Students got the full Oxford experience by living in the dormitories on campus and eating their meals at the Pembroke dining hall.

The study abroad actually began weeks earlier on UVU campus when students met in person or online for four two-hour sessions with their respective instructors.

The two courses taught at Oxford brought together UVU students from a variety of disciplines and life experiences, and course directors Connelly and Burton worked to help students succeed while allowing them to be stretched by the experience.

“To really understand ourselves, we have to step away from the environments we’re used to,” said Burton. “And stepping into a place as beautiful and thought-provoking as Oxford allows them the space to be self-critical and to evaluate what things are like back home.”

In addition to sampling local points of interest such as the Bodleian Library, the Oxford Castle, evensong at Christchurch Cathedral, and punting on the Thames River, students and instructors spent a half day in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. They also toured the Houses of Parliament in London and saw the sights and sampled the food of the capital city.

“I expected a lot of schoolwork—which there was—but there were excursions and I could live like a local,” said UVU student Caleb Chilcutt, of Melbourne, Australia.

Most students’ time, however, was occupied with classwork and after-hours study on their own and in groups in preparation for writing papers and making presentations. And the location of their study-abroad experience, and who was leading their learning, was not lost on them.

“Here at Oxford there were a lot of amazing lessons,” said Amanda Merzlock, of Payson, Utah. “I’ve learned from Dr. Cole that we often think we are in crisis in the United States, but we need to step back and ask ourselves if that is really the case or if life will go on afterward.”

“When I was a little kid, I watched a lot of movies about this place,” said Zaíd López, of Mexico City. “Whenever we talk about Lincoln and other leaders, I’m learning to develop the skills they had. It’s important to study politics, civics, and leadership.”

“Oxford is a well-known and established university,” added Kenya Jenson, of Spanish Fork, Utah. “I thought it would be good to learn from people here. I’ve always wanted to study law, and this course has been a good introduction for that. You don’t get this kind of experience in Utah.”

Perhaps most important of all, students came away with new ways to look at how constitutional government evolved in the U.S. and how Americans engage in their civic responsibilities today.

“Taking this course has given me a bigger picture of the Founders and the Constitutional Convention,” explained Chilcutt. “In class we did a debate to discuss what the Founders grappled with, and we got nowhere. So I understand why the process took as long as it did.”

“Who wouldn’t want to study about the creation of the United States?” said Carter Darger, of Riverton, Utah. “The American system is built on the hard work of the British system. This course has given me an understanding of how far we’ve come, and it gives me a deeper appreciation of the things we have now as Americans.”

“For me, Oxford seemed like a pipe dream for a long time,” said Gabrielle Erickson, of St. George, Utah. “I have learned from my professors and my colleagues to think critically about things I’m familiar with, but as I went deeper I gained insights I didn’t expect.”

“I will carry these things with me in my education and in my personal life,” she continued. “It’s been my favorite course I’ve taken at UVU, being here with people who care about being here.”