A COMBER girl’s gift for music has led to her being offered the rare opportunity to study at an American college based in Greece.
Twenty two year-old Helena McClenaghan is the only student from Ireland who has been accepted into the prestigious Deree College to study music this year.
Located in Athens, and originally founded in 1875 in Smyrna, The American College of Greece is the oldest American-accredited college in Europe and the largest private college in Greece.
Helena’s talent has been taking her places since she completed her diploma in music with distinction from Ulster College of Music. After that she travelled extensively in the United States and spent her summers at Camp America.
However she decided that she’d like to study a little closer to home and the Athens college offered her the best of both worlds.
“I have researched many degree subjects both at home and in USA as I absolutely love America and thought I would like to study there,” she said.
“Having considered all the options, however I was excited by the prospect of combining living in Athens with studying at an American College.
“The opportunities presented to me by ACG are beyond my wildest dreams. I believe that I will have the opportunity to truly excel in my chosen subject with the theory based classes and live performances which will give me the chance to entertain my fellow students.
“There’s also classes in Greek mythology which will help immerse me into the way of life here and teach me about the history and culture of this wonderful country which I will be calling home for the next four years.”
Helena’s mum, also Helena, accompanied her to Athens to help settle her into her new college life.
She added: “We are so proud of Helena’s musical achievements and we always knew that she would seek to pursue a career in music as she is so gifted in singing, playing the guitar and performing.
“Having visited ACG I know that it is the right place for Helena to grow both musically and in her personal life as the college is so welcoming.
“With the added bonus of having so many American activities and initiatives for her to explore and get involved in on the campus, it is just perfect.”
Helena is a former pupil of Lagan College.
