The 20 Lee students traveling to the U.K. for the semester abroad trip, along with their trip director Dr. Mike Iosia and his family as they wait to board the bus that will take them to the airport
Twenty Lee University students departed for the annual United Kingdom Semester Study Abroad program.
During the 12-week program, students will spend time in class at Girton College and travel throughout the U.K. This year’s trip director is Dr. Mike Iosia, chair of Lee’s Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education. He will also be accompanied by his wife, Kim, and their two sons, Isaac and Luke.
“I was incredibly humbled to be selected to lead this year’s U.K. semester abroad trip,” said Dr. Iosia. “Having led trips to the Philippines, I‘ve seen firsthand the powerful impression a two-week Global Perspectives trip can have on a student. I’m excited to experience and observe the impact a semester will have on our students in their growth and understanding of the Lord’s world.”
While overseas, students will take 15 hours of courses, taught by Lee professors through a specifically-designed online program. This year, the courses will include The World of C.S. Lewis and Cross-Cultural Experience, both taught by Dr. Matthew Melton; British Theatre, taught by Dr. Christine Williams; For King, Queen, and Country: The Monarchy in British History, taught by Dr. Randy Wood; and British Sport: Culture and Context, taught by Dr. Iosia on site.
Outside of class, the students will travel throughout the U.K. In England, highlights will include visits to Windsor Castle, the home of C.S. Lewis, Harry Potter Studios, the Lake District, and Hadrian’s Wall. The students will spend several days in the town of Bath, where they will be officially received by the mayor. During a long weekend in London, the students will see several theaters, including attending “Matilda” at the West End Theatre. They will also visit the Houses of Parliament and attend worship at Westminster Abbey. While in Edinburgh, Scotland, students will have the chance to hike Arthur’s Seat, as well as explore Edinburgh Castle. During their March spring break, the students will travel to Ireland, where they will visit Galway and Dublin.
The semester will conclude with two weeks of independently-arranged travel before the students meet in London for their return to the United States on Saturday, April 11. During those two weeks, students will arrange their own itineraries and accommodations in the countries that interest them. In the past, students have traveled to Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Spain, and many others.
“This is the 31st group of students to spend the semester in the U.K. as a part of Lee University’s original academic cross-cultural experience program which began in 1990,” said Angeline McMullin, director of Global Perspectives. “We now have students participating whose parents went to Cambridge as students and teachers in the 1990s, and it is exciting to see things come full circle.”
The students on this year’s trip include Kelly Berry, Claire Carlson, William Clark, Emily Ell, Hope Fischbach, Lydia Horrigan, Tory Irmeger, Kailee Isham, Haley Jones, Bailey Lancaster, Jack Lenz, Peyton Looney, Erin McLaughlin, Victoria Pace, Chloe Phelps, Christian Schweer, Grace Tinsley, Austin Urban, Bradley Walker, and Madison Wickam.
For more information about Lee’s Global Perspectives program, call 614-8357 or visit https://globalperspectives.leeuniversity.edu/.