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Young Professionals and UST Alumni Support Irish Studies
1/28/2010
 You don’t have to be Irish to join Houston Young Professionals Supporting Irish Studies!
In spring 2009, a group of UST Center for Irish Studies friends and alumni founded HYPSIS to support one of the University’s most prominent Centers of Excellence, the Center for Irish Studies. Since the group’s establishment, HYPSIS quickly has become one of the most active volunteer organizations in the Houston and UST communities.
The group created HYPSIS to promote the mission of the Center for Irish Studies through awareness-building and fundraising activities. Young professionals, both alumni and members of the Houston community, who desire to give back to UST and build the Irish Studies academic and cultural programs, are the driving force behind HYPSIS.
Drew Wilson, a 2002 UST graduate who now works for international corporate law consultant Thomson Reuters, said he joined HYPSIS because he fully supports the goals of the Center for Irish Studies and its director, Lori Gallagher JD, who was one of his favorite professors. Wilson said his experience of receiving scholarship money to study abroad in England while at UST was a positive one, and he hopes to support the Center for Irish Studies so that other students can have the same kind of life-changing experience.
“For me, it’s about giving back to the University and helping raise money for study abroad scholarships, especially because I benefited from scholarships while I was a student,” Wilson said. “I think it’s important for others in the community to know that their support is going to give other students an opportunity to travel abroad and see a culture outside of the United States.”
Through the work of young professionals like Wilson, HYPSIS founding Chair Maidie Ryan and other HYPSIS officers and members, HYPSIS helped raise more than $7,500 for the 2009 Irish Gala, the Center’s annual major fundraising event, through donations, silent auction bids and underwriting three tables for the event. The group continues to raise awareness for the program by hosting happy hour events and inviting other young Houston professionals to similar events that focus on the Center’s mission.
Gallagher said this kind of support tremendously has advanced the goals of the Center, which are to promote teaching and scholarship in Irish Studies for students, faculty and friends of the University through publications, instruction and public programs. The Center’s mission is to preserve Irish heritage and culture and promote peace and reconciliation using the model of Northern Ireland.
“HYPSIS is a dynamic young professionals group dedicated to building the profile of the Center for Irish Studies and its academic, study abroad and cultural programs,” Gallagher said. “I am delighted to have such talented members of the community and alumni backing our program. Recently, we held our annual appreciation event at the Center to thank our HYPSIS members for their interest and support. Each member is important to our team.”
Currently, HYPSIS is 60 members strong and growing. You don’t have to be Irish to join. While some members have Irish heritage, the group welcomes anyone who shares its appreciation for international diversity and a desire to further the University’s intellectual examination of the Irish experience in the United States and abroad.
Alexis Harrigan, a member of the HYPSIS Advisory Board who is with The Menil Collection, stated that she joined HYPSIS because the group’s mission was well aligned with her personal and professional interests. “My husband, Brendan Morgan, and I studied in Dublin while in graduate school. We embraced that year abroad. Ireland is such a special place to us. We were thrilled when Lori approached us about getting involved. Additionally, much of my former work with PeacePlayers International, an organization that uses basketball to ease tensions in conflict and post-conflict areas, centered on peace-building in Northern Ireland, thus HYPSIS was also of great professional interest to me. One of the Center for Irish Studies’ key goals is to promote peace and reconciliation, so that really spoke to me on a whole different level.”
Looking ahead to 2010, HYPSIS Founding Chair Maidie Ryan said the group plans to hold a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in March. The group also plans to support the Center’s 2010 cultural outreach events and the annual Irish Gala scheduled for November 5, 2010.
“We intend to support the gala by filling as many tables as possible with the advisory board, members and friends,” Ryan said.
Annual membership for HYPSIS is $25 per person or $40 per couple and includes discounted access to all HYPSIS events, as well as invitations to special events, the Annual Appreciation Event for HYPSIS members hosted by the Center for Irish Studies, and the Bi-Annual Newsletter from the Center for Irish Studies. For more information, contact Lori Gallagher at 713-525-3592 or irishstudies@stthom.edu.
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