In 2022, the San Jose-Dublin Sister City Program launched its first grant program for Irish students attending San Jose State University. The grant program is designed to help defray some of the expenses that Irish students face when attending school here in the United States. We are pleased to have helped students during the Spring semester 2022 and 2023.
Please note: this program is in addition to our McMahon O’Flaherty Master’s Level Scholarship Program, which, since 2012, has funded 10 students, eight students traveling from Dublin to San Jose, and two students from San Jose to Dublin. Check out our McMahon O’Flaherty Scholars page.
2023 Grant Recipients
Charlie Drumm
My name is Charlie Drumm, and I am from a rural farm in County Westmeath, Ireland. Westmeath is a beautiful rural area with rolling hills and picturesque lakes, and the farming community is close-knit and supportive. I am currently a mechanical engineering student in my third year at University College Dublin and have been taking part in an international exchange program at San Jose State University since January.
My experience in San Jose has been nothing short of incredible. Living in an apartment on campus has allowed me to meet people from all over the world, including fellow exchange students and full-time American students. Being part of such a diverse community has been an enriching experience, and I have learned so much about different cultures and ways of life.
One of the highlights of my time here has been the opportunity to participate in a college soccer tournament. Our team consists of people from Ireland, England, Spain, America, and Mexico, which has made for a truly unique and enjoyable experience. It has been a great way to stay active and make new friends. In my free time back home, I play Gaelic football; my local club is The Downs GAA. I have joined a Gaelic football club in San Francisco, and it is a great way to stay active and get a taste of the culture back home.
Another aspect of my exchange program that has stood out to me is how the courses are taught at San Jose State University. The smaller class sizes have made it easier for me to interact with my classmates and lectures, something that was difficult for me back in Ireland. The learning experience has been more engaging and rewarding, and I have gained valuable knowledge and skills that will benefit me in my future career.
Finally, I have had the opportunity to travel to many amazing places since arriving in California. Driving along Route 1, visiting San Diego, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, and San Francisco have been some of the highlights of my time here. Each of these experiences has allowed me to learn more about the culture and history of this beautiful state, and I am grateful for the chance to explore.
Sarah Corr
I am 21 years old, and I am from a town in the northeast of Ireland called Carrickmacross. I am the youngest in my family and I have one older sister and one older brother. My interests include gaelic football, basketball, music and socializing with my friends. I am studying civil engineering in University College Dublin (UCD). I am currently in the final year of my bachelor’s degree and next year I will progress into a masters of civil engineering with business. I chose San Jose State University (SJSU) as it has an excellent engineering program. Being in the heart of Silicon Valley means we are surrounded by an abundance of engineering companies and many of my professors have been involved in major civil engineering projects in the area which are very fascinating to learn about. SJSU also gave me the opportunity to be exposed to a diverse society and to meet lots of new people.
Thanks to San Jose’s amazing location, I have been very lucky to be able to travel all over California and to places outside the state during my time here. So far, I have visited Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Carmel, Las Vegas, and Nashville. My favorite place I have visited was the Grand Canyon. Being there was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. I am taking a geology class here at SJSU and have been learning all about rocks and erosion, so it was amazing to see such a large example of a geologic phenomenon.
As well as spending many weekends travelling, I also enjoyed spending my weekends in San Jose. I chose to join the SJSU club lacrosse team as I felt it would be a good way to make new friends and to immerse myself in the culture. I am extremely grateful I joined the team, as it has greatly enhanced my experience here. The team and coaches were extremely welcoming and patient, and I have made many life-long friends on the team, some of whom are local to the area, and happily showed me around. I also got to play many games, which was very cool considering I had never played the sport before coming here.
I was not aware of the sister cities program before I arrived in San Jose; however, seeing the connection between the two cities and the splash of Irish culture around is amazing and made the transition to living here a lot easier. The support offered by the sister cities committee is incredibly kind and generous, and would greatly enrich my experiences here. My semester here has been phenomenal thus far, and is an experience I will never forget, and I am super thankful to be able to call both San Jose and Dublin my home.
