John McLean (SPP ’15)

November 18, 2014

John is from Northern Ireland. He is studying at CEU thanks to the Alumni Scholarship, next|generation.

In his own words:

I grew up in a part of the U.K. where citizens have dual citizenship, Irish and British. I graduated in 2012 from St. Mary’s University College in Belfast, with a BA in History.

Our world is full of false boundaries and barriers, ranging from linguistic and cultural to national and geographical. Before CEU I worked with the charity called Spirit of Enniskillen, which worked to overcome the many divides between Belfast’s Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities. We also collaborated with similar organizations in divided societies in Sweden, England, Cyrpus and the United States, winning the Guardian Charity of the Year award in 2012.

I believe that open minds and dialogue across barriers are important starting points in overcoming these obstacles. I hope to use my time at CEU to gain knowledge and practical experience to allow me to fulfill my mission.

I would like to thank those who have contributed to the Alumni Scholarship; it is important that this opportunity is available.

Category: 

Share