February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Trina Vargo, president of the U.S.-Ireland Alliance, has announced the establishment of 11 George J. Mitchell Scholarships. Named in honor of the former senator who chaired the Northern Ireland peace talks, these scholarships will allow Americans to pursue a year of post-graduate study at institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
In September, during President Clinton’s visit to Ireland, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced that the Irish government would provide the first $3 million endowment toward the establishment of the Mitchell Scholarships. In addition to providing the funding for two Mitchell Scholars every year, the income from the Irish government’s endowment provides for the administration of the nationwide competition for these prestigious scholarships.
In the first year of the program, an anonymous donor will fund three Mitchell Scholars and Bombardier ‘rospace-Shorts, the Crucible Corporation of Dublin, Mutual of America, and Verner Liipfert Bernhard McPherson and Hand will each sponsor one scholar.
The Scholarships will be awarded to students who have shown both academic distinction and the potential for leadership. There are no restrictions as to academic field of study. The first scholars will be selected in fall 1999 and will begin their studies in fall 2000. The universities in Ireland and Northern Ireland are contributing tuition and rooms for the scholars and the student travel service Usit Now will provide a further travel stipend so that Scholars may travel throughout the island of Ireland, the UK and Europe.
Information and the application for the Mitchell Scholarships may be found at www.MitchellScholar.org.
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