Professor Dermot Nestor, President of Mary Immaculate College (MIC), alongside Fionnuala Quinlan, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland, representing H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, recently co-hosted an exceptional gathering of 130 distinguished guests at The Residence of Ireland in Washington, D.C.
The event on 31 January brought together presidents and representatives from partner universities, many of whom were attending the Annual Meeting of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) held last weekend in the nation’s capital.
In addition, several guests travelled from afar, including alumni, current students, and members of MIC’s extended academic community, to partake in this special gathering—which also marked the beginning of Professor Nestor's presidency of MIC, adding an extra layer of significance to this year's event.
The reception featured a series of heartfelt and inspiring speeches that touched on the themes of international collaboration, academic excellence, and the enduring strength of partnerships between MIC and its global allies.
In his speech, Professor Nestor expressed deep gratitude to the Embassy for hosting the event, particularly in celebration of St Brigid’s Day weekend. He acknowledged the contributions of all those present, including both the ACCU attendees and the numerous partners who travelled to D.C. specifically for the evening’s festivities. He also remarked on the personal joy of transitioning from being a guest at such events in the past to co-hosting this one alongside the Embassy in his new role.
He remarked: “The connections between Ireland and the United States exist on levels that challenge the instrumentalism of numbers and analytics, and that defy any primordial appeal to genetics. They come to expression through the shared participation in international organisations and bilateral arrangements that are framed by an inherent commitment to shared objectives and shared values: collaboration, cooperation, and as a result, community.”
Professor Nestor’s remarks were followed by words from DCM Quinlan; past MIC Study Abroad student Hagan Carlin of Le Moyne College, and MIC doctoral student, Leah Elsted, who recently participated in an Erasmus+ research stay at UC Berkeley. Each speaker reflected on the value of educational exchanges and the importance of fostering meaningful global connections.
This event builds on a strong tradition of collaboration between MIC and the Embassy of Ireland to the US. H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason kindly hosted similar receptions for MIC at her residence in 2024 and 2023, and her predecessor, H.E. Daniel Mulhall, had previously welcomed MIC guests at the Embassy of Ireland in Washington, D.C. in 2018 and 2022. These gatherings have always served as a testament to the longstanding and fruitful partnerships that MIC shares with universities across the United States and Australia, many of which are involved in student and staff exchange programmes with the College.
Dr Holly Cowman, Director of International Engagement at MIC noted: “We greatly value the shared knowledge, friendship, and solidarity these international relationships afford, and we are thankful that events like this allow us to further develop our strategic academic partnerships.”
