News Archive
Written by Bethany Knicely, a junior English major from Sewickley
Ryan Kozlowski, a sophomore sociology/criminal justice major from Conneaute Lake
Matthew Kurtz, senior history major from DuBois
The Westminster at Oxford group's adventure nears its end. It's a time of reflection on the life changing experience that the Westminster group has had in England and a chance for us to prepare to come back to New Wilmington with a new perspective.
For most of us it has become noticeable that although we happen to be 3000 miles away from home, there are some enjoyable similarities to keep us from needing to rush back. Many of the students stay very busy making last second arrangements around the European continent to see as much as they possibly can in the 20 days that we remain in Europe. Others have stayed in Oxford to buy local gifts for their friends back home and to start to say goodbye to the friends they have made here during their journey.
The similarities include the leaves falling and the wind whipping in Oxford, just like the fall seasons we have in Western Pennsylvania. Most of us also watched the clash of the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers live at 1:30 a.m. on BBC. The atmosphere of the Christmas shopping season, or rather rush, is in full swing here. In some ways the American way has become as familiar here as the Beatles and other English cultural imports are back home. Yet in many ways we are totally different. For example, there is no Thanksgiving turkey to look forward to at the end of November for the Westminster group or our English counterparts. Nonetheless, that hasn't ruined our spirits.
The Westminster at Oxford group will have a pre-Thanksgiving get together at Dr. James Perkins' house Nov. 23. The following day the Westminster group will come together to have an unorthodox Thanksgiving meal at Pembroke College. Afterwards, in the spirit of the holiday, we will play flag football in Oxford's Bury Knowle Park. The group will also travel to London on Nov. 28 and 29. Half of the group will be going to Parliament on Nov. 28, while the entire group will be going out on the town to see a play and have a meal in the city of seven million on the following day. The group going to Parliament will actually tour the building and meet the man who is in charge of Parliament, Malcolm Jack, who is a personal friend of Dr. Perkins. On the following day the whole group will tour St. Peter's Cathedral and see a play.
The group hasn't spent all its time together. Many of the students have made friends along the way and have become involved in events in Oxford. Some of the Westminster students have even found romance in Europe, and for those lucky few it will be hard to part with their new overseas love interests. Some have joined organizations or sports teams in Oxford. Sophomore Ryan Kozlowski, a sociology/criminal justice major from Conneaut Lake, has been playing on the Oriel College soccer team, which now happens to be at the top of the league. Sophomore Alexander Stubenbort, a philosophy major from Monroeville and junior James Sharcot, a business administration major from Kenmore, N.Y., have been frequent visitors of the local Jazz clubs. The professors and a majority of the students have also become admirers of the evening song choirs that perform in the numerous college churches that dot the landscape of Oxford. In many ways it will be hard for us to leave our new home.
Dr. Perkins recently summed up our trip in Travel Writing class by declaring, "I think it's fair to say that you guys have had a wonderful experience here."
For the most part Westminster at Oxford students have found their journey as a character building experience as we got to know and understand the people of England. Dr. Perkins added, "Your journals can be used to remember the time you have had here. You guys have grown up and matured in front of my eyes."
Oxford has been a trip that Westminster students will take with them no matter where they go or what they end up doing with the rest of their lives. We have discovered that we can make our own flight plans to Prague, make our own decisions, survive without parental support, and adapt to a new surrounding, while understanding where we come from and missing the friends and family back home that make us who we are.
More than 375 Westminster College students earned Dean's List recognition for the 2003 fall semester.
Dr. Cary Horvath, assistant professor of communication studies at Westminster College, will have her research, "Lazy Leisure: A Qualitative Investigation of the Relational Uses of Television in Marriage," published in in the summer issue of Communication Quarterly.
Dr. Ann Throckmorton, associate professor and chair of biology, will present the final Sesquicentennial Biology Seminar Thursday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in Phillips Lecture Hall located in the Hoyt Science Resources Center.
Five Westminster College students recently served as judges at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science competition.
The Westminster judges are all members of Psi Chi, a national honor society in psychology. They judged the research of students ranging from seventh to eleventh grade competing in the behavioral science division.
The following students have been added to the Fall 2007 Dean's List at Westminster College.
Bradley Weaver, Westminster College instructor of broadcast communications, presented "Real Television Coverage of a Mock Presidential Convention" at the Broadcast Education Association convention.
Eight Westminster College music students were selected to participate in the 62nd annual Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band March 13-15 at Allegheny College in Meadville.
The Westminster College Department of Psychology will host Dr. Brian P. Meier for its fall colloquium Friday, Nov. 6, at 11:40 a.m. in Phillips Lecture Hall of Hoyt Science Resources Center.
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