MCC students wins national scholarship to study in Ireland

McHenry County College student Alyssa Kasey recently was awarded a national scholarship to cover her studies in Carlow, Ireland, this summer.

The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship awards almost 3,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 each year to U.S. citizen undergraduates to study or intern abroad.

Kasey left for Ireland on May 29 and will return on June 27. While there, she will be studying Irish experience and contemporary Irish writing.

Through MCC’s partnership with the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs, students are able to earn credits by studying abroad in Austria, Costa Rica, England, France, Ireland and Spain. Kasey decided on Ireland because of her Irish heritage.

“Growing up, I always had Ireland on my list of places to visit because I’ve always felt a strong connection to the culture and beauty of Ireland’s countryside and geography,” she said. “Being able to immerse myself in Ireland’s culture and interact with the individuals that call Ireland home could help me live how my family once lived.”

After her time at MCC, Kasey plans to transfer and earn her bachelor’s and master’s in social work. Her goal is to become a licensed clinical social worker who provides counseling to those who have struggled with mental health.