It may seem strange to travel over 3500 miles to attend graduate school, but Bridgeport High School alum Alex Popovich’s thirst for knowledge and international immersion has led him to do just that.  

 

Currently, he is in Dublin, Ireland, and after a couple of weeks of isolation to ensure his safety, he will be pursuing his MSc in Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics at the University College Dublin.

 

While earning his BS in Applied Physics and minoring in Mathematics and Political Science at West Virginia Wesleyan College, Popovich had several opportunities to travel abroad and expand his learning experiences. During his sophomore year, he visited several Irish universities while on a three-week program with students and faculty from WVWC. While there, he began considering returning for an advanced degree.

 

Popovich was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and the E. Maxine Bruhns Scholarship, both of which aided in his studies throughout Europe.  He studied European politics and the Czech language at Charles University in Prague for a summer term and participated in a field study in Vienna and Budapest.  Ultimately, he had the opportunity to visit fifteen countries across Europe.

 

“The immersive and eye-opening experiences I had cemented my desire to continue my education abroad,” he said.  I chose University College Dublin because of its unique program and career networking opportunities.”

 

Known as the “Silicon Valley of Europe” Dublin has a thriving tech industry that Popovich would like to explore and he is interested in staying there to work after graduation. He also plans to earn a Ph.D. in Physics and continue his education in political science.

 

Although he has yet to meet anyone at his new home, he looks forward to building new social and professional relationships in the coming months.  With fewer COVID-19 cases that American, his university will be operating on a mix of virtual and in-person classes, with social distancing and mask rules in place.  

 

“I am looking forward to this next chapter of educational opportunities as well as cultural emersion and I hope to experience even more international programs throughout Europe while I am here,” he said.