Alumna Scores Selective Scholarship
Dec. 3, 2014
Keelie Sheridan '13
Keelie Sheridan '13 is headed to Ireland as a member of a very exclusive group. The M.F.A. in acting graduate has been named a George J. Mitchell Scholar, making her the second CUNY student ever to win the prestigious award. The Mitchell award is regarded, alongside the Rhodes and the Marshall scholarships, as among the most prestigious given to American college students.
The yearlong program will enable Sheridan to study directing at Trinity College in Dublin next September, where she will earn another master's degree.
"I'm so thrilled and honored to have been selected," she says.
The scholarship includes tuition, housing and a stipend for travel and living expenses. While there, Sheridan will work on a project exploring Aeschylus' classic Greek tragedies, The Oresteia trilogy, through the lens of Irish History. She also plans to make connections to establish an arts exchange program between the United States and Ireland.
"It's nice that I have several months to lay down some track work and make connections so I can optimize my time while I am there," Sheridan says.
The former Miss Brooklyn 2009 has Irish roots and has studied Irish dance since she was a child. She comes from a family of artists and has an impressive resume of productions, including a solo show at the famous experimental theater, La Mama, which she completed just before she began the M.F.A. program.
"I'm a much more authentic artist now because of the Brooklyn College program," Sheridan says. "They foster such a special environment where you can take creative risks and confront yourself as an actor. It has definitely prepared me well for some of the things I want to do next."
Sheridan, who lost her home and all of her belongings in Hurricane Sandy, has also created adaptive arts curriculum for at-risk and developmentally disabled children. She also founded a production company, Mind the Art Entertainment.
The Mitchell program choses up to 12 scholars between the ages of 18 and 30 annually, based on their scholarship, leadership and sustained commitment to community and public service. It was named after former U.S. Senator George Mitchell for his contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process. The program is designed to introduce and connect generations of future American leaders to Ireland, while recognizing and fostering intellectual achievement, leadership, and a commitment to community and public service. The scholars complete a year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered by a postsecondary institution in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Sheridan joins Ryan Merola '07 another Brooklyn College alumnus who won the Mitchell award. They are the only two CUNY students to obtain the honor since the program began in 2000.
