June 7th, 2013 | Uncategorized
These last ten months have passed by quicker than any others of my life. I feel like it was just the other day that I was getting off the plane in Dublin, eager for the experiences ahead of me. Now, I’m getting ready to go back home, anxious and uncertain of what lies ahead.
My time as a Victory Scholar has been such a wonderful experience and I am so happy with my decision. At first, I thought being away from home, away from all of my family and friends, was going to be difficult. But the people that I have met, the friendships that I have formed, and the lessons that I have learned while I was in Ireland, made my decision worthwhile. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for this surreal opportunity. I have enjoyed every aspect of being a Victory Scholar: playing basketball, studying, and helping young kids. But being a Victory Scholar is so much more than just those three pieces. I feel I have gained so much more out of this experience than I had anticipated. I have learned so much about the Irish culture and the country’s wonderful and welcoming people. I had the opportunity to travel around Europe and see things that I never thought I would see at the age of 23. I was able to learn about real time business projects and be a part of the continuous development of SCL and the Victory Scholar program, mainly through the use of social media. But most importantly, I have formed an entirely new family, my Irish family, who made Ireland my new home for these last 10 months.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this experience and for making it unforgettable. It would be impossible to thank everyone who has affected me since I’ve been in Ireland. But thank you to everyone in the UL Huskies, Phil, James, Tommy, and all the girls, for welcoming me into the ‘pack’. Playing with this club has been a great experience and I’m lucky to be ending my basketball career on such a high note. Thank you to Marc, #socialguru, for taking me under your wing and allowing me to be a part of the development of this program all year. I was able to learn a lot in just a short amount of time. Cro, thanks for just being you, You do so much for SCL and all of us scholars and I SCL wouldn’t be the same without you! And of course, thank you to all of the Maguires. Gareth and Deirdre you guys have been nothing but wonderful to me. I appreciate your kindness and generosity and am lucky to have you a part of my life now. And to the girls, Anna, Enya, and Erin, I’ve always wanted a sister, and now I have three! You guys are awesome and I’m going to miss you so much!
Finally, thank you Sport Changes Life for this amazing opportunity. I am so proud to say that I am a Victory Scholar and a part of the Sport Changes Life family, a family who I know will be a major part of the rest of my life.
Thanks for all the great craic Ireland! I’ll miss you!
