By Kistler Hunt
Dr. Paulette Martyand John Marty, professors in the Department of Theatre and Dance, led a group of Honors College students on a journey to England and Scotland from July 19 – August 4, 2023. For this study-abroad experience, students earned six semester hours for HON 2515 and HON 3515: Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes.
Recent Honors College alumna Maci Jones ‘24, who graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in secondary English education, described the trip as primarily focused on history. “We toured lots of historical sites such as castles, churches, and museums in both countries. We also had many wonderful tour guides who led us through locations and shared their knowledge of the area’s history. While in Scotland, we were mainly studying the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, the setting of Gregory Murphy’s play The Countess, and the culture of contemporary British Muslims in the United Kingdom. In the Scottish Highlands, we were able to visit various natural wonders, such as the Old Man of Storr Rock, Kilt Rock, The Fairy Glen, and Loch Ness. Then, in London, we watched a theater performance almost every night while we continued to tour the city by day. These tours mostly focused on the Elizabethan and World War Two eras of London history, which we were also able to research at the British Library.”
Photo above features the Scottish Highlands taken during the Honors College faculty-led summer 2023 course and trip. Photo submitted.
Dr. Paulette Marty described her goal for the course, “I strove for a balance of guided, group experiences and individualized experiences where the students could follow their own curiosity. Honors students are so knowledgeable and intellectually curious that the goal is always to give them enough foundational knowledge and analytical skills in a subject that they can then take the next step to explore the intersections between that subject and other things.”
Photos above feature Honors College students on the 2023 Honors College faculty-led trip to the United Kingdom (left) Maci Jones, and (right, left to right) Les Meares, Barbara Zboichyk, Maci Jones, Kayla Ekstrom, and Kassandra Mendez Salinas. Photos submitted.
Jones enjoyed learning about the history of both England and Scotland, describing the trip as an “academic treasure trove of information,” but the community she was able to build with other Honors College students was also, as she says, particularly enjoyable. She stated, “Our group was able to connect with one another and become fast friends for the most part during this trip despite most of us not knowing each other before getting on the flight. This bond also led to one of my favorite memories from the trip, which was many of us spontaneously deciding to see the ‘Barbie’ movie on opening night in Edinburgh during one of our free nights.”
Top photo features students on the HON 2515/3515: Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes at Loch Ness. Photo submitted.
