Study in Ireland
Summer Term A • May 16 - June 16, 2022
Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program • 6 Credit Hours
Application open to all Georgia Southern University undergraduate students
Program presented by the Honors College and the Center for Irish Research and Teaching, with assistance from the Office of the Provost (Wexford Campus unit) and the Office of Global Engagement
A reflection on the Inquiry Program from a former student, Jarvis Steele, who graduated from Georgia Southern in 2019, having double-majored in political science and philosophy. He is now a JD candidate at UGA Law School.
Jarvis (left) and fellow student Brittany Sealey explore a primary-source document at the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin. Being able to narrate work of this kind helps students when they seek employment or apply to graduate and professional programs.
Please Note
While the Inquiry Program makes every effort to deliver this study-abroad opportunity as detailed, some changes may occur due to unforeseen factors related to international travel. Should even small alterations prove necessary, the leadership team will communicate them to participants clearly and in a timely manner.
As soon as it becomes available, information about scholarships applicable to the Inquiry Program will appear on this webpage.
• Eligibility
• Where and When
• Number of Available Slots
• Number of Credit Hours
• Goals and Content
• Courses
Overview
Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program
Eligibility
We welcome applications from all Georgia Southern University undergraduate students who are 18 years of age or older before Monday, May 16, 2022, and whose GPA is at least 2.5. Each participating student must have a valid passport. If that is a United States passport, the expiration date (according to the US State Department) must be beyond six months of the student’s return date. The Inquiry Program’s final day — i.e. its return date to the US — is Thursday, June 16, 2022. If you need to apply for or renew a US passport, click here for the relevant State Department webpage.
US passport holders do not need a special visa to visit or study in Ireland, at least for short-term stays, such as ours. A valid US passport is the only requirement. If you are an enrolled Georgia Southern student with a non-US passport, you may need a visa to enter Ireland. To gain clarity on that matter, please contact Ms. Kristin Karam, Interim Director of our university’s Office of Global Engagement. That office will be pleased to assist you. Note: Timely action is necessary; the visa process can take several months.
As a study-abroad program, the Inquiry Program must register its participants with Ireland’s immigration authority upon their arrival in Ireland. The leadership team will ensure that this process is straightforward.
When and Where
Summer Term A 2022 begins on Monday, May 16, 2022, and runs for almost five weeks, until Thursday, June 16, 2022. The Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program spends the first week of Summer Term A in Statesboro and Savannah and the remaining weeks in Ireland. Our base in Ireland is Wexford, a county in the southeast of the country, about 90 miles south of Dublin. Wexford has special links to Savannah because during “prime time” for Irish migration into the city (late 1840s to mid-1850s), it was the only place in Ireland that provided a regular, direct passenger service — on the Dunbrody and other sailing ships. To this day, folk of Wexford descent are disproportionately represented within Savannah’s Irish community.
Wexford is home to Georgia Southern University’s first overseas campus. The campus’s learning hub was officially opened in November 2019, and it combines the new and the old: that is, state-of-the-art classrooms in a beautiful heritage building, constructed in 1812. While we utilize the learning hub extensively, we also work in archives (such as the Wexford County Archive) and enjoy multiple field trips of varied kinds. The trips reveal, in rich detail, historic monuments, buildings, and towns, plus the landscapes of southeast Ireland, from stunning mountains to some of Europe’s loveliest beaches. In addition, we experience what makes Irish culture unique — such ancient team sports as hurling; and community musical gatherings (sometimes in pubs), often associated with the Irish-language word céilí (pronounced “kay-lee”). Perhaps the best experiences result from interactions with Irish people, renowned as among earth’s friendliest. In parallel with its focus on academic success, the Inquiry Program prioritizes participants’ health and wellbeing. Ireland ranks among earth’s safest countries; Americans often remark that its police officers do not carry guns.
14 Openings • 2 Instructors
6 Credit Hours • Any (or No) Major
The Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program has 14 openings, and each participating student can earn six credit hours. Several competitive scholarships — some worth $1,200 each — are associated with this opportunity. The principal instructors are Dr. Francis Desiderio (PhD Emory University), Associate Director of the Honors College, and Dr. Howard Keeley (PhD Princeton University), Director of the Center for Irish Research and Teaching (CIRT). During a portion of the time in Ireland — June 4 through 12 — Dr. Keeley will be apart from the group occasionally; he must help facilitate a Georgia Southern alumni-and-friends visit to Wexford and some neighboring counties. We are thrilled that instruction will continue under Dr. Desiderio and Dr. Meaghan Dwyer-Ryan (PhD Boston College), Associate Director of CIRT. An expert on Irish and Jewish immigrant communities in the US, Dr. Dwyer-Ryan has extensive skills in archives-based research.
