John Horan ’22 credits his transformative study-abroad experience in Ireland, interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with shaping his personal growth, academic pursuits, and professional career as a screenwriter, spokesperson, and advocate for global education.

About one in five students at St. Norbert College study abroad. While most students complete full semesters learning in another country, the spring of 2020 introduced unexpected challenges for those studying overseas.

With a deep connection to his family’s strong Irish heritage, John Horan ’22 always knew he wanted to earn credits in Ireland. The opportunity came during his sophomore year; however, his experience was anything but ordinary. Horan was nearly three months into his classes at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick when news of a global pandemic began to spread. The trip he had dreamed of quickly turned upside down.

“At that point, no one knew how serious or widespread COVID was. Nobody even knew how badly people were going to get affected. Countries were figuring out how they were going to get people back,” said Horan.

Horan recalls impressive transparency and coordination with both St. Norbert and Mary Immaculate College.

“One thing that stuck out to me for (St.) Norbert: I was the only American student, international student, whose school was constantly keeping in touch with me. From the very first cases that were getting reported when it was just over in China, St. Norbert was updating me,” he said.

With rumors of a travel ban circulating, Horan knew he needed to start making arrangements to head back home to Chicago. While it was difficult leaving Ireland after such a short time, he knew he would be back. That determination carried with him after graduating from SNC.

“So when I went back to Mary Immaculate for my master’s, I did my script in the form of a dissertation as well as the research paper. I got into screenwriting over in Ireland and then coming back to Chicago, I’ve been working as a screenwriter, working in film production, audio visual production and also using my media degree that I got at St. Norbert,” he said.

Along with his professional career, Horan is also a spokesperson for Mary Immaculate College, and a strong advocate for St. Norbert’s study-abroad program.

“So I’ve had all these once-in-a-lifetime experiences all stemming from Mary Immaculate and SNC. It’s funny because on the résumé, when I’m trying to apply for jobs, I’m just like where do I go because I’ve just been pulled so many different directions,” Horan explained.

From meeting the U.S. ambassador to Ireland, then the Irish ambassador to the U.S., and even speaking to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C., Horan has had experiences he says are all thanks to SNC and Mary Immaculate.

“Independence, confidence in myself, all that stuff … the growth that I had at Limerick on my study abroad didn’t go away. It helped me to push through all the challenges of learning while going through COVID just like everybody at Norbs was, and graduate. It pushed me to go back and do my master’s. It’s pushed me into every job that I’ve gotten. Every opportunity that’s been presented to me, it all stemmed from going out and into the wider world and finding the self-confidence to keep that going.”