Monthly Archives: May 2017

A year ago today, I had the honor of serving as the student commencement speaker at my graduation from the University of Scranton (29:00 minutes in), after which I saw my year as a Mitchell Scholar begin. In this speech on … Continue reading →

“The days are long, but the years are short,” goes the saying—referring to the paradoxical way in which individual days can seem slow and busy while months and years seem to whizz by. And, indeed, it rings all too true … Continue reading →

In my younger days I was, perforce, an avid hiker. At my sleep-away camp in New Hampshire, weekly hikes were compulsory, and these were no kiddie trails, but steep daylong treks in the White Mountains. No doubt, the aim was … Continue reading →

  As the weather has turned brighter and warmer—not necessarily drier—I’ve had more opportunities to explore this city that I’ve come to love calling home. Last weekend, I took a long stroll through Fitzgerald Park along the Lee and was … Continue reading →

As classes wound down in April, it felt like things were speeding up. One of the main benefits of my Mitchell year has been my proximity to all of the medieval material I’ve studied in Ireland and around Europe, and … Continue reading →

About a year ago, I was beginning to plan my time in Ireland (where I would live, when I would arrive, who would I live with, etc..) and imagining what my life here would be like. I kept thinking about … Continue reading →

My heart cleaves writing my last blog as a Mitchell Scholar. On one hand, being forced to look back over this year and all of the memories I’ve made in Ireland makes my stomach sink: does it all have to … Continue reading →

Coming from a rural area in Maine and moving to Ireland has been shocking at times, but what has shocked me the most is the size of Ireland. Ireland is roughly the size of the state of Indiana and fits … Continue reading →

Yesterday, I went to Mass celebrated by a Polish priest, ate an amazing Indian curry with some Irish classmates for lunch, and jigged to traditional music at my favorite pub with a French friend. Today, the Hungarian trainer at my … Continue reading →