While the Inquiry Program originates with the Honors College and the Center for Irish Research and Teaching, a student does not have to be affiliated with either of those university units to apply. No specific major or concentration is required or preferred. Some of the best students on previous iterations of the Inquiry Program came from fields as diverse as mechanical engineering, graphic design, and middle-grades education! Our research is interdisciplinary, spanning history, the social sciences, economics, sport, and other topics.
Some images from a prior version of the Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program • (1) Students walk a portion of the medieval pilgrims’ way in Ardmore, County Waterford, where — before St. Patrick’s mission — St. Declan introduced Christianity to Ireland. • (2) Students observe and interact with a glass blower at the House of Waterford Crystal in Waterford City, place of manufacture of the Times Square New Year’s Eve ball and many major sporting trophies. • (3) Dr. Keeley lectures outdoors, at the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary, site of a spectacular suite of medieval buildings. • (4) Students hold the Wexford county colors while attending an inter-county hurling match at Wexford Park stadium.
Each participating student selects one course taught by Dr. Desiderio (for three credit hours) and one course taught by Dr. Keeley (for an additional three credit hours). Even though, technically, the Inquiry Program consists of two discrete courses, the educational experience encompasses much team-teaching by the instructors. Thus, engagement with what Ireland has to offer is coherent and holistic. In the past, the faculty and students have benefitted from meeting cultural luminaries, business CEOs, and Irish-government cabinet secretaries. Rest assured that we will provide some high-value happenings during Summer Term A 2022!
Goals and Content
Fundamental to the Inquiry Program is a careful investigation into the Wexford-Savannah Axis: the mid-nineteenth-century migration of hundreds of men, women, and children from County Wexford in southeast Ireland directly to Savannah, Georgia. That embrace of the American dream necessitated a North Atlantic sea journey of around 40 days. We use historic newspapers and such primary-source documents as naturalization forms, tax receipts, and board-of-health records: (1) to establish the push and pull factors that caused the leave-taking from Ireland; and (2) to discover the challenges and opportunities that the newcomers experienced in Savannah, known as the “hostess city” and the “forest city.” We call this kind of work “migration and integration studies.” It has become more relevant than ever, for today over 65 million people worldwide are displaced from their homes.
We access documentary evidence in digitized collections — for example, the Georgia Historic Newspapers database. But we also search for and scrutinize hard-copy material in archives. Pictured below are students doing the latter kind of work during prior versions of the Inquiry Program.
On the left: In the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin, undergraduate James Devlin examines 170-year-old shipping records (unopened in over a century) that pertain to trade and emigration between Wexford and Savannah. On the right: In Hodgson Hall, the research center of the Georgia Historical Society in Savannah, members of the Inquiry Program team record and synthesize data about Wexford immigrants who impacted their adopted home.
There are multiple ways to think about populations. Given the data we have to hand, one potentially useful statistic is that of the 5,054 white males over 18 that the Federal Census of 1860 recorded as living in Savannah, 22.63% were natives of the state of Georgia while 31.81% were natives of the country of Ireland. During the decade ending in 1860, Savannah’s Irish population more than doubled, from 1,555 to 3,145. Drilling down to the peak years of Irish entry into Savannah (1848 to 1852), we observe that 56.1% of those arriving identified Wexford as their county of origin, a reflection of the availability of non-stop winter sailings by three Wexford-based shipping companies.
An exciting aspect of the Inquiry Program for Summer Term A 2022 is that our faculty-student team will shape some of its research findings into public-history material for a new project, the Frogtown Tenement Museum, overseen by the Savannah-headquartered Coastal Heritage Society (CHS). Already, CHS operates several museums, not least the Pinpoint Heritage Museum, which celebrates the Gullah-Geechee community that developed a successful oyster-and-crab industry on the banks of the Moon River, just south of Savannah. The emerging Tenement Museum consists of two wood-frame houses, designed to focus, respectively, on the Irish immigrant and African-American experiences in Frogtown, a historically multiethnic neighborhood on Savannah’s westside, beside the Central of Georgia rail complex. Among the stakeholders engaging with the initiative is the Washington, DC-based African American Irish Diaspora Network. Being able to narrate work and connections of this sort will significantly enhance a student’s résumé.
