In this interview, MODG graduate Matthew O’Shea answers some questions about his time in MODG and college. Matthew is currently a senior at Wyoming Catholic College, and he shares his adventures in college, especially after the massive shift from his homeland in Ireland to college in western America. 

When did you graduate from MODG? 

I graduated from Mother of Divine Grace in May, 2022. 

Did you know what you wanted to do after graduation? 

Before I decided to come to Wyoming Catholic College (WCC), I was hoping to go to

UCD [University College Dublin] and get a Law with Politics or Philosophy degree. 

How did you end up in WCC? Why did you choose it? 

I heard about WCC through Sam Shephard, who was a professor here for a time, and

recommended to me that I look into it. Before I knew anything about the college I was

not particularly enthused about it. That was until one day, when I was procrastinating

from school work, I decided to look at the WCC website out of curiosity. I was

fascinated by what I saw they offered, from the liberal arts education to the

horsemanship and outdoor programs. However, what eventually made me decide to

attend WCC was a line from their Philosophical Vision Statement, which reads

“Wyoming Catholic College is devoted exclusively to providing its students with a

true liberal education, which aims at an intrinsic rather than an extrinsic end, is

general rather than specialized, prepares a person for leisure rather than work, and

creates a free man capable of leading a good life”. I was struck and convinced by

these words, and I saw an opportunity to get an education that not only would take

place in a culture that would uphold and develop my faith, but also offered the chance

to interact with the greatest authors of Western culture, as well as the many adventures

I have had in the wildernesses of the US. 

Would you say MODG prepared you for college? If so, how? 

I believe my time at MODG was excellent preparation for WCC, especially in reading

and writing. Through its classical curriculum, I regularly read books very similar to

those assigned at WCC, and the online classes helped me become comfortable

analyzing and debating the material. Additionally, MODG’s strong emphasis on

writing prepared me well for the papers at college. Given the high standards at WCC,

I don’t think I would have performed as well without the foundation I gained at

MODG. 

What has been your experience studying the liberal arts? 

Over the four years here my experience of studying the liberal arts has changed dramatically and always for the better. During my first year, I was mostly enraptured by the beauty offered by the works we encountered. It was thrilling to be in a section with 15 – 20 other peers, knowing that I would agree and disagree with them at some point, but we all shared the same goal of attempting to realise some truth. During the first two years we study a lot of ancient literature, mathematics, and philosophy, and I found it amazing to be looking at the joys and problems of the ancient world and see how much of the human experience is a perennial problem that is not as unique to our own age as I once believed. Funnily enough however, recently I have been experiencing liberal arts very differently. As we began and continue to read more modern works, I have seen how the modern era does pose some new problems for man, and what questions he must now ask himself. As such I have started to see this education as something which calls to me, asking me to not only that I exist in a millenia long tradition, but I must also make myself part of it, and continue it in how I choose to live my life. 

What do you plan to do after graduation from WCC? 

After graduating from WCC this month I am going to work at Mount Melleray [Ireland] for

Ave Maria’s Study Aboard program there. I will be working as Program Support Staff,

providing help to various faculty and staff, as well as encouraging the community and

culture of the students. One of the things I am most excited about is the opportunity to

spend time with students who, like myself, study the liberal arts, but also help them

encounter Ireland and its culture, which I think is the most beautiful country in the

world. 

What was it first like moving from Ireland to the US? What’s it like living so far away from home now? 

When I first came to college I did not experience too much hardship. I am by nature

quite adventurous and so I found it very exciting to be in a totally new culture,

surrounded by new friends and learning new things every day. However, as the years

have gone on I have grown to miss my family and friends a lot more, and also come

to grow my love for Ireland and her culture.

How often do you go back home? 

I have been able to visit home twice a year my whole time here, normally over the

summer and Christmas breaks.

What’s your favorite part about WCC? 

I think my favourite part of WCC is its emphasis on community, both in the classroom

and the community at large. With only around 160ish students, WCC is quite a small

college, but this means that you come to know everyone around you quite well, as

well as feeling that you really belong to the community. One of the oddest (and

possibly coolest) policies at the college is that no students have phones, and even the

use of laptops is not allowed in classroom buildings during certain hours. Because of

this, many of my favourite memories are sitting around a table playing cards, or

wandering throughout the hallways with another student, casually chatting as we take

a break from studies.

How is campus life at WCC? Was it easy to get to know new people as an international student? 

It was very easy to make new friends at college and get to meet new people. One

reason for this is the 21-day trip that all first year students go on. This is a required

part of the curriculum, where you go into the mountains of Wyoming and for 21 days

straight you don’t go back to civilization. You are also with about ten other

classmates, and many of these guys have become my closest friends over the years.

Another thing that made it very easy to meet new people is the one-track curriculum

that the college has. When all students take the same classes and read the same works,

it meant that I could have a conversation on the Iliad with even a fourth year. 

What advice would you give to students considering attending WCC? 

My advice to anyone who might consider WCC is to buckle up for an adventure.

Looking back I can definitely say that it has been an adventure and a journey, with

many high points, as well as a fair share of hard and challenging times. But I also

don’t think something can be an adventure unless it has those difficult times, and I am

certainly glad that many of them happened, as it was through them I have grown a lot

and also become more capable of appreciating and loving the really good moments. I

would also advise any future WCC student to get into rock-climbing, as it is

something that I really enjoy, but did not do enough of here. 

What advice would you give to international students looking to study abroad? 

It is definitely not as easy or straightforward to be an international student as it is to

go to college in your home country. You have to deal with getting a visa, being in a

very different country from home, and not being able to see as much of your family as

you normally do. However, I think it was a transformative experience for me to be

able to get this education, and no small part of it was being away from home.

Wyoming is a completely different culture than that of Ireland, and it is unlikely I

would have ever encountered it if I did not come here. So while it may seem like there

are a lot of obstacles to studying abroad, it is possible to overcome them all, and it is a

chance you will not ever get again or regret.