Dia duit! My name is Neila McElfresh, and I am so excited to travel to Dublin for these next eight weeks. Being that I will be boarding my flight to Ireland in just a few hours, I thought it was time to introduce myself!
I am a rising senior majoring in psychology and minoring in Irish language (Gaeilge) with a certificate in Western European Studies. I am so grateful for the opportunity to complete an internship while also gaining the invaluable experience of studying abroad. Specifically, I am so enthusiastic to get to travel to Dublin and work within a psychology-focused organization, in turn allowing me to blend my Irish and psychology studies.
Entering college, I never would’ve guessed that so much of my time would be dedicated to studying the Irish language, but I am so grateful that has become my reality. Learning Gaeilge has been my favorite discovery since beginning at Pitt, and already a subject that I couldn’t imagine not engaging in. I began taking the language classes fall semester of my freshman year, and this coming academic year I will be continuing to Gaeilge 7 with my professor Marie Young.
What I find so compelling about Gaeilge is the highly figurative nature of the pattern of speech. There are few simple statements in Irish, each word tells a story. One of my favorite examples of this is bóin Dé, which means ladybug, but directly translates to God’s little cow. Another one I love is smugairle róin, jellyfish, or seal snot. Gaeilge to me is a beautifully unique language in that every noun has a thought process. Speaking the language offers a window into the development of Irish culture and how that led to the Ireland that exists today.
During the summer of 2023, I traveled to Gleann Cholm Cille in County Donegal and enrolled in a two week long language-intensive program sponsored by Fulbright. I had the personally and educationally transformative experience of getting to study Gaeilge with learners coming from all over the world. Not only was this opportunity vital to my growth in the language, but this was also the first time ever that I had gotten to travel abroad, and I found it so significant to have a cross-cultural experience like this one.
Culture is such a fundamental part of being human and it defines a lot of our behaviors. For many people, their native language serves as a crucial part of how they identify themselves and relate to the world around them. This is a major element of why I feel language studies can blend so fluidly with the social sciences. Aside from my Irish studies, my primary course of interest is in psychology. Although speaking Irish is not something that will likely influence my future career significantly, I do still want to be intentional about including my background with Gaeilge in my work. I believe that cultural differences are one of the fundamental cores of psychological understanding and research. I hope to involve myself in research that embraces different cultural experiences, and in particular investigates how language and identity are active proponents of psychological experiences and motives. After college, I intend to pursue a career in clinical psychology, and I feel that my experience interning in Dublin this summer will play a large role in making me a better psychologist one day.
This summer, I will be interning at Early Intervention Support Services (EISS), which is a support center that extends educational and behavioral assistance to children with autism, as well as to their families. EISS uses the principles of applied behavioral analysis (ABA) to offer individualized support to young children, aged three to six years. Throughout my internship, I will get to shadow tutors, create and assist with lesson plans, support the running of student programs, and assist with spontaneous language and other skill development. I am so excited to get to work with little kids and gain insight into the process of creating and adapting individualized intervention plans.
Aside from that, let me introduce myself a little bit personally! I am from Pittsburgh, I grew up in Morningside which is on the east end right by the zoo. I have two younger siblings, two cats, and a French bulldog. I love watching and playing soccer, reading, and any sort of craft! My favorite musical artists are Taylor Swift and Adrianne Lenker, and my favorite show at the moment is Veep.
I’m so excited to meet everyone, slán go fóill!