As we leave Ireland, let’s focus on takeaways for your personal and professional development from the Ireland part of the course.

In terms of professional development, maybe it was a company or organization that you enjoyed seeing and might want to work with again or perhaps one of the contacts you met on the various visits.  What is your professional development takeaway from your time spent in the Ireland part of the course?

In terms of personal/social development, maybe it was activities at Griffith College, the various tours of Irish culture or the people you have met – what is your personal development takeaway from the Ireland part of the course?

The most prominent influential factor on my professional development this trip was the more intimate engagement with business professionals in question and answer format. It was most rewarding when the group sat down and talked to an array of different business professionals in different fields of business about their day to day experiences. It was also interesting to learn about various business models in each industry and the challenges associated with managing in these different environments. During these engagements, the necessity of asking relevant and informed questions was essential to fueling productive discussion. This is a skill I will have to work on personally, however, it has already begun to develop more during this trip. As far as social development, I have definitely opened up to the idea of traveling abroad and interacting with businesses that have a multinational presence. Through this trip to Ireland, I’ve been inspired to pursue more study abroad opportunities and would even consider an internship abroad. This is a crucial stepping stone for my personal development, as a journey out of my comfort zone (and into Ireland) has opened up countless opportunities for me in the future. In addition, venturing into an unknown country is much more rewarding being surrounded by intelligent, witty, and fun-loving individuals. I couldn’t have done it without The Fellows.