In mid-March of 2020, 28 Egan School nursing students had to quickly vacate their semester-long study abroad program in Galway, Ireland and return to the U.S. due to growing worries over the Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the program’s academics were moved online, so students experienced a seamless continuation of their coursework despite having to return early to their respective homes.

Still, there was little time to say goodbye to new friends, thrilling excursions were abruptly canceled, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of living and studying in Europe was suddenly over. Instead of seeing it all through a lens of negativity and disappointment, the nursing students — all members of the Class of ’21 — turned their fond reflections into a self-published book, titled Our Journey Abroad: Through the Eyes of the Galway Girls.

The book was the idea of one of their teachers, Associate Professor Linda Roney, EdD, RN-BC, CPEN, CNE. She believed it would help the students process their experiences.

“When they came home, they understood why they came home — there was a pandemic,” said Dr. Roney. “But on a very personal level, something they had worked hard to achieve and dreamed of doing had ended abruptly. Reflection often helps us learn from our experiences.”

During Dr. Roney’s “Foundations of Research for Evidence- Based Practice” course, students shared their personal stories. Ultimately, every student wrote a chapter for the book. In her “What I Wish I Knew Before I Left” chapter, Molly Hilliard ’21 wrote, “I look back on those months, and I remember how connected the world is and how beautiful our similarities and differences are across the globe, especially when shared.”

Some wrote of unique European adventures. Clare Cagney ‘21 reminisced about the fun of meeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, also known as Prince William and Kate Middleton. Lauren Jamieson ’21, co-editor of the book with Dr. Roney, said it was a great way to finish up senior year and achieve some closure. In her chapter, she observed, “If there is anything I learned from abroad, it’s to not take life too seriously and to live in the moment. Tomorrow is never guaranteed…”

When they came home, many of the student nurses worked in hospitals taking care of Covid patients. They were also student leaders at the Covid testing site at Fairfield, and once vaccines became available, they helped immunize the community. On May 18, the book’s publication was celebrated with a virtual launch party. “To look at what you made out of that experience, to take it from being a disappointment to a growth experience is so impressive to me,” Dean Meredith Kazer, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, said at the event.

Waving a little Irish flag, Ann Monahan, a site coordinator of the Galway program, received a big round of applause as she “Zoomed in” from Ireland. “I know it was not easy for all of you, but it makes you much more resilient,” she told the students.

On graduation morning, the student-authors surprised their parents with copies of Our Journey Abroad. They dedicated the book to Dr. Roney, who sees it as the students’ legacy to Fairfield. “They are permanently bonded as authors on this book,” she said. “I wanted them to have this tangible item that they could take away, that they could pick up reflect on their memories with a smile.”