The Mitchell Scholarship

Photos by Lorraine O’Sullivan

Last night, at Dublin’s Royal Irish Academy, an audience of 100 guests welcomed the 20th Class of George J. Mitchell Scholars to the island of Ireland for a year. 

Trina Vargo, founder and president of the US-Ireland Alliance, introduced the twelve Scholars who will study at universities across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The group was chosen from 370 applicants, the highest number in the history of one of the most prestigious opportunities for American post-graduates.

Vargo created the scholarship program in the wake of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Concerns have been raised about the threat posed to the agreement should the United Kingdom leave the European Union next month with no deal regarding the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Vargo noted that Brexit is another reminder of the need to redouble efforts to build ties and relationships that have been taken for granted and diminished due to several factors, including changing demographics in the United States.  

The most sizable contributions to the Mitchell Scholarship program are being made by the Ireland’s Department of Education and Skills, as well as American corporations such as Pfizer and Morgan Stanley.

Ian McKenna, of the International Cooperation Section of Ireland’s Department of Education and Skills, spoke eloquently about Brexit, Northern Ireland and the importance of education in bridging the divide between communities.  He talked about “why we celebrate and fight for peace.” He encouraged the Scholars to spend time in Northern Ireland if they’re not studying there and said that he hoped that they will tell others at home in the United States that “this peace is worth fighting for.”

Traveling from New York City to participate was Justin McCarthy, Pfizer’s Vice President of Patient and Health Impact. This year marks Pfizer’s 50th year in Ireland, employing 3,700 people today across six sites in Ireland.

McCarthy encouraged the future leaders to consider a career in business. He noticed, as a member of the Mitchell Scholarship selection committee, how few applicants held a passion for business. He reflected that the reasons were “probably multifaceted and likely have some grounding in a concern that business is profit driven.” But he added that, “today’s corporations are much more than profit centers. Companies like Pfizer (and others attending this event) create jobs, develop talent, invest in communities and engage in philanthropic work.” He mentioned the recent initiative of the Business Roundtable, a powerful business coalition, which recently stated that “today’s corporations have a commitment to all stakeholders including investing in employees, dealing fairly with suppliers, supporting communities in which we work, and generating long term value for shareholders. This was a statement backed by nearly 200 chief executive officers from some of the world’s largest companies, like Tim Cook at Apple, Jamie Dimon at JPMorgan and, my boss Albert Bourla at Pfizer. This is important news for all of us who combine a passion for business and an understanding that success can connect to a larger social purpose. Mitchell Scholars are selected based on demonstrated commitment and accomplishment in academic excellence, leadership and community service. I would love to see more scholars consider the possibility of a career in the private sector and utilize those skills to move the needle even further on the commitment to all stakeholders.”

Among the guests were other executives from Pfizer, including Managing Director Paul Reid and Director of Corporate Affairs, Karen O’Keeffe; several members of the pharmaceutical industry community; Liz O’Donnell, Michael Harty, TD; David FitzPatrick, President of the Technological University of Dublin; supporters Richard O’Sullivan and Ciara Heslin; Alliance board members Brian Barrington and Garrett Kelleher; journalists, authors, and professors. There were several guests from film, television and music, people frequently seen at the Alliance’s annual Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles.  Also on hand were Desiree Finnegan, the new CEO of Screen Ireland and several members of the US and Irish diplomatic services, including former Irish Ambassador to the US, Sean O hUiginn. Entrepreneurs in the room included Mark Little and Mitchell Scholars Matt Cortland (founder of The Cauldron), and Travis Davis (a founder of Starling, a med-tech start-up that is developing a new kind of suture).

Guests were also treated to a tasting of Wilde Irish Gin, a new spirit founded by former Fair City actor, Victor Burke. 

The 2020 Class of Scholars will spend the next two days together before dispersing to their respective universities. They will visit Pfizer’s Grange Castle plant, the EPIC Museum, Dublin’s new Museum of Literature and attend a performance of Beckett’s Room at the Gate Theatre. Mitchell Scholar Nicholas Johnson is dramaturg for the play.