Mitchell Scholars Delve Into Irish Culture, Too

from the New York Times

July 30, 2003

DUBLIN, July 29 - When Emily Mark arrived in Dublin to study art history at Trinity College, she postponed worrying about classes until she found a traditional musician to teach her the Irish style of playing five-string claw-hammer banjo.

This month, Ms. Mark completed a Mitchell Scholarship, a program that often sounds more like a cultural immersion course than the pursuit of a master's degree. Named in honor of former Senator George J. Mitchell for his role in the Northern Irish peace process, the scholarship's explicit objective is to instill an appreciation for Ireland in a generation of up-and-coming Americans