Conor Horan
I am 21 years old and I am from a small town called Ardee in County Louth in the North East of Ireland. I live in the countryside with my parents, my older brother and my dog however, I stay in student accommodation during the academic year. I am in my third year of a BSc in Neuroscience in University College Dublin which is about an hour away from my hometown. I have a particular interest in research surrounding neurodegenerative disease. Outside of academics I have a passion for music and sports. I play a number of instruments including piano, drums and bass guitar and I have played with a number of orchestras and concert bands at home in Ireland. I also enjoy rowing and I am a member of the UCD Boat Club.
I am currently on an academic exchange here in San Jose State University. I am a very independent and outgoing person who loves to travel and I am always seeking out new adventures. I have been enjoying living away from home for the past few months in pursuit of my exchange programme here in SJSU and I have found it to be a very rewarding experience so far. When I found out that I was going to California, I could hardly contain my excitement. I was so excited to live and study abroad and experience new cultures first-hand. I have not been disappointed and I have made so many lifelong friends from all over the world. I have found that this exchange has been of great benefit to my studies also as the way of learning here is much different to that which I am used to at home. Classes here are on a much more personal level here and the faculty and students were extremely hospitable and welcoming which made it very easy for me to adjust.
I knew coming to California that I would be moving outside of my comfort zone, away from family and friends, with an eight-hour time difference between us. However, I never felt too far from home with all of the Irish people I have met over here. It really is a small world and I have met a number of strangers during my time here who are originally from my area at home and moved here for work or study. I have visited many wonderful places here in the US, such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, and on numerous weekend trips to visit different states. I found this to be a very fulfilling experience and I am very lucky to have been able to experience some of the amazing things that the US has to offer.
As a teenager, I enjoyed spending my summers. in the Gaeltacht at Irish language summer camps, meeting lots of and this is a fantastic way to keep that hunger for adventure alive. This has been a truly rewarding personal experience and one that I will never forget. The grant offered by The San Jose Dublin Sister Cities organisation will help to ease some of the cost involved in living abroad and help me to focus on my studies and enjoy the rest of my time here in the US! I am extremely appreciative to have been afforded the opportunity to go on exchange and the support of the Sister Cities Organization is an unparalleled gesture showing the strong relationship between the United States and Ireland.
Freeman Martin
I’m a 21-year-old from Ashford, county Wicklow in Ireland. Ashford is a small village of around 1000 people surrounded by farms and forests. When at home I like to play music with my band, play rugby, and train mixed martial arts. I study at University College Dublin (UCD). I am currently studying mechanical engineering hoping to pursue a master’s degree in energy engineering. I’m studying at SJSU for one semester thanks to the international exchange program. Growing up in Ireland all my life I always wanted to move to a different country to get a better understanding of the wider world. Having family from both Asia and Africa I personally felt both excited and well equipment to move abroad and meet new people. The exchange has exceeded expectations as I have been able to immerse myself in fully new experiences.
I have met new friends from all over the world thanks to university events held by SJSU and the International House. The sense of community in the International House helped me integrate and make new friends with both domestic and international students. The friends I have made are really amazing and I am determined to keep in contact with them for the rest of my life. Another fantastic place I got to meet new people was at the San Jose Shamrock Run. I met new people from all walks of life and had a great time doing it. It was lovely to be reminded of home through the celebration of Irish culture that day.
I’ve be able to see beautiful a new part of the world. San Jose is in a central location surrounded by landmarks, like Alcatraz, Yosemite, And San Francisco. Being situated on the west coast I decided to visit Hawaii as it is the likely the best opportunity I’ll have to go there. All the travelling I have done over the last few months has been an incredible way to illuminate the planet for me.
I have also been able to see the contrast between the Irish and American university systems. This has been surprisingly different with the American system having a greater focus on continuous assessment with smaller classes. In Ireland, there is more of an emphasis on end-of-semester exams and larger lecture hall classes. Both systems have their own strengths and weaknesses, and I feel privileged to experience a range of educational approaches.
Overall, I feel the experience has helped me grow as a person both personally and professionally.
