St. Thomas Aquinas College Student Embarks on Co-Op Journey in Dublin, Ireland

St. Thomas Aquinas College is delighted to announce that current Hospitality Management student Mary Kate Henry ‘24, the second recipient of the College’s Experiential Learning Opportunity Fund (ELOF), recently began her 6-month experiential learning opportunity in Ireland.

Working in a Co-Op with Croke Park Meetings & Events in Dublin, Ireland in the Event Operations department, Mary Kate will gain invaluable hands-on experience. Croke Park Meetings & Events is one of the world’s most unique, sustainable, and flexible venues bringing people together for live, hybrid and virtual events that educate, inspire, and entertain. Home of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Croke Park welcomes over 1,500,000 visitors annually to national and international events and the Croke Park campus also features Croke Park Meetings & Events and GAA Museum & Tours.

Fiona Cronin, Meeting & Events Department Manager at Croke Park Meetings & Events shared: “Mary Kate is doing fantastic. She is picking things up so quickly, we’re blown away.” Mary Kate is gearing up to manage incoming queries and correspondence related to Croke Park concert schedules. She will also gain an understanding of corporate events and event sales.

Professor Angela McDonnell spoke about the unique opportunity that a Co-Op allows for St. Thomas Aquinas College students–to work full-time and also achieve credits simultaneously so they remain full-time at the College while abroad. Upon graduating from St. Thomas Aquinas, Mary Kate plans to follow a career path in Event Management. 

St. Thomas Aquinas College President Ken Daly, Dean of the School of Business Michael Murphy, VP of Institutional Advancement Thomas Flood, and Professor Angela McDonnell were delighted to present Mary Kate with a $1,500 check from the College’s Experiential Learning Opportunity Fund, which will help her during her Co-Op journey in Ireland. Co-Ops are a key component of experiential learning, giving students a taste of what the real world is like and helps develop critical skills directly in the workplace.