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Academic Innovation

Nursing Students from Ireland Visit Worcester State University

November 4, 2025
By: Nancy Sheehan
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A group of seven nursing students and their faculty advisors from Atlantic Technological University – Letterkenny campus in Ireland, visited Worcester State University recently as part of a long-standing international academic exchange program between the two institutions. 

The visit, fully funded by the Worcester State Foundation, included attending classes, laboratory learning, and interactive discussion with Worcester State nursing seniors to explore similarities and differences in healthcare and nursing between the two countries. The Irish group also visited several of the university’s clinical partner-sites, including UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, and Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital. 

The exchange program, established in 2015, provides an alternative perspective on healthcare and nursing practice abroad. Nine Worcester State nursing students along with Catherine Thomas, associate dean of the Lillian R. Goodman Department of Nursing at Worcester State, and Professor Julia McNeil, went to ATU earlier this year.

“The exchange program allows students to gain new perspectives and deepen their understanding of the nursing profession through cross-cultural learning opportunities,” Thomas said. “By facilitating this collaborative partnership, the program offers transformative experiences that benefit students from both Worcester State and ATU.”

A group of ten people, some seated and some standing, pose in front of a Worcester State University logo on a yellow wall.
Three women stand together indoors, smiling at the camera. They are wearing work lanyards and jackets, with a gallery entrance visible in the background.
Seven women sit around a rectangular table in a small conference room, having a discussion. A whiteboard and framed certificates are visible on the walls.
Two women sit at a table talking, with plates and cups in front of them. A glass cabinet with various items is in the background.
Seven women stand in a hallway, facing the camera and smiling. They are wearing casual clothing and ID badges. The hall is modern with bright lighting and several doors visible.
A group of people sit around a large conference table having a meeting; coffee cups, plates, and napkins are on the table.
A group of ten people, some seated and some standing, pose in front of a Worcester State University logo on a yellow wall.
President Maloney, Associate Dean of Nursing Catherine Thomas, and the Irish nursing students in the Presidential Conference room
Three women stand together indoors, smiling at the camera. They are wearing work lanyards and jackets, with a gallery entrance visible in the background.
(from left) Shannon Carlin, Danielle Brennan and ATU Professor Breda Mulgrew in the Ghosh lobby
Seven women sit around a rectangular table in a small conference room, having a discussion. A whiteboard and framed certificates are visible on the walls.
Associate Professor Kristina Curro speaks with he Irish nursing students in the Speech-Language-Hearing offices
Two women sit at a table talking, with plates and cups in front of them. A glass cabinet with various items is in the background.
Catherine Thomas (left), associate dean of nursing at Worcester State and Professor Breda Mulgrew of ATU-Letterkenny Campus converse after lunch in the Presidential Conference Room
Seven women stand in a hallway, facing the camera and smiling. They are wearing casual clothing and ID badges. The hall is modern with bright lighting and several doors visible.
Irish nursing students in the lobby of Ghosh Science and Technology building
A group of people sit around a large conference table having a meeting; coffee cups, plates, and napkins are on the table.
President Maloney speaks with the Irish nursing students

Shannon Carlin, a senior nursing student from ATU, was among the visiting Irish group. She said she was struck by the differences in college life between Ireland and the U.S. “The student life here is really different.  Everything is very fast-paced, and you live in dorms right on campus, which we don’t really have in Ireland,” she said. Carlin also noted the greater emphasis on sports and extracurricular activities here compared to her university back home.

Another visiting student, Danielle Brennan, was impressed by the variety of colleges and universities in the area. “There are a lot more colleges around, and people choose what they want to do and which one they want to go to,” she said. Brennan and the other Irish students also were excited to visit a Target store for items they had seen frequently featured in viral TikTok videos about fashion and home decorating.. 

ATU Professor Breda Mulgrew, who accompanied the Irish nursing students, emphasized the importance of international experiences for nursing students to broaden their perspectives and bring back valuable insights to their home healthcare systems.

“I think it’s very important to have an international experience and to see what nursing in another country is like, which I think will benefit them in providing care to their future patients,” she said. “They also get a chance to see what college is like here in real life.” 

 

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