Joseph and Patricia Brennan Academic Travel Legacy Scholarship
After the last 15 months, many of us yearn for the carefree days of boarding an airplane to travel to new and exciting destinations. As COVID-19 has halted travel, the Clarkson College Academic Travel Abroad Program has been grounded since May 2020. The trip is a highlight in a student’s academic career and a cherished memory for many travelers. The common denominator for everyone is Dr. Patricia Brennan.
Dr. Patricia Brennan has dedicated most of her academic career to the development, teaching, and directing of academic travel abroad tours for Clarkson College students, alumni, and community members. Her career at the College started in 1994 after her husband, Joe, encouraged her to apply for an open English teaching position. This was the beginning to what would be over 25 years of service to Clarkson College, as Dr. Brennan has recently announced her plans to retire in August 2022, following the spring trip to Ireland and Scotland.
With the recent announcement, Clarkson College is excited to establish the Joseph and Patricia Brennan Academic Travel Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship will award three students with a $1,200 scholarship for an ATA Trip. The trip serves as the keystone of a course that prepares students to experience the art, history, and culture of other countries, including a hospital visit. Traveling abroad with a diverse community of lifelong learners is a highlight in a student’s academic career.
Dr. Brennan often shares that without the unconditional support of her husband, it would have been impossible for her to travel with her students several weeks a year. Although Joe, a consummate journalist, never traveled abroad himself, he believed in its transformative power. To that end, he supported their children, Molly, Rose, and David, in their own college studies in Israel, Normandy, Italy, Ireland, and Greece.
Joe died suddenly in 2014, but his memory, intellectual curiosity, and love for his wife has led the College to proudly support monetary scholarships for students to apply toward the cost of the trips. With this scholarship, the Brennan legacy of the importance in expanding our hearts and minds to understand our world can continue forever.
We ask for your support in establishing the Joseph and Patricia Brennan Academic Travel Legacy Scholarship. With the goal to raise $50,000, this scholarship will be offered to students starting in May 2022, Dr. Brennan’s final trip.
Thank you,
Dr. Andreia Nebel
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Chris Shives
Director of College Advancement