Frogtown and Yamacraw, to the west of downtown Savannah, and Old Fort, to the east, developed into multi-ethnic neighborhoods with significant Irish populations. Immigrants from County Wexford, Ireland, developed successful businesses in the decades after the Civil War — for example, Daniel O’Connor’s blacksmithing and carriage-making enterprise in Yamacraw and William Kehoe’s iron works at Trustees’ Garden in Old Fort.
Courses
When applying for the summer Term A Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program, each student must select two courses. Please indicate your choices on the application form, accessible via a link towards the bottom of this webpage. You do not need to register for the courses via WINGS.
Once accepted into the Inquiry Program, the instructors will work with you to navigate the registration portal maintained by Georgia Southern University’s Office of Global Engagement. Once that process is complete, your chosen courses will appear in your WINGS account.
As with all study-abroad programs, costs quoted for the Inquiry Program do not include the amount GS charges for tuition and fees. However, if you receive the HOPE scholarship, it will pay for your Ireland tuition, just as it covers tuition for your Savannah, Hinesville, Statesboro, or online courses.
For students assembling five courses (i.e. 15 credits) to complete the Interdisciplinary Minor in Irish Studies, any course offered as part of the Inquiry Program will count towards that goal.
Choose One Course Taught by Dr. Desiderio
francisdesiderio@georgiasouthern.edu
• HONS 1134 \ Inquiry in Global Issues (open to both Honors and non-Honors students; counts in Area B)
Other potential course designations:
• SABR 2960 \ Study Abroad: Ireland (counts in Area B)
• INTS 4090 \ Selected Topics in International Studies: Irish Emigration to Georgia
Choose One Course Taught by Dr. Keeley
hkeeley@georgiasouthern.edu
• HONS 1132 \ Inquiry in the Humanities (open to both Honors and non-Honors students; counts in Area C)
Other potential course designations:
• SABR 2960 \ Study Abroad: Ireland (counts in Area B)
• IRSH 3090 \ Selected Topics in Irish Studies: Savannah’s Wexford Diaspora
• ENGL 3090 \ Selected Topics in Literature: Irish-American Diaspora Literature with Archival Research
If you have questions about making your course choices, you are welcome to contact one or both of the instructors. In most cases, an even better person to contact is your academic advisor, for she/he has access to your entire program of study and, thus, will be able to indicate how or if a given course can be used to fulfill a requirement in a particular Area.
• Program Charge
• Scholarships
• Transatlantic Air Travel
• Covid
• Lodging
• Dates and Deadlines
Costs and Calendar
Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program
Program Charge and Scholarships
The overall cost of the six-credit-hour Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program is $3,600 per student. As with the vast majority of Georgia Southern University study-abroad programs, that cost (generally known as the “program charge”) excludes: (1) roundtrip airfare; and (2) what the university invoices for tuition and fees. Bear in mind that for eligible students, the State of Georgia’s HOPE scholarship will cover tuition. Bear in mind, too, that in connection with the Inquiry Program, significant additional scholarship monies are available.
Three main sets of non-HOPE scholarship funds exist: Honors College study-abroad scholarships; Center for Irish Research and Teaching scholarships; and Savannah Council for World Affairs scholarships. Once you are accepted into the Inquiry Program, you become eligible to apply for any relevant scholarships. Furthermore, Drs. Desiderio and Keeley, as well as Ms. Kristin Karam (Director of the Office of Global Engagement), will be delighted to help you with the scholarship-application process. In some past iterations of the Inquiry Program, 100% of participants received non-HOPE scholarship support of at least $800 each.
The $3,600 program charge provides, at a minimum, the following services, benefits, and activities:
• During the first, Georgia-based week of the semester, all return transportation between campus — whether Statesboro or Armstrong — and any field-trip destinations in or around Savannah (for example, the Frogtown Tenement Museum, the City of Savannah Municipal Archives).
• On the day of the group’s outbound flight, for students availing of the group-flight option (see below), travel between campus — whether Statesboro or Armstrong — and Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport.
• On the day of the group’s return flight, for students availing of the group-flight option, transportation between Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport and campus — whether Armstrong or Statesboro.
• In Ireland, all scheduled Inquiry Program ground transportation, including pick-up at Dublin International Airport on arrival day and delivery to Dublin International Airport on departure day.
