The opportunities to travel to various European countries has been a tremendous privilege and a dream that I did not believe would come true.

My time at University College Dublin was everything that I wanted my international experience to be. From the very beginning, I was surrounded by not only Cornell students, but students from all different countries and states.

The ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin, to me, is best described by the common mantra of one of its founders: Clete Daniel's "Smart is good, kind is better."

In my Knowledge, Innovation, and Creativity class at UCD, I worked in a cross-cultural group to solve a problem with the education system.

As a French/American national and an avid student of international affairs, my time studying abroad in Ireland was a hugely rewarding experience.

Coming into ILR as a transfer, I was not expecting to have the opportunity to study abroad. I was worried that I would not have enough credits or would be too far behind to take a whole semester away from Cornell. However, the UCD Semester in Dublin Program not only gave me the international experience that I was looking for, but the classes also coincided with what I was studying in ILR.

Throughout my time at Cornell, I have heard many people say that college students should study abroad at some point during their undergraduate careers. Before participating in the ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin Program, I was largely indifferent to the whole idea and believed that I would not have any regrets if I passed on studying abroad.

Coming into ILR as a sophomore transfer, I didn’t think that I would have the ability to study abroad and receive ILR credit. Shortly into my first year at Cornell, I learned about the ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin program and I knew I had to apply. I applied as soon as I could and I never regretted my decision to study in Dublin the fall of my junior year. My time spent studying at UCD was one of the best experiences of my college career.

Participating in the ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin Program has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. After I got used to the time difference, stores closing at different hours, drinking terrible coffee, and the unreliable Dublin Bus schedules, I began to thoroughly enjoy my ti

As a senior, studying abroad for a semester did not seem like a realistic option if I wanted to graduate on time and in good standing. However, I could not have been more wrong. Studying abroad through the ILR-UCD program in Ireland was one of the best decisions I made during my four years at Cornell and I would strongly encourage that all ILR students look into participating in it during their college career.

The ILR/UCD Study Abroad Program is incredibly enriching for students of both ILR and life in general. Academically, studying labor relations in Ireland meant that I was able to observe the labor relations system of the European Union on a first hand basis with people who have experienced its impact, including my professors and fellow students.

UCD 2010, ILR 2012, Recipient of the Clete Daniel Memorial Medal - My semester in Dublin was, by all accounts, unusually snowy. The average December snowfall in Dublin totals about 3 inches. By Christmas of 2010, there were about 10.5 inches of snow piled up in Casement Aerodrome, 10 miles outside of Dublin.

UCD Fall 2012 - I have always wanted to study abroad and Ireland has always seemed to be the place for me (my last name is O’Brien and the only way I could be more Irish is being from Ireland)! However, being a transfer, I was not sure whether I would be able to study abroad at all. However, with the classes taken during the ILR/UCD Semester in Dublin transferring over as direct ILR credit, I was able to have one of the most amazing experiences of my life!

UCD Fall 2012; Recipient of the Clete Daniel Memorial Medal - I decided to go to Ireland because I wanted both a great educational experience and I wanted to travel throughout the country. I went out a month early with a backpack and my fiddle and I played for tips (busked) all across the country, staying in hostels. I’ve had quite a few amazing experiences doing that; top among which was my visit to the Aran Islands.