Alainn Fitzgerald’s study abroad experience in Dublin, Ireland, didn’t go quite as planned — but it ultimately gave her lasting connections, personal growth, and a path into her future career.
Fitzgerald, a psychology student and recipient of the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, arrived in Dublin in January. She initially faced delays in getting started at her assigned internship. After three weeks of uncertainty and another three of seeking a new placement, she was finally matched with the WALK program, where she worked with adults with intellectual disabilities for six weeks. Fitzgerald got back to Pullman two months ago and, despite her shortened internship, she included it on her resume, which helped her get a job in her field of study upon returning.
“It has opened doors already,” she said. “I don’t think I would have gotten that job if it weren’t for my Ireland internship.”
Fitzgerald was one of six WSU recipients of the Gilman, an annual award created by the U.S. Department of State to enable undergraduates who received a Pell Grant to study abroad. Despite early difficulties with her assigned internship, the WALK program enabled her to forge a lasting connection with many of the patients she worked with in Dublin.
“I got very close to all of them, I think about them literally every day,” she said. “It bums me out I could only spend those six weeks with them instead of the full 12, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was so incredibly rewarding.”
The clients at WALK made her study abroad worthwhile, and she felt transformed by working with neurodivergent adults and their unique outlook.
“They don’t care what other people think of them. It is so freeing to be around someone like that,” she said. “They did make me a little card, I have it hanging up on my wall, and it’s framed.”
Gilman awardees receive up to a $5,000 scholarship to travel abroad at the destination of their choice. About 3,500 awards have been given out this year. A similar program is available to active military personnel through the John S. McCain (Gilman-McCain) International Scholarship for Military Families. The scholarship defrays the cost sometimes involved in a study abroad program. Applications for the next round of Gilman Scholarships are due Oct. 5.
Eight undergraduate students received Gilman awards for Summer 2025. They are listed below:
- Kayla Martin, Ghana
- Leisly Anay Hernadez Alvarado, Spain/Portugal
- Josiah Aldave, United Kingdom
- Daniel Purdy, Spain/Portugal
- Lanay Chuckulnaskit, Spain/Portugal
- Brenda Julian Pascual, Spain/Portugal
- Andrew Nolan, Germany
- Aarya Bajaj, United Kingdom
For Fitzgerald, the experience was a singular chance to be in a country she’d always wanted to visit.
“I wanted to go to Ireland since I was a little girl, since it’s in my heritage,” she said.
