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 the University of Cambridge and travel throughout the U.K.
This year’s trip directors are Dr. Jerome Hammond, associate professor of human development, and Vanessa Hammond, director of grants and foundation relations.
“The semester in the U.K. is one of Lee’s crown jewels,” said Dr. Hammond. “For 30 years this program has been carefully developed with the singular goal of preparing students to live in a complex world. Vanessa and I feel the weight of that responsibility, and also the excitement of leading students on this life changing experience.”
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, led by Dr. Matthew Melton; For King, Queen, and Country: The Monarchy in British History, taught by Dr. Randy Wood; From Papyrus to iPad: The History of Shared Information, taught by Dr. Louis Morgan; Religion in Britain, led by Dr. Hammond, and Cross Cultural Experience, taught by Mrs. Hammond.
Outside of class, the students will travel throughout the U.K. Highlights will include visits to Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, 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 visit the Globe Theatre, the Houses of Parliament, and attend worship at Westminster Abbey. While in Edinburgh, Scotland, students will have the chance to explore castles and museums. 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 on April 9 for their return to the U.S. During the two weeks, students will arrange their own itineraries and accommodations in the countries that interest them most. In the past, students have traveled to Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Poland, Spain, and many others.
“I know firsthand the lifelong impact of this trip, having been part of the university’s first U.K. semester abroad as a student in 1990, so I am eager to get back to Cambridge and share this experience with students,” said Mrs. Hammond.
The students on this year’s trip include Parker Benton, Rebecca Campbell, Zachary Constantinescu, Emily Courtney, Grace Cox, Shayli Daves, Jordan Deshler, Janey Hall, Andrew Hendry, Emma Holbrook, Elliott Lay, Addison McGinniss, Hannah Murry, Macy O'Fallon, Annie Ogle, Sophie Pace, Hannah Roberts, Anne Stockton, Jessica Uhls, and Olivia Wright. The Hammonds’ daughters, Ella and Lia, joined them on the trip.
For more information about Lee’s Global Perspectives program, call 614-8357 or visit globalperspectives.leeuniversity.edu.