I am very thankful of the San Jose Dublin sister cities program helping to encourage and promote this exchange for students and I am grateful to be considered for the grant they offer. The support they offer allows students to get the most out the exchange.
Rachel Grogan
I am 20 years old and from Dublin, Ireland. I live in the suburbs of Dublin and live with my parents and two older brothers. I study neuroscience at University College Dublin and am in my third year of my four-year bachelor’s degree. I find neuroscience to be a very challenging and interesting field, and I really enjoy my studies. I also enjoy running, walking, cooking, and socializing with friends and family.
Studying abroad was both an exciting and daunting prospect. I chose to study here at San Jose State University SJSU based on its amazing location, right in the heart of Silicon Valley and only a stone’s throw away from all the brilliant places California has to offer, as well as its reputation for being a great school for students studying in STEM fields.
My time here at SJSU has been such an amazing experience and has greatly enriched my life both inside and outside of the classroom. It has been very interesting and exciting learning and studying in such a novel environment, learning from and with new people and with such different approaches to work, assessment, and teaching. I really enjoy the smaller class sizes and more continuous nature of the workload here in SJSU as it makes balancing work and life easier and more flexible.
Aside from my academics here at SJSU, this experience has been amazing in terms of travelling, meeting new people, making new friends, living in a different county and trying new things.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to many places in America, including Nashville, Lake Havasu, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and various places in California, such as San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego, as well as exploring San Jose itself. Seeing such famous and beautiful places in real life has been a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’ve made many new friends here in San Jose, both other international students on study abroad and American students studying here full time, who I’m sure will be friends for life. San Jose is such a diverse city, full of such interesting and friendly people, making it a lovely place to settle into.
During my time here I also joined the SJSU lacrosse team, which was a great decision and has added hugely to my time here in San Jose. Before arriving, I had hardly even heard of lacrosse, but was keen to immerse myself in University life and try something new. Through lacrosse, I learnt how to play a new sport and met some friends I’ll keep with me forever; it was so much fun and was exciting to try a sport that’s so uncommon at home.
I hadn’t heard of the sister cities program before arriving in San Jose, however, I think it’s a brilliant connection and link between the two cities and is a very cool coincidence that I’m from Dublin myself and am having such a fun time studying here in San Jose. The flag-raising we were kindly invited to really demonstrated the close link between the two cities and showed how prosperous their relationship is.
Studying abroad is such an exceptional experience I have been so lucky to be a part of and the support offered by the Sister Cities committee is so generous and would serve as a great help to me and really add to my time here. My semester has been wonderful so far and I look forward to another month enjoying life here in San Jose.
Sean Trundle
I am thrilled to share my experience as an international exchange student in San Jose, California. My name is Sean Trundle, and I hail from County Roscommon, Ireland. It has been an incredible journey since I arrived in January at San Jose State University, and I cannot express enough how welcoming and friendly people have been to me. The campus environment has been fantastic, and I have made numerous new friends who have helped me settle into life in America.
Immersing yourself into a new country has been tough adjusting to different cultures, traditions and a more expensive cost of living. But being out of my comfort zone is something I have enjoyed immensely. It’s been challenging to adapt to the American college lifestyle, and keeping in touch with my friends back home has been difficult due to the time difference. However, I have enjoyed the teaching and learning methods here, which are more personal than what I am used to back home. The lecturers are friendly and approachable, which has made my experience much more enjoyable.
The Shamrock Run was an event that brought back memories of home, and I was thrilled to meet other Irish people at the event. For a moment, it felt like I was back in Ireland, hearing more Irish accents than American. I even met a lady who had gone to school with my Grandparents from Naas. It really did feel like home! In contrast I’ve been lucky enough to experience some American sports and cultures, such as Basketball, Baseball, Ice Hockey games. I was a part of a 6 a side soccer tournament which was organised through the college. We had a mixture of all cultures on the team which was a great learning curve, including Irish, English, Spanish, American and even Mexican. I have also transferred clubs to Sean Treacys and St. Josephs for football and hurling. We are now currently training and playing matches in Treasure Island. Theres a great community of Irish people here in California which has really helped with my time here.
