By Marissa McCall
Contributing Writer
After a summer across the pond, students enrolled in the Oxford Program have said “cheerio” to Europe and “hello” to Bonaventure once again.
Studying abroad provides an opportunity to gain a global perspective, students said. Students said it is the only time in a student’s life where he or she can be fully immersed in a different culture while preparing for his or her future career.
Attending the summer program at Oxford’s Trinity College gives students the opportunity to study at one of the oldest universities in the world. The Oxford Program is a six-week program where students can take a variety of Clare College courses or other courses within students’ majors. While abroad, there are only four days of scheduled classes. This gives students the opportunity to travel to other places outside of Oxford.
Brad Wigsten, a senior strategic communication and digital media major, went on the Oxford trip this past summer and traveled to Paris and other cities within England. He said his favorite place he experienced was Oxford.
“It’s my new favorite city because it was big enough to be a city, Wigsten said. “It was small enough to never feel lost. The people were so nice and willing to help in any way possible if you got lost too.”
Wigsten said the academic side of the trip was more challenging and work intensive than he thought it would be. There would be days that he would be in the classroom all day and night long. The Tudors, or professors, were also very helpful in the learning process.
“It was about the same work, but it was a little bit harder because I was taking grad classes,” Wigsten said.
The total cost of the trip is $7,800, which includes tuition, room and board, a few tours and most dinners. According to the Bonaventure website, students from this past Oxford trip spent a range of $800 to $2,200 traveling to other places such as Amsterdam, Paris, Florence and Copenhagen.
Michael Jones-Kelley, the director of the Oxford program and a journalism and mass communication lecturer, said the program had an impact on students.
“I saw the change while they were there,” Jones-Kelley said. “It was real and wonderful to behold. At some point it occurred to them that they were living in a new country and they were perfectly comfortable there. They realized, I think, that they have no borders.”
The academics, social aspect and the traveling are all part of the experience at Oxford. For some students, the trip can be expensive, but with the help of need-based scholarships and student loans, students said they were able to attend the trip.
“If you’re worried about the money, this is so cliché, but you’ll earn money back and you’ll never ever be able to be there in Europe in that capacity again,” said Matt Hoey, senior strategic communication and digital media major. “You might be able to go to Europe or the United Kingdom, but you’ll never be able to go to Oxford and study there unless you go on this trip.”
mccallma14@bonaventure.edu
