Registration has begun for the 2020 Transylvania in Ireland summer program, which is open to students of any college.
Based out of Burren College of Art in County Clare, the program will immerse students in Irish culture while they take courses in art and biology. It runs May 28-June 20.
Spots are limited, so applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. The registration deadline is Feb. 1, but Transylvania students who want to be considered for a scholarship should register by Dec. 15. Apply here.
This is the second year for Transylvania in Ireland, which is the university’s first travel-based, in-house summer program.
“We’re excited to run it again because we had such great success with our first round,” said Courtney Smith ’16, director of global and intercultural engagement.
Students will be staying in Ballyvaughan, which Smith called a “quintessential” Irish small town. “It’s a place where time really stops. The land will speak to them.”
The bucolic setting will allow them to not only learn from the academic coursework, but also explore things about themselves. And, because of its size, they’ll get to know a good portion of Ballyvaughan’s population. “They get to become part of the town,” Smith said.
Participants will experience other aspects of Irish culture as well — from exploring Dublin to learning Irish dance. They’ll also take a trip to the Aran Islands.
Their excursions will tie art and biology into the landscapes they visit.
Sarah Bray, a biology professor and associate dean for academic affairs, explored the ecology of the region this past summer. She will teach about the ecology of the Irish land, and professor Zoé Strecker will lead art classes. Courses include Biology & Human Concerns, Special Topics, Introduction to Visual Arts, and Advanced Studio Practices.
Students will choose one course for the program — they’ll have an option to take one that meets the general education requirement or one that’s upper level.
Smith visited participants in Ireland this past June. “Seeing the students make the Burren their home away from home and realize that their world is bigger than just the ‘Transy Bubble’ makes all of the work that was put into creating the program worthwhile,” she said.