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"As part of the Virginia Program at Oxford we saw A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Globe Theatre, and just being inside the building, a replica of the building Shakespeare performed in, helped me to better imagine what his plays looked like when they were performed. For the midterm break I traveled north to Haworth, home of the Bronte sisters. I walked part of the Bronte Way, a trail passing by several sites that served as inspiration for their novels. Nineteenth-century British literature is my favorite to study, so exploring this area was truly delightful. I also visited the parsonage where the Brontes used to live. It has now been turned into a museum and is furnished as closely as possible to the way the Brontes had it. Walking through the rooms helped me to learn more about the authors' lives."

"There is nothing better than learning by immersion. It is one thing to hear about the golden age of Elizabeth, parliamentary bills, and the plague, and quite another to see the buildings where these historical events took place. As participants in the Virginia Program at Oxford, Sweet Briar students are able to walk the cobblestone streets alongside dons, visit the pub where J.R.R. Tolkien shared bits of his Lord of the Rings trilogy, and watch Lady Macbeth maddeningly wash her petite hands in a garden play. I truly cherished being sworn in as a Bodleian Library reader, jaunting to London and seeing the Changing of the Guards, and going to a pub with an earl from the House of Lords. I experienced spiritual sojourns while in Westminster Abbey and never will forget the rose window in Notre Dame, when I went to Paris for a long weekend. My trip to Paris was the highlight of the program, and I personally prefer Paris, which has more of an artistic vein than London. Overall, the program opened my eyes to how some places grasp tightly to tradition and interpret it in new, exciting ways. I left Oxford feeling deeply immersed in a culture that academics and historians devote their lives to, which was nice because it made me want to learn more. That's the true success of any educational program, to inspire growth."

"Attending American University was enriching to me as an individual and a student. I studied journalism and learned the art of writing for a media source. I also interned at the Smithsonian Publishing Institute and was able to experience first hand what was involved in the publishing business. Going to school and interning in D.C. were memorable experiences. I lived on Connecticut Avenue and was able to experience what living in a city was like by riding the Metro, shopping at Gallery Place and Adams Morgan, and visiting the many museums and cultural attractions. Attending American University was one of the most enjoyable events of my life and the exposure to a different learning environment helped me to become more excited about my major and future employment possibilities."