curricular service• 15% of courses reported a
service-learning component
Student Engagement
• Among our 2013 Seniors*:• 53% participated in a course-based community
project• 76% completed or will complete an internship,
student-teaching, or clinical placement• 29% participated in a study-abroad program
*Aquinas College data from the 2013 National Survey of Student Engagement
In the beginning…• Expand study abroad
opportunities• Irish studies with
commitment to community• Gertrude Horgan’s
fortuitous journey to Tully Cross in 1973• Leadership of
Dominican sisters: 19 semesters of service from 6 sisters
Tully Cross,
• A unique rural cultural immersion experience• Study Center located
at the Renvyle Thatched Cottages • Spring semester:
16 weeks• Led by Aquinas
Professors
IRELAND
Tully Cross
Tully Cross
AcademicsRequired:
• Irish Literary Heritage (4 credits)
• Irish History (4 credits)
• Experiencing Irish Culture (4 credits)
Electives:
• Hiking (1 credit)
• Teacher’s Aides in National Schools (3 credits)
• Ireland Community Aides Internships (3 credits)
History of Community Involvement in Tully Cross• Foster program
• Christ the King Church
• Teachers’ Aides Program
Teachers’ Aides in National Schools
• Participating Schools: Tully, Eagle's Nest, Lettergesh and Letterfrack
• These are two-room schools with one room for the upper levels (grades 4-6), and one for the lower (grades K-3).
• Recent regulations have restricted participation to students in the Education Program.
Development of the Community Aides Internships
• Built upon the success of the Teachers’ Aides elective
• Original vision for the program: return to our Dominican roots
• Revitalizing reciprocal partnership
Challenges to Community
• Peripheral & mountainous region: 790 km2: bounded on three sides by the Atlantic Ocean
• Connemara West Plc centred on Parish of Ballinakill - villages of Letterfrack, Tully, Tullycross, Moyard, Kylemore (c 1,900 inhabitants)
• Low population density and aging population
• Economically disadvantaged• Post ‘Celtic Tiger’• 160 active community, sporting
and social orgs
Renvyle Thatched Cottages
• Proof of the power of Community Engagement!
• Cottages were one of the inaugural projects of Connemara West in 1971-1972. Focused on attracting tourism to the area.
• The revenue from the cottages led to Connemara West’s ability to invest in the development of its various programs and organizations…. which now host our students as interns.
Connemara West, Plc.• Community owned and managed Development
Company established in 1971 to further the economic, social, and cultural life of the people in the Parish of Ballinakill.
Foscadh Community
Development Ltd
Crèche
Youthreach
FORUM Connemara Ltd Teach Ceoil
Renvyle Thatched Cottages
Connemara Community Radio
The Furniture College
(partnership with GMIT)
Conservation Letterfrack
Connemara West Plc
Why are the internships important to our Irish partners?• Gives Irish community members chance for cultural
interaction
• Volunteers always in short supply
• ‘Fresh pair of eyes’ always useful
• Thinking about internships necessitates reflection on their activities
Why are the internships important to Aquinas?• Customization
• Accrual of credits for various majors
• Increased emphasis on career preparation
• Updating cultural immersion
• Commitment to Service and Community
• Recruitment, Retention, Relationships
2014 Participation
• 19 students in 2014 Ireland Program; 84% participation in school or internship placement• 2 students in Teachers’ Aides placements• 14 students in Community Aides Internships
Video
2014 Internship Highlights
•Active Age Programme: Assisting with Friday Club meals and activities. Assist with preparation and delivery of Meals on Wheels. Accompany staff on visitation to homes.
•Adolescent Support Program: Prepare After School Activity Clubs for juniors and seniors and develop team building activities
•Community Creche: Prepare After School Activity Clubs for children ages 5 to 12
2014 Internship Highlights
• GMIT Letterfrack: Development of the alumni database and newsletter and social media outreach to alumni. Planning of various special events and assisting the Green Campus Committee
• FORUM Connemara (2 placements): Shadow FORUM staff and assist with local community development programs, rural recreation programs, and employment services
Customized Internships• Renvyle Health Centre:
Open to pre-med students. Shadow Dr. Alex in his practice and assist with research projects. • Connemara National Park:
Assist with daily operations of park and contribute to ongoing scientific surveys of flora and fauna. Conduct research study on issue of interest to the National Park.
Future Expansion • Educational tourism• Community Engagement reaffirmed
Aquinas’s commitment• Cottage renovations• Study center facilities and increased
capacity
Future plans
• Crossroads for exploring future models, collaborations and expansion• Faculty sabbatical
research in course modules• Aquinas Program open
to guest students
Questions?
Joelle Baldwin: [email protected]
Dr. Jennifer Dawson: [email protected]
Dr. Kathy Kremer: [email protected]