As a third-year Mechanical Engineering student at University College Dublin, I am passionate about the future of Robotics and AI, and I could really picture myself working here in Silicon Valley in the future. I grew up in a small village outside Athlone and played Gaelic football for St. Brigits and Hurling for Four Roads. I have also been heavily involved in both underage and senior inter-county football and hurling for Roscommon. I attended Gaelscoil de HIde Roscommon for primary school and Roscommon Community College for secondary school. I spoke and learned through Irish in primary school and during my secondary school time I spent 4 Summers in the Gaeltacht summer camps, where I also spoke and learned Irish fluently.
Being in San Jose has been an incredible experience for me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be an international exchange student. I will forever cherish the memories and the friendships I have made here.
I am incredibly grateful to the San Jose Dublin Sister Cities organization for the offering of student grants. Being an exchange student is incredibly expensive, especially here in America. I am excited to be involved with the organization in the future and to continue making connections with people in San Jose and Ireland.
Will Farren
I am 21 years old and I’m from a small fishing village called Greencastle in County Donegal. I’m a History and Drama student from University College Dublin and I have been on the international exchange program at San Jose State University since August.
Since it is coming to the end of the semester, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my time here in California and I think it has been one of the best things I have ever done. I have found it quite easy to make friends from both the exchange program and also from my classes. As I am a Drama student, I joined the theatre club here at SJSU and I have met so many amazing people from that and also had the opportunity to be in one of the Fall shows here. For the Spring semester, I decided to take on the position of Assistant Director for one of the plays and it has been a very rewarding experience seeing the actors grow and the show come to life.
Outside of school, I have been very lucky to have done some travelling. I think my favourite place was San Diego as it reminded me of home since I also live close to the beach. San Francisco was also amazing, as there is lots to do and see there and it is very close to San Jose too. The various landscapes that America has to offer are amazing as it allows you to go on many different trips and have completely different experiences and do different activities on each one.
Back home in Donegal, I spend most of my free time at the beach or going golfing with my friends. There are a lot of beautiful beaches and great viewpoints that you can drive up to in Donegal which is why I love living there. Living in the countryside can be isolating at times so that’s why I enjoy life in San Jose because there is always something to do and there are plenty of opportunities to meet new people.
Studying both History and Drama gives me a lot of flexibility in my academic life. I chose to do only History classes in the Fall semester and only Drama classes in the Spring semester so that I could better focus on one subject area at a time. I would say that my preferred area of study in History is the Classical era which compliments my study of Drama as well as that is when theatre began.
The grant provided by the San Jose Dublin Sister Cities organisation will help me a lot as I approach the end of this semester, as it will relieve a lot of stress and allow me to focus more on my academics. I am so grateful to have an organization like this here in San Jose, as it creates a familiar environment and reminds you that you are never too far away from home.
2022 Grant Recipients
Brian Cunningham
I am from County Kildare in Ireland, and I study at University College Dublin. Since January, I have been taking part in an international exchange program at San Jose State University. I have really enjoyed my time here so far, and I really cannot believe how welcoming and nice people have been since I arrived. I have made so many new friends since I got here. Meeting people has made it much easier for me to settle in. However, certain aspects of life in America have been difficult to adjust to. For example, it is very hard to keep in contact with people at home due to the large time difference, and the college life here is very different from that of home also. The methods of learning and teaching are on a far more personal level than they are at home. I have gotten to know my lecturers on a personal basis, which is something I am not accustomed to but enjoy thoroughly. I really love being out of my comfort zone, which is why I have had such a fun time in San Jose so far. I have also really enjoyed the university environment in general. Faculty and students alike have been very hospitable to me as I try to get used to life as an American university student, which I have only ever seen in the movies.
No matter where you go in the world, I feel as though you always meet another Irish person. I was delighted to meet people from home at the Shamrock Run. For a brief moment I really felt like I was home when I was overhearing more Irish accents than American, the warm weather however was an ample reminder that I was in fact still in California! I even got the opportunity to meet an older lady who is from the same town as me in Kildare. I had a great chat with her about our shared hometown and how it had changed yet remained the same during the time we both grew up. The Shamrock Run was a great event which seemed to bring the community together. I felt as an Irish person I was at home in San Jose.
