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Irish Visitors To Ball State Looking For The Real America

By Esther Bower, IPR News | Published on in Education, Local News
(Photo: City of Muncie provided)

Summer semesters at universities often bring foreign visitors and Ball State is no exception.  For the next two weeks, Irish scholars will be talking with students and connecting with the real America.  IPR’s Esther Bower reports.

Trip Organizer, Michelle Glowacki-Dudka, believes a trip to Muncie is an important opportunity to develop relationships.

“Humans are humans, and we all have similar needs. We all want good things for our families. We want good things for our lives. We want to have relationships that are meaningful, and the way that you do that and not be afraid of others is through connections and relationships,” Glowacki-Dudka said.

Camilla Fitzsimmons and Alice Bennett, instructors from different universities in Ireland, will be speaking to graduate and doctoral students at Ball State and interacting with the community. While Glowacki-Dudka brought Fitzsimmons and Bennett in to offer their expertise to students, the women want to experience the America they don’t seem to hear a lot about back home.

“I think it’s a real opportunity for us to tell another story of life in America  that’s not the Trump  America. Because it can be really easy for the next four years, from a perspective outside of America, to be dominated by just that version of America,” Fitzsimmons said.

While the visit may have only been one way for this trip, taking Ball State students to Ireland is something all three think they might consider in the future.

“You’re putting ideas into our head. It’s all based on funding so you know, we’ll see what kind of opportunities we have and the funding sources we have.”

The Irish scholars will also spend time in Chicago and Tennessee while they’re in the country.