An American in Oxford!

Riley Herbert Start Date: Dec 6, 2022 - End Date: Dec 5, 2023
  • Oxford, United Kingdom
  • London, United Kingdom

My Travel Story

by: Riley Herbert Start Date: Dec 6, 2022 - End Date: Dec 5, 2023
I will readily admit that I have always had a very picturesque view of college. My whole life, I imagined vine-covered brick walls, late nights studying, and slam poetry in coffee shops. However, that picture has changed, and I like to believe that it was for the better. I have come to realize that I care much more about what I feel than what I see; and with that, what others feel. My empathy is what I am truly most proud of, more than any grade or award you can find on my resume. I have realized that my college experience may not be that perfect picture. It will be what I make it through my interactions with myself and others, and I plan to make it the best it can possibly be.

In planning for my college experience, I prioritized asking others what their deepest regret regarding their own academic process was. The answer was nearly universal: “I wish I had studied abroad”. I made it my goal to find a rigorous program that would allow me to further my perspective as a global scholar – a perspective that I had worked hard to broaden throughout my education, through involvement with social justice groups, Model United Nations, and Mock Trial. Engaging with the world around me has become the guiding objective of my life.

I found the Oxford Programme at CLU and fell in love with it instantly. I am majoring in Political Science and Technical Theatre, and I know that the Programme would allow me to remain immersed in my majors while also providing me with a new outlook on my education. I plan to attend law school directly after receiving my undergraduate degree, so the option to participate in a course linked to an internship is particularly appealing to me. This, combined with the fact that I plan to begin preparing to take the LSAT in the Spring of 2024, makes the Fall 2023 Oxford Programme perfect for me. I also have had an incredible experience in my lower-division religion class here at CLU, and have always had a true passion for literature. This drew me to the fact that the Fall 2023 trip will be led by a member of the religion department offering a course exploring The Inklings.

The Oxford Programme is one of the reasons I chose CLU, and I know that the opportunities it will offer me will be uniquely exceptional. Few freshmen are even allowed to apply to the Programme, much less accepted, which speaks volumes about my work ethic and emotional maturity. I am ready to expand my global perspective, and the 2023 Oxford Programme is the place for me to do that.
  • Oxford, United Kingdom
  • London, United Kingdom

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