The grant offered to be by the San Jose Dublin Sister cities organisation will help me so much. An exchange program is not cheap when you factor in flights, accommodation, food etc. This grant will allow me to focus on my studies as we approach the end of the semester. I really appreciate this gesture and look forward to being involved in San Jose – Dublin Sister City organization in the future.
I am a 3rd year student at University College Dublin. I am studying Neuroscience. My area of interests are central nervous system diseases and the processes behind the development of addiction. I am from a small village just outside Naas called Caragh. Gaelic football is the most popular sport in the county. I played for a small club called Raheens GFC.
I went to secondary school at Naas CBS and spent my summers at Gaelcholáiste summer camps learning to speak Irish, which is something I am very proud of. I am happy to now be making my own way in the world far away from home here in San Jose.
Aurelia Dilo
I am a 21 year old from Mullingar, a small town in the midlands of Ireland in a county which is known as the ‘Lake County’. I live there with my two younger sisters and my mother. I was born in Germany to an Irish mother and a German father, and lived there until the age of 11 which is when my family and I moved to Ireland. I am forever grateful to be able to call both Ireland and Germany my home. I am in my third year of a BSc in neuroscience at University College Dublin and hope to either pursue a career in research or enter the pharmaceutical industry after graduation.
Back at home, my family and I go swimming in Lough Owel every other day and sometimes canoe out to Church Island in the summer. I swam competitively until the age of 16 and I would love to take it up again here in SJSU. I also love music and I play the piano to a grade 8. I competed in show jumping competitions every other weekend with my horse Holly. I love exercising and going to the gym and going on long walks and hikes with my friends.
When I applied to go on exchange at San Jose State University, I never believed that I would actually make it this far. It seemed like a distant dream, a fantasy which would never become a reality. I chose to study here in San Jose because I had always dreamed of visiting the states and living the American dream. The weather, food and amazing national parks such as Yosemite and The Grand Canyon are some of the main reasons as to why I chose SJSU. The beauty and the diversity of this country is unreal. So far I have visited San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited; the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street. I also went skiing in Lake Tahoe for a weekend with some of the friends I have made here at the I House. I am so excited to travel and visit all the other things which the USA has to offer. Life here differs greatly from life back at home in Ireland and it has taken some getting used to. Thanks to the people I have met here so far, I do not miss Ireland at all, they are most definitely going to be friends for life.
I am so thankful for the opportunity that the San Jose – Dublin Sister Program has given us Irish residents at the I House and it is amazing to be a part of such a special bilateral friendship. I am most grateful for the generous grant offered to us, which really is a great support to us during this time. I really feel at home here in San Jose and I look forward to meeting other Irish people at the Shamrock Run!
Catherine Doyle
I am 22 years old, and I am from a town in the southeast of Ireland called Carlow. I have two younger sisters, one older brother and two dogs. My interests include athletics, music, and socialising with friends. I attend University College Dublin which is about an hour away from my hometown. At university I am majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology. It is a challenging but interesting degree, and I am hoping to go into a career in STEM. I am currently in the third year of my undergraduate degree.
Studying science in UCD gives students the opportunity to embark on a bilateral exchange for a semester in one of their partner universities. One of the partner universities is San Jose State University. I was overcome with joy when I was offered the opportunity to go on exchange to San Jose. It has always been a dream of mine to study a semester abroad and San Jose State University in sunny California seemed like the perfect fit for me. The prospect at studying at San Jose State University was a dream come true and I am so grateful I was offered a spot to go on exchange here.
Prior to embarking on my exchange, I was very excited to see that SJSU offered international students the option to room and board at an international house. I am so glad I chose to live at the international house for my semester abroad as it has given me the opportunity to meet people from countries all over the world. I have learnt a great deal about other cultures, and it has enriched my exchange experience to a great extent.
