Hi, I'm Grace McNamara, a senior at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee! I am excited to be heading to Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, this fall to work with the Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre (https://westcorkartscentre.com/) charity for a year.

I'm thrilled to have received the majority of my funding for my trip through Belmont's Lumos Travel Award, which supports students serving communities internationally postgrad. However, there is a difference of $9,664 between my living expenses for the year and the funding I received from the Lumos Travel Award, and that's where this fundraiser comes in.

Every dollar will go directly to covering my housing, food, travel expenses, healthcare, and other costs associated with living and serving in Skibbereen for a year. You can follow my journey on the Lumos website (https://lumos.belmont.edu/), where I will be posting biweekly blogs!

A bit more about me: I'll be graduating in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design Communications, and I plan to use my degree to pursue a career in community engagement and advocacy. I’m particularly passionate about working with underserved communities, as well as in the arts, and with children, all of which make my project a perfect fit.

During my time in college, I've had the opportunity to get involved in the Nashville community in countless ways, from interning at the Frist Art Museum to volunteering as a Creative Director at a local nonprofit! It has been a joy to get to know and serve the people who make this city special, and I’m so grateful to have called Nashville my home for these 4 years.

In my free time, I love reading, baking sourdough, and spending time in nature! (I’m ridiculously excited to explore the incredible nature of West Cork!!)

Throughout my year with Uillinn, I'll have the opportunity to support and serve the local community in a variety of ways, from running programming and workshops to working in the gallery spaces, to helping with communications, marketing, and outreach. I'm excited for how my experiences in design, non-profit engagement, and community development in the Nashville community have prepared me to serve the people of West Cork. I'm also so grateful already for how the experience will help me learn and grow as a creative, community organizer, and just as a person.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and if you are considering donating, know that every dollar makes a difference and means the world to me!

Have a lovely day :)

(P.S. Check out the video to learn more about the town of Skibbereen!)