Staff Spotlight: Aoife Redmond

Aoife has been an International Education professional for over 10 years and has worked extensively worldwide and in Ireland leading groups of international students through academic, volunteer, and leadership programs. She joined UCD International in 2016 as the Arts and Humanities Study Abroad Manager and is now the International Programme Manager for the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Systems.

I had the opportunity to live with a hill tribe family in Chang Rai, Thailand for a short time, and it was incredible! We taught English in their school, helped on their farm, and visited groups within their village such as their Mayoral team, medics, and women's groups. It was truly an eye-opening experience!

I find it very heartening that the Nursing Study Abroad students we receive are just as dedicated to their future healthcare careers as our Irish students are. It makes me proud to know that the young people we work with will really make a difference in the world after their studies, and we get to be a small part of that. It motivates me to make the Study Abroad experience as smooth as possible for our incoming students and showcase our school as much as a positive and supportive learning hub.

My favorite stories are those where past students come back to visit the friends they have made at UCD and in Dublin for vacation.

I also love to hear about students who perhaps weren't accustomed to traveling before their Study Abroad semester and who are now travelling and experiencing new places whenever they can. I am extremely happy that these students get to do that because their semester showed them how small the world is and how important it is to see as much of it as possible!

If I could go back in time and study abroad during my own college experience, I would do that in a heartbeat! I traveled as an international student after my MA, and it was life changing. However, I also think that taking the leap during my undergrad would have been really impactful as a slightly younger person. Travel is ALWAYS the right choice and should be undertaken at every opportunity!

The UCD staff are completely dedicated to supporting our Study Abroad students and their experience in Dublin, Ireland and Europe. No matter what subject area a student may choose, there is a staff member they can touch base with before they arrive and meet with when they are here to help them navigate their time here. From choosing the right academic modules to helping them figure out how to get to the airport for their next adventure, the UCD staff are there help out in any way we can. Our priority is to deliver a great student experience all round, and that makes me proud.

Teamwork, understanding, and fun! International Education is a great industry to work in. It is ever changing, and we get to meet wonderful faculty and students semester after semester. Working together towards successful programming, understanding, and learning from our students’ experiences and having great fun along the way can only lead to great things!