• Entry, guide, and other costs associated with field trips, whether to conduct research in Irish archives or to explore sites of cultural interest in County Wexford and its hinterland, as well as Dublin City.
• Some meals in Ireland, including (but not limited to) a main meal on arrival day, a group banquet during the final week, and packed lunches for all field trips.
• During the first week, accommodation in a Georgia Southern University student-housing complex on the Armstrong campus (a benefit that the student may decline, resulting in reimbursement of a portion of the program charge).
• Accommodation in Ireland, primarily at Talbot Suites, Wexford Town: high-quality, furnished apartments, each with a fully equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer, two bedrooms (one to two beds per room), two bathrooms, a living room with multi-channel TV, a weekly change of bed linens and towels, free wifi, and gym access (use at own risk).
• Comprehensive insurance, including healthcare services, as mandated by the University System of Georgia. Our base in Ireland, Wexford Town, features a comprehensive hospital; in addition, the Inquiry Program has identified a primary physician for non-hospital needs.
• Some items of clothing — for example, polo shirts and/or fleeces — with official Georgia Southern and Inquiry Program logos (which students will be required to wear for official photographs and on other occasions).
Since at least the nineteenth century, County Wexford has proudly used the moniker, “The Model County,” a reflection of the work ethic and progressiveness of its people.
Transatlantic Air Travel
Each participating student is permitted to make their own round-trip flight arrangements, so long as the student is present at Georgia Southern University’s Wexford Campus in time for the start of the first class of the first full instructional day in Ireland (i.e. 9:00 am, local time, on Monday, May 23, 2022). However, to simplify matters, the Inquiry Program is pleased to make flight arrangements for all students who wish to avail of that service. Those students will travel with at least one faculty leader on designated flights. The final flight itinerary has not yet been confirmed, but the probable departure date for Ireland will be Sunday, May 22, 2022, and the likely route will be Savannah-New York (JFK)-Dublin, with no terminal change in New York. Almost certainly, the return date will be Thursday, June 16, 2021 — the last day of Summer Term A — arriving in Savannah in the late afternoon or early evening.
Students wishing to have the Inquiry Program organize their air travel (as detailed above) will have to commit to — and be able to pay in full for — that option before 5:00 pm Eastern on Friday, March 25, 2021. The Inquiry Program’s leadership team will communicate with students regularly and clearly as the air-travel arrangements become confirmed. The prices of tickets for air travel are always in flux. The estimate of $1,300 is fairly conservative, so we hope that the final price will be less than that amount.
Covid
In recent years, the Covid pandemic has impacted international travel and, therefore, study-abroad programs. At the time of writing (early fall 2021), air travel between the US and Ireland is open for all individuals, 12 years of age and older, who possess proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid. Furthermore, Ireland is warmly welcoming visits by Covid-proofed citizens and legal residents of the US. As the University System of Georgia mandates that students and faculty members must comply with a host nation’s regulations, you cannot be accepted into the Inquiry Program without evidence of having completed a Covid vaccination (two shots, in the case of the Pfizer and Moderna treatments).
Ireland has responded to Covid with overwhelming social cohesion; over 90% of its eligible citizens are vaccinated (the second-highest rate in Europe).
In addition to observing US mandates while in — or returning to — this country, participants in the Inquiry Program must abide by any Covid-related regulations and protocols, such as mask-wearing, established by the airline, as well as the host country. At present, other than displaying proof of full vaccination, one does not need to take a Covid test within a certain window prior to entering Ireland. By contrast, the US requires each incoming air traveler to have had a negative Covid test shortly before departing Ireland for this country. If that regime remains in place at the time of the Inquiry Program, the leadership team will organize Covid testing in Ireland at no cost to the students.
We are mindful of the possibility that a new wave of Covid may emerge and cause the reimposition of travel restrictions. However, given the widespread adoption of vaccinations, such a scenario is increasingly unlikely. Should a severe wave of Covid make travel to Ireland impossible during May and June 2022 (by order of the University System of Georgia, the State of Georgia, or the Government of Ireland), the Inquiry Program will return to students any payments received, excluding the non-refundable portion of the program charge.
Please note: In the case of a Covid-relation cancelation of travel, a student will be obliged to give back to the Georgia Southern University Foundation any GS scholarship disbursement received in connection with the Inquiry Program.
Lodging
For accommodation in Ireland, the Inquiry Program primarily uses Talbot Suites at Stonebridge, in the heart of Wexford Town, near Georgia Southern University’s Wexford Campus. The complex consists of high-quality, furnished apartments outfitted for self-catering. A major grocery store (Tesco) is located nearby, making shopping for food and other items simple. While Wexford Town boasts a range of restaurants and cafés, being able to make meals in your apartment saves money. Each unit has a fully equipped kitchen, a washer and dryer, an iron and ironing board, two bedrooms (one to two beds per room), two bathrooms, and a living room with multi-channel TV. Services included in the accommodation package include: a weekly change of bed linens and towels; free wifi; and gym access (use at own risk).
Irish power outlets deliver 230 volts, while US ones deliver just 100 volts. Your will need to bring to Ireland one or more plug adapters to fit a US plug into an Irish power outlet. The best type of adapter for use in Ireland is a Type G. Cell phones and laptop computers are usually dual-voltage and, thus, you will be able to safely charge them by means of a Type G adapter. US hairdryers, curling irons, and similar heat-generating items generally cannot handle the Irish system’s higher voltage and may melt down or go on fire. If you require such items, the best course of action is to purchase Irish-compatible versions of them once you arrive in Wexford Town.
Orientation Sessions • FAQs
As well as being available to answer questions in person and by other means (email, Zoom, phone), the Inquiry Program’s leadership team will hold several pre-trip orientation sessions during spring semester 2022, as will the Office of Global Engagement.
Weather? In Ireland in May and June, the weather is generally mild, with daytime temperatures ranging from the high 50s to the mid-60s Fahrenheit. While some rain is likely, one notes that County Wexford is popularly known as “Ireland’s Sunny Southeast.”
Essential Items? We recommend that you have: (1) clothes suitable for layering; (2) a light, rainproof jacket; and (3) comfortable, water-resistant walking shoes.
Dress Guidelines? Casual dress dominates the Irish scene; however, please include one set of smart clothing in your luggage. Students are asked to pack khaki-colored pants or skirts for events that require us to represent Georgia Southern University in a formal capacity. When flying as a group, working in archives, and on other occasions, students may be required to wear the Inquiry Program polo shirts and/or fleeces provided to them (for keeps). Please bring, if possible, some Georgia Southern-branded T-shirts, sweatshirts, and similar items; and please do not bring garments that advertise other colleges and universities — or that advertise high schools or non-Georgia Southern sports teams. A strong possibility exists that our institution’s president, Dr. Kyle Marrero, will join us for a few days in Ireland.
Luggage Allowance? Most transatlantic flights permit, at no additional charge, one carry-on item — for example, a small backpack — and, in addition, one piece of checked luggage (so long as the suitcase weighs no more than 50 pounds and measures no more than 67 inches in total dimensions).
Money? Ireland uses the Euro currency. Exchange rates are market-driven and, thus, vary over time. A ball-park rate is: one Euro equals $1.16. ••• Credit cards: If you intend to make credit-card purchases while traveling, check with your card company about whether it will charge you a fee for foreign transactions. There are plenty of credit cards that do NOT charge such a fee. ••• Bank (i.e. debit) cards: Most US bank cards work in Irish ATMs, and deploying that mechanism to obtain cash avoids dealing with the commission-charging currency-exchange counters at airports. Again: clarify if a foreign-transaction fee will be triggered by use of your bank card in an Irish ATM. (We recommend ATMs associated with Bank of Ireland or Allied Irish Banks.) ••• A week or so prior to departing for Ireland, inform your credit-card company and your bank that you will be in Ireland over a specific range of dates.
Extending the Trip? Students may make their own flight arrangements; thus, it is possible to remain in Ireland or Europe after the conclusion of the Inquiry Program. Please note that individual European countries vary as regards visa requirements for US citizens.
Processing the Program Charge ($3,600)? Georgia Southern University’s Office of Global Engagement maintains a secure online payment portal. Via that portal, students, their parents, or other persons can make payments towards the program charge, using a credit card. Beginning on November 1, 2021, full or partial payments are accepted at any time, 24/7. Three specific deadlines exist. First: By 5:00 pm Eastern on Friday, March 25, 2022, a participating student’s account must be in receipt of at least $500 (the non-refundable deposit). Second: By 5:00 pm on Friday, April 8, 2022, the account must contain at least $1,500 (inclusive of the deposit). Third: By 5:00 pm on Friday, April 29, the account must contain the full program charge ($3,600), inclusive of the deposit. Further details about the payment schedule appear in the Calendar section, which follows on this webpage. Many students find that Thanksgiving and the Holidays provide opportunities to share with generous relatives details about plans to study in Ireland. Contributions from multiple sources can help with achieving the program charge. And, of course, one should apply for all relevant scholarships, whether from Georgia Southern University, the Savannah Council for World Affairs, your hometown Lions Club, or another source.