I have now been living in San Jose for nearly two months. It is safe to say that my time here has been the experience of a lifetime. I have made so many friends from people around the world. I have greatly enjoyed exploring up and down the west coast. So far, I have visited San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Lake Tahoe. Traveling around California so far has been a thrilling experience and I am so excited to continue my travels in the future. I have also learnt a great deal about the American culture.
The support from the Sister Cities program means a great deal to me. It is a great privilege for me to receive a grant and I am very much thankful to the Sister City Program for granting me this generous grant. This money will greatly help me to support my study abroad and enrich my experiences here.
Ben Lynch
I am a Sociology and Poli Sci major from Dublin, Ireland. I love traveling abroad and participating in local cultures (my personal favourite trip was a month-long expedition to East Africa, where me and some classmates volunteered as teachers in a local school). I had wanted to study in the United States for the longest time before finally getting my opportunity to attend SJSU. Many aspects of American culture have always been interesting to me, most of all your many sports. I fell in love with American football specifically to the point of joining my own university’s team (unfortunately during the COVID shortened season, where only one game was played).
I am especially happy that I was accepted to study in San Jose, not only because of the massive change in weather to what I’m used to (although I’d be lying if I said I’m not happy with the constant sunshine), but also the community and city have grown on me so much. Going on walks in downtown and discovering new places to eat and hang out with my mates has been a particularly enjoyable part of the San Jose experience.
Living abroad has given me a few challenges to face (culture shock, home sickness, etc.), but thanks to the people at the International House, other friends I’ve made at SJSU, and the community as a whole, I’ve been able to truly overcome these issues and enjoy my experience here to the fullest.
The support of the Sister Cities Program means the world to me as an Irishman. This celebration of the relationship between our two cities is something that I hope I can help to maintain long into the future. The fact that I can be almost half a world away from my home and still see appreciation of Irish culture and see the Irish identity as a whole flourishing so far away, is absolutely magical to me.
Alice Solcan
I am 20 and I live in Dublin, Ireland. I study sociology and philosophy as a joint major in University College Dublin (UCD). I chose San Jose State University (SJSU) to be more exposed to a diverse society and to meet new people! Being on exchange so far has been amazing especially as a sociology and philosophy major I am learning how to not take social phenomena for granted. I feel as though I am in a much more diverse society and this really showed me how influential social forces and cultural contexts can be in building societies around the world.
I have traveled more than I have ever before in my life during my study abroad here in California. There is never-ending things to do here, so much to explore! The adventures I have shared with friends I have made here will forever stay with me. It is all so fun, from dying of too much heat in L.From walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame to climbing hikes in Yosemite. When I made new friends here, I learned how to embrace people’s perfections alongside their flaws. I believe that all these invaluable experiences have added a lot of new perspectives and values to my personal development. Another exciting for me has been comparing how classes are taught compared to Ireland. I have had to learn how to find the right balance the differences when managing my work.
I realize that when you really take time to understand the country you’re in you can find a whole new way of life. That’s exciting but it’s also challenging. Today, everything can be done online, including study, meeting people and even working. With Covid, one of my biggest challenges has been missing out on real-life experiences, as everything has been online, including my studies. However, one thing that could never be replaced by online is the wisdom and experiences of studying abroad here in America and sharing experiences with new people away from home.
Sister Cities International works to create exchanges that create ‘community impact’ and spark lifelong friendships and this is exactly what I seek. I would love to in the future build ties between San Jose and Dublin and San Jose is a place I never want to let go of even when I am home in Dublin. Support from the Sister Cities would mean so much to me as it is such an amazing opportunity that I am so grateful for to even be considered. Support from the Sister Cities would mean a lot to me because as I view it offers me encouragement and drive. Ultimately, my goal is to reach my full potential as an academic student but as a person too, develop new hobbies and enjoy the opportunities arising. It will be great to enhance my knowledge and be able to compare and add to my learning from an Irish perspective with more about the world, and minimize the constraints on my capacity to take appropriate intellectual chances of understanding human behavior. This is an exciting opportunity I am determined to embrace.
