Friday, March 29, 2024

Senior to study in Ireland

January 25, 2001

Kathleen Romig will be getting a little overseas culture next year.

Romig, a social relations senior, will spend next year studying in Ireland as part of the George J. Mitchell Scholarship.

During the one-year program, Romig will work towards her master’s degree in social policy at the University College in Cork, Ireland. She will focus on juvenile justice.

“I have always been really involved with policy and children,” Romig said, “The project on juvenile justice seems to fit both my interests, which is really nice,” she said.

Romig is one of 12 Americans selected out of more than 200 applicants for the scholarship which honors former U.S. Sen. George J. Mitchell, former chairman of peace negations in Northern Ireland.

She is the first MSU student to receive the award.

In particular, Romig said she plans to do policy research on children with disabilities, as well as on other child-related issues.

While in Cork, Romig will do independent research in her thesis area of social policy and attend study and seminars classes.

Katherine See, James Madison professor and Romig’s advisor, said, Romig is the best student for the award.

“She is deeply committed to the issues of restorative justice, which George Mitchell embodies, particularly issues of peace and reconciliation,” See said.

The Mitchell scholarship was Romig’s first choice out of three high-profile scholarships she applied for.

Romig was also a finalist for a Marshall Scholarship and a state finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship. She withdrew form the Rhodes competition after learning about the Mitchell award.

“It had an orientation towards public service and political activism, and that was really interesting to me,” Romig said.

One of Romig’s professors, Julia Grant called Romig a “bright, passionate and engaged student.”

“It’s a great honor for her,” Grant said, “I’m sure she’ll be a wonderful ambassador for MSU in Ireland.”

The Mitchell scholarship is administered by the US-Ireland Alliance, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to strengthen the relationship between America and Ireland.

Romig, a member of the MSU Honors College and Phi Beta Kappa, is also a National Merit Scholar.

Bridging the gap between herself and her heritage is another reason Romig is looking forward to her overseas study.

“I like the idea of going to Ireland because I am an Irish-American, and my ancestors are from County Cork, which is where I’ll be studying,” she said.

Discussion

Share and discuss “Senior to study in Ireland” on social media.