Beginning on October 13, 2021, you can apply to the Inquiry Program at any time. Applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, so it is wise to submit your material as soon as possible.
At-a-Glance Calendar
• The following information is presented in good faith; however, some details may change
• Check back regularly for updates, such as the addition of new scholarship opportunities
• All times are United States Eastern, unless otherwise stated
October 13, 2021 (Wednesday)
Launch of the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program at the Statesboro Campus Study Abroad Fair: Russell Union Ballroom; 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
October 20, 2021 (Wednesday)
Information table about the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program at Armstrong Campus Study Abroad Fair: Student Union; 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
March 21, 2022 (Monday)
5:00 pm deadline for receipt of applications to participate in the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program • While this date constitutes the final opportunity to apply, you are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible
March 25, 2022 (Friday) • First Program Payment: $500 Deposit
5:00 pm deadline for receipt of the $500 non-refundable deposit for the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program • With the exception of the optional airline-ticket procurement service, all payments associated with the Inquiry Program are made online via a secure portal, operated by Georgia Southern University’s Office of Global Engagement • Once you have been admitted into the Inquiry Program, the leadership team (Drs. Desiderio and Keeley) will help you to access and navigate the portal • Between November 1, 2021, and April 29, 2022, the portal accepts full or partial payments, 24/7
March 28, 2022 (Monday)
For those students electing to fly with the group, under the supervision of at least one member of the Inquiry Program leadership team: 5:00 pm deadline for receipt of full payment for airline tickets (Savannah-Dublin roundtrip) • In early fall 2021, the average “main cabin” (as opposed to “basic economy”) cost quoted by most airlines for our travel dates was $1,100; however, air-travel prices vary from hour to hour • When making group-travel arrangements, the Inquiry Program works with Burns Travel of Statesboro, Georgia, a respected travel agency that has served the university since 1978 • Please note: payment for an airline ticket is handled outside the portal used to process the program charge ($3,600) • As airline tickets are issued for individual travelers, no reimbursement is possible if, for any reason, a student does not use a ticket or tickets
April 8, 2022 (Friday) • Second Program Payment: $1,500
5:00 pm deadline for receipt of the second payment ($1,500) for the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program • Added to the deposit (i.e. the first payment), the second payment brings to $2,000 the funds in a student’s account • With the exception of the optional airline-ticket procurement service, all payments associated with the Inquiry Program are made online via a secure portal, operated by Georgia Southern University’s Office of Global Engagement • Between November 1, 2021, and April 29, 2022, the portal accepts full or partial payments, 24/7
April 11, 2022 (Monday)
5:00 pm deadline for receipt of applications for the Eddie Ivie Scholarship for Study in Ireland (worth up to $1,200), managed by the Center for Irish Research and Teaching • Applications are limited to students who have been accepted into the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program
April 11, 2022 (Monday)
Up to 5:00 pm, a student may withdraw from the Inquiry Program and receive a refund of all but $1,000 of monies lodged as payments in that student’s account towards the overall program charge
April 29, 2022 (Friday) • Third and Final Program Payment: $1,600
5:00 pm deadline for receipt of the third and final payment ($1,600) for the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program • Added to the deposit (i.e. the first payment) and the second payment, the third payment brings to $3,600 the funds in a student’s account • With the exception of the optional airline-ticket procurement service, all payments associated with the Inquiry Program are made online via a secure portal, operated by Georgia Southern University’s Office of Global Engagement • Between November 1, 2021, and April 29, 2022, the portal accepts full or partial payments, 24/7
May 2, 2022 (Monday)
Up to 5:00 pm, a student may withdraw from the Inquiry Program and receive a refund of all but $3,000 of monies lodged as payments in that student’s account towards the overall program charge • After 5:00 pm on May 2, 2022, no refunds are possible
May 16, 2022 (Monday)
First day of the Summer Term A 2022 Inquiry Program • During the initial week (through Friday, May 20, 2022), most content is delivered in Savannah
May 22, 2022 (Sunday)
