Emily Bolton | Vira I. Heinz Program | University of Pittsburgh

International Experience Country:

Ireland

Cohort Year:

2022

Home Institution:

Bio:

Emily Bolton is a junior at Carlow University studying Psychology with a concentration in counseling and a minor in communication. She plans on attending graduate school to obtain her Masters’s of Social Work. She would like to eventually counsel children and families. Outside of school, Emily enjoys the outdoors, spending time with her cat, and reading. She also loves spending time with her friends and meeting new people. Having come from a small area, she would love to learn about mental health in other cultures across the globe.

International Experience Summary:

Emily Bolton spent 4 weeks living in Sligo, Ireland. She was a part of a group of students from Carlow University that spent time working with the special needs population in a variety of services. While in Sligo, Emily volunteered at a day center for adults with special needs. The center assisted the service users with securing work experiences, grocery shopping, recreational activities, and overall functioning. From spending much of her time at the center, Emily was able to experience how the special needs population is treated in Ireland. She assisted in shopping outings as well as creating resumes for the service users to obtain work experiences. She learned just how independent those with special needs can be.

On the weekends and evenings, Emily went on different excursions with her classmates from Carlow. One of Emily’s favorites was learning about the deep history that was rooted in almost anything. By visiting the Tobernalt Holy Well, she discovered how important religion had always been to the Irish. During her third weekend, Emily and her classmates took the train to Dublin and spent the night at Trinity College. There, she was delighted to visit Mercy International, the home of Catherine McAuley, the founder of Sisters of Mercy, who founded Carlow University. Through her time in Ireland, Emily deepened her interpersonal skills while obtaining experience and knowledge for her future career in social services

Community Engagement Experience Summary:

CEE Title: “Healthcare from Different Perspectives”

Our CEE was titled, “Healthcare from Different Perspectives.” Our vision for our CEE was to increase awareness and knowledge of different health systems and care in Ireland and the Netherlands. Nicole Ducray focused on presenting the social health determinants that affect the Dutch as well as issues pertaining to the country. She expanded on how the ways healthcare is approached in The Netherlands and how it could be something for The United States to consider. She also educated the attendees, many public health students, about public health policies in that country. I educated the attendees of the CEE event on the differences of care for those with special needs in Ireland and how that care model is beneficial. I highlighted her experience working with those with intellectual disabilities at a local day center, which included going on outings with the service users as well as assisting in community programs within the center. Cultural humility played a huge role in Emily’s experience at the day center. Lastly, we both talked about how our experience abroad helped us gain knowledge that we can use as we further our education and through our career