There are still several weeks to go, but students and alumni looking forward to short-term study abroad opportunities this winter are already, albeit figuratively, packing their bags. Destinations include Mexico (January 10-19) and Cuba (March 9-15) before the Summer Break excursions to South Africa, Croatia, and South Korea and Northeast Asia. For information about Schar School of Policy and Government Short-Term Study Abroad programs, see this website. Registration is now open.
Earlier this year, the study abroad program sent about 20 Schar School students and a few from nearby George Washington University to England for an intensive seven-day visit to Oxford and its surrounding points of interest, with itineraries focusing on “Beyond Brexit: Global Challenges and Opportunities” and “Entrepreneurial Leadership for the Global Marketplace.” Students met with academics and practitioners in economics, public policy, business, manufacturing (Cooper MINIS), and advocacy, with sightseeing trips to the Houses of Parliament, Blenheim Palace, and a guided walking tour of the City of Spiers. Here’s what they said when they returned home to write their papers for their respective concentrations. Those on the journey earned a certificate of completion from Oxford and three credits from the Schar School.
“My favorite part of the course was visiting Blenheim Palace after learning vast amount of information about Winston Churchill and his leadership,” said Alivia Roberts of the visit to Churchill’s birthplace and ancestral home. “It was fascinating to see our class discussions come to life during the visit.”
“I enjoyed the lectures and activities in Oxford and London immensely. My favorite part of the week was Kubi Springer’s lecture on branding,” said Mykelle Richburg of the She Builds Brands founder. “Kubi's presentation was thought-provoking and challenged me to think critically on how branding shapes the longevity of a business.”
“My favorite part of the week was watching policy and history come to life by listening to professors articulate what Brexit looks like, to them and the people,” said La'Toya Holt.
“I loved the lectures and visits to Blenheim Palace and Parliament,” said Maria Torres. “In general, I think the lectures were high quality.”
“I found all of our tours to be very engaging. I especially appreciated the tour of Parliament,” said Jenny Lovell.
“My favorite part of the trip was the visit to Parliament,” echoed Ealias Fekadu. “I learned a lot about the British parliamentary system.”
“I enjoyed the opportunity to take coursework at Oxford with Oxford scholars,” said Laura Chambers.
“I really enjoyed all of the speakers. In particular, I really enjoyed the lecture on Churchill as a leader and the opportunity view Blenheim Palace that same day,” said Nicole Waldeck.
“I enjoyed every day of the program,” said Sarah Oyedepo. “My favorite part of the week was when we had the class on Anglo-American Relations and the impact of Brexit on their relations. I also loved the day we visited the Parliament. Visiting the Parliament was like seeing everything on the TV in real life. It was a really beautiful experience.”