Irish interns bid farewell at CSI graduation ceremony
Staten Island Advance
Saturday, December 13, 2003
Program attempts to bridge the divide between
students from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
 The
first time the group of 17 Irish interns met, they didn't know what
to expect.
They lived only miles apart, but came from a world of difference. It
didn't take long for the young men and women from Northern Ireland
and the Republic of Ireland to discover that the centuries-old
conflict between their cultures didn't matter much anymore.
Over dinner, they learned they all had the same interests and hopes
for the future. Over karaoke, they learned none of them could really
carry a tune.
Six weeks later, they met again in Dublin -- the night before their
journey to New York. The atmosphere was electric.
The following morning, they boarded a plane and arrived hours later,
jetlagged but wide-eyed. They found themselves on a bus to the
College of Staten Island, their home base for the next seven weeks.
 Yesterday,
their stay in the States culminated with a graduation ceremony at
CSI. On Sunday, they will return to the home they left behind, more
worldly and more accepting.
"Only through this international understanding will we ever have the
kind of peace we so desperately need and crave," CSI's president,
Dr. Marlene Springer, told the graduates.
The interns -- aged 18 to 27 -- are part of the Wider Horizons
Program, which attempts to bridge the divide between Northern
Ireland and the Republic of Ireland while providing work experience
abroad. It was run locally by Ann Helm, director of CSI's Center for
International Studies, and her crew.
While here, the interns worked at a number of locations, including
the Hilton Garden Inn, the Staten Island Zoo, Island Shores Senior
Residences, the Advance, ADCO Electrical Corp., and the offices of
several elected officials.
In only seven weeks, the interns came to love New York as if they
were natives.
"When it came to New York, to be quite honest, my impressions from
TV were quite dim," said Kevin Mc Cabe, 21, of County Leitrim, who
interned at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Livingston. "But after a
long, tiring flight, when I got here, it didn't matter. When I saw
the lights of New York City, I was exhilarated."
The group of 17 clicked immediately before leaving Ireland and the
same thing happened once they met their host families -- coordinated
by Mary and Michael McVey.
At yesterday's graduation, it was hard to tell who was more enriched
by the experience: The interns or their hosts.
"In showing New York and Washington, D.C., -- where we went over
Thanksgiving -- I rediscovered in a way a love for my city and my
nation," said Kathy Galvez who played host to Letitia Pearson and
Daniel Hughes. "More importantly, I found myself really caring about
these young people succeeding."
Their success was apparent from the start. From working and taking
classes at CSI to slipping on the ice-skating rink at Central Park
and experiencing their first Thanksgivings, the interns took to New
York and its people at first glance.
  "I
think this program has been a resounding success for everyone
involved," said Sean McGuigan, mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone
Borough Council, who traveled here especially for the ceremony with
Gerry McGee, County Leitrim Councillor and chairman of Mohill
Community Development Association.
Other dignitaries attending yesterday's ceremony included Borough
President James P. Molinaro, Assemblyman John Lavelle, Civil Court
Judge Michael Brennan and William Beattie, chief executive of
Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council.
Earlier in the day, the students met with Sen. Charles Schumer in a
classroom at CSI. While a congressman, he created the Schumer Visa
program, which provided green cards to Irish nationals.
"Only in America could the law that allows more Irish to come to
America be called the Schumer Visa," he said before launching into a
description of the nation's government and what he described as the
buzz of New York life and the charm of Staten Island, where the
biggest parade pays homage to St. Patrick.
"Staten Island is like a small town," he said. "The values of the
people always looking out for one another are very real. It is a
typical American place."
When Schumer asked who would like to come back to America for a
visit or possibly even a career, almost all the hands in the room
went up. Later in the day, the interns described their experiences
using what has become the new catchphrase for their American
friends: Brilliant.
"It only seems like yesterday that we landed," Mc Cabe said. "It's
an experience I'll never forget, something I will tell my children
about."
by Stephanie Slepian
Reprinted here with permission from the
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