Target date for outbound group transatlantic flight: Savannah to Dublin • Students may avail of the group-flight option, or they may make individual plans (for example, flying from Atlanta to Dublin) • On Monday, May 23, 2022, most incoming overnight flights from North America arrive in Dublin International Airport between 5:00 am and 11:00 am (local time), allowing the Inquiry Program to gather students together if they are traveling on different flights
June 16, 2022 (Thursday)
Return group transatlantic flight: Dublin to Savannah • Students may avail of the group-flight option, or they may make individual plans (for example, flying from Dublin to Atlanta) • Good news: When flying directly to the US from Dublin, travelers process through United States custom services and immigration control in a special zone in Terminal 2 of Dublin International Airport • Upon arrival in the US, they simply exit the aircraft as if coming off a domestic flight; no additional processing occurs
Apply Now
Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program
As the Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program offers only 14 slots — and as the review of applications occurs on a rolling basis — the best strategy is to submit your initial application as soon as possible. The link to a secure Google form containing the initial application features in this section of the webpage. That application consists of three simple sections: General Questions; Four Brief Essay Questions; Identification of Recommender. Once you complete the prompts and submit the form, it will be reviewed in a timely manner by the leadership team. You should expect a definitive response no later than three weeks after submission — probably sooner.
Upon a successful initial application, a student will interface with Dr. Desiderio and/or Dr. Keeley to complete the necessary step of registering with Georgia Southern University’s Office of Global Engagement. In effect, this step is a second application, necessary to get you into the system managed by Global Engagement.
For security reasons, when attempting to access the application form, ensure that you are logged into your Georgia Southern University account. In general, a computer (as opposed to a tablet or phone) yields the best experience for those engaging with the form. If you encounter technical difficulties or have questions, please email Dr. Francis Desiderio:
francisdesiderio@georgiasouthern.edu.
Below, please find the questions that appear on the form.
Questions to Answer
General Questions
• Your First Name
• Your Preferred Name
• Your Last (Family) Name
• Your Eagle ID Number (Nine Digits)
• Your Georgia Southern Email Address (Ending with @georgiasouthern.edu)
• Your Cell Phone Number with Area Code
• Your Current Academic Classification (Freshman / Sophomore / Junior / Senior)
• Your Major/s
• Your Minor/s (If Applicable)
• Your Current GPA at Georgia Southern
• Your County of Citizenship
• Your Passport Number (If You Have One) | Name of Issuing Country | Expiration Date
• Your Full Name as It Appears on Your Current Passport (If You Have One)
• Your Date of Birth (Month / Day / Year)
• Emergency Contact Information | Please provide emergency-contact information for at least one person (but ideally more) who will be in the United States during our travels. In each case, include the following data: (1) Name; (2) Relationship to Student; (3) Cell Phone Number; (4) Home Phone Number; (5) Work Phone Number; (6) Email Address; (7) Home Address
• Course taught by Dr. Desiderio in which you are most interested (expressing a preference is not a commitment)
• Course taught by Dr. Keeley in which you are most interested
Four Brief Essay Questions
In mini-essays of approximately 250 words each, please answer the following FOUR questions.
QUESTION 1 • Why would you like to participate in the Wexford-Savannah Inquiry Program during Summer Term A of 2022? How will the experience contribute to your goals for personal and professional development?
QUESTION 2 • How will this research-centered experience complement or supplement your course of study?
QUESTION 3 • Briefly describe any previous international experiences you have had. Obviously, the term "international experiences" applies to foreign travel, but certain experiences here in the United States might also qualify as "international." In addition, enumerate any of your skills or interests that may prove useful to the Inquiry Program. Examples from prior iterations of the initiative include (but are not limited to): choral singing; graphic design; photography; varsity and club sports; group-leadership; yoga-teaching.
QUESTION 4 • Briefly describe any previous research experiences you have had, whether at Georgia Southern or in another venue. Explain how those experiences may have prepared you for the research on this program. (Please note: No prior research experience is required; we simply want to know the level of preparation of the participants.)
Identification of Recommender
Please provide the name, the email address, and the departmental affiliation of a Georgia Southern professor or instructor from whom you have taken a course. Before entering these data, be sure to seek the person's permission. When considering your application, we will possibly contact the named individual and ask her/him/them to address, via a short conversation, your qualities as a student.