Study Abroad: From London Halls and Oxford Debates, a Dean-Led Journey to the U.K.

Body

Study abroad is an essential component to a well-rounded Schar School education. Beyond the academic credit, traveling the world with professors to meet dignitaries and visit sites of study immerses students in different cultures and ways of thinking. Winter break opportunities are enrolling now. See this website for more information. Below is a story about a summer excursion to the U.K. with a special guest instructor-the dean.

George Mason students led by Dean Mark J. Rozell, left in cap, visit the Winston Churchill monument at Parliament Square Garden in London. Photos provided

This summer, George Mason University students had the opportunity to study abroad under the leadership of Schar School of Policy and Governmentdean Mark J. Rozell, whose vision and guidance shaped an unforgettable program in London and Oxford-two of the world's foremost centers of politics and academia.

The program brought together rigorous coursework, immersive learning experiences, and transformative opportunities that extended well beyond the classroom.

Studying governance in London meant walking through the halls where history has been made for centuries. Visits to University of Oxford's historic colleges brought politics vividly to life, as students experienced the very places where the ideas they studied were first debated and refined. In fact, Schar School students one evening participated in an Oxford-style debate with students at Goodenough College, the residential community in central London that was the scene of afternoon classes and dinner events.

"This trip pushed me out of my comfort zone," said Lillian Mullins, who is in the Schar School's Master of International Securityprogram. "It challenged me to debate important issues, think more broadly, and understand multiple sides of an argument."

A major component of the experience were insightful lectures by faculty from University College London and distinguished speakers at dinners, followed by traditional evening "port talks" over fortified red wine at Goodenough College.

Organization Development and Knowledge Management student Christine Adwoa Dua, right, and Dean Rozell, left, pose with Goodenough College dean Alan McCormack ahead of dinner in the Great Room of the postgraduate residential community.

"Immersing myself in Dean Rozell's world of U.S./U.K. politics was a one-of-a-kind experience," said Christine Adwoa Dua, a master's student in the Schar Organization Development and Knowledge Management(ODKM) program. "As an ODKM student, my purpose has always been to seek environments that encourage knowledge exchange and inspire transformation. From guest lectures and guided tours with subject matter experts to off engagements with Schar School peers, I was able to expand my network while reinforcing my commitment as a change facilitator.

"I look forward to continuing this trajectory for the remainder of my program and beyond within this community."

Dua was not the only traveler to make lasting connections.

"Not only did I learn more than I ever thought I would about international relations, but I was also able to connect meaningfully with folks across different walks of life using Dean Rozell's instructions as a jumping off point," said Ashbury Sunshine Lindsey-Hernandez, a student in the College of Education and Human Development's Master of Education in Counseling program. "It was an incredible jam-packed trip."

Experiences such as walking the streets of the city with former Lord Mayor of London, Nicholas Lyons, facilitated through Rozell's refined network, were once-in-a-lifetime moments that exemplified the caliber of access and experiences Schar School study-abroad programs provide.

The U.K. program not only delivered unparalleled academics and history, but also the relationships and global insights that define George Mason's increasingly expanding international reputation.

Writer Juliet Touma is a student in the Schar School's Master of Public Administrationprogram.