A Publication of the UGA at Oxford Program 2 0 12

A Message from Dr. Kalpen Trivedi

Director of the UGA at Oxford Study Abroad Program

Dear Alumni and Friends,

recent issue of the University of Oxford’s magazine, Oxford Today, notes that the University has produced 26 of the 53 British Prime Ministers (27, if you include the 1st Earl of

Bath whose government only lasted two days) in the 300 years or so the institution has been around. To this tally, one could add another 30 odd world leaders, including Prime Ministers of India, Canada, Pakistan, Australia, and Thailand, the King of Norway, and Presidents of the US and Colombia, a Georgia State Senator, and the democracy activist, Aung San Suu Kyi, about to run for parliament as we go to press. This tally is particularly impressive when one considers the fact that until 2010, Oxford did not have a formally organized School of Government (the new Blavatnik School will admit students for the first time in 2012). Of course, Oxford’s achievements in other fields of the arts and sciences are equally as impressive – and no, I am not going to give you another list!

I dug up these facts and figures about the University of Oxford’s dominance on the world stage as I was thinking about ways of quantifying or assessing the value of an Oxford education. Many reasons can be marshaled to explain why Oxford is so overwhelmingly a political animal. Many will cite the 189-year existence of the Oxford Union, one of the world’s oldest debating societies, as integral to development of oratorical skills, and to propagating the culture of public and free discussion of ideas for which Oxford is renowned. The rise in the 1920s of the Philosophy, Politics, & Economics (PPE) undergraduate degree is another reason we might consider. While many universities in the UK and overseas offer some similar combination of undergraduate majors, Oxford remains unique in the fact that none of these three subjects may be studied individually at the undergraduate level. PPE is one of the most popular undergraduate courses at Oxford, often called the modern ‘Greats’ degree, replacing the ‘Greats’ degree in Classical Studies so prestigious for earlier generations. I, along with many others, believe that the PPE degree delivers a unique set of insights that prepares students for a life of ethical leadership and public service.

But I think more than any of this, surpassing the role of any particular club or society, or even of a particular field of training, the Oxford tutorial system must surely be the key to the many successes of the University and its alumni. Beyond the obvious pedagogic value of the tutorial system in developing critical thinking and research skills, argumentation and persuasion lie at the very basis of this system of instruction which underpins all undergraduate teaching at Oxford. When every classroom interaction requires the student to formulate arguments, to defend their opinions and conclusions, and in rare cases, even to persuade the most difficult to please audience – the Oxford tutor – then it is not unreasonable to conclude that the student develops a combination of confidence, empathy, rhetorical skills, and intellectual acuity that allows them to achieve personal success in their chosen field of endeavor. There is something, however, beyond this challenging academic dimension that the Oxford experience offers. This is the blend of the richness of the academic experience with the personal engagement between faculty and students that Mark LaPlante celebrates in his piece describing his experiences on the summer programme of 2011. More than anything else, I believe, it is this winning combination that is the secret of Oxford’s success.

I did not decide to explore the reasons behind Oxford’s political nature on a whim, but rather because it has seemed to be one of the grand themes of the UGA at Oxford Program’s activities and successes in 2011. In Spring 2011, we hosted the Oxford Union Society for the 4th iteration of the debate versus the University of Georgia, one of the bests debate yet, that resulted in a UGA victory. In the summer of 2011, we launched our inaugural co-operative venture with UGA’s Washington Semester Program, where 9 students studied International Conflict and Public Policy through a unique combination of field visits in Washington, D.C. and classroom learning in Oxford. And, of course, throughout the year, scores of students from the University of Georgia have travelled to Oxford to experience the tutorial system for themselves, and to learn and grow as students as individuals. And, as always, it has been my great privilege and pleasure to lead a wonderful team of dedicated individuals who make it possible for these two great universities to come together. So it only remains for me to thank all the supportive faculty and staff at the University of Georgia and at the University of Oxford for a successful 2011, and to wish everyone a wonderful 2012.

A D D R E S S

326A Park HallAthens, GA 30602-6205

P h o n E

706-542-2244

F A X

706-583-0604

E m A i l

oxford@uga.edu

w E b

http:// oxford.uga.edu

C o V E R P h o T o

Douglas Job

UGA at Oxford Program Staff

Director Dr. Kalpen Trivedi

Associate Director Dr. James McClung

Assistant Director Margaret Faz Perry

Business Manager Dr. Angela E. Pfile

Administrative Assistant Frances Molyneux

Graduate AssistantJennifer Sonenberg

Copyright © 2012 by the University of Georgia.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without

permission from the editor.•

The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and

affirmative action.

Notes from an Oxford Visitor Dr. Elisabeth Dutton, Worcester College, Oxford University

I don’t get football. I’m not a huge fan of soccer, and I’d never seen an American football game before this year. I am a fan of

rugby, and I was hoping that this would equip me a little to understand the UGA Homecoming game. But it didn’t. Balls passed forward, thirty-second passages of play, the whole team changing every five minutes…. Strange and perplexing.

But it was impossible not to enjoy an event into which such a large number of people were throwing themselves with such enthusiasm. I had a wonderful day! While I don’t understand the sport at all, here are some things I love about American football:

The tailgate, which for me involved catching up with a lot of my favourite UGA students in bright fall sunshine.

The bright fall sunshine. Dressing up. I love that people dress up.

I had thought that Kalpen was kidding about a little black dress but he wasn’t and I hadn’t brought mine. Which meant also that I got to spend the afternoon before the game shopping (thanks, Maggie!).

The hospitality in the President’s box. Oh yes, I did feel pampered.

Red and black, and everyone’s commit-ment to it.

Beyond the incredible experience that was my first football game, I spent quite a lot of time eating. It seems that the chicken biscuit is the vital component of every visit hosted by Kalpen, and I was certainly willing to give it a try. My verdict would be – substantially more pleasant than it sounded to British ears. Other culinary experiences were sit-down, not drive-through, and provided a mouth-watering sample of the best local favourites: and as mine host apparently knows all the right people, we were treated to the best tables, even at short notice. I also drank my first tequila slammer. Even if I live to be 100, I think it will also be my last.

But there were many other wonderful things for me about my first visit to UGA. I loved Athens, which is so pretty and in places almost old (I’m a medievalist, so I’m difficult to please). I was so impressed with the facilities that UGA offers its students – its spacious, elegant campus with the great views, and its amazing sports facilities. But above all it was the friendly people of Athens, and in particular of the UGA campus – students and staff – who made my long-weekend trip such a delight. The

Oxford tutors might like to feel that the success of the UGA-Oxford programme is something to do with Oxford, but it’s clear to me that the cooperative, dedicated, lively UGA family is the programme’s secret.

Oh yes – I rang the UGA bell. I should apologise to my charming guide because I’ve

It is my sincere hope that many of the readers of this article spent part of last June being assailed by a seemingly never-ending barrage of Facebook messages inviting them to a Young Alumni Fundraiser at Ormsby’s, a pub in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood. I apologize in advance for the second wave assault you will be encountering this spring.

My wife, Paige, and I have been giving to UGA every year since graduating in the spring of 2003. Several years ago, we began specifically donating to the UGA at Oxford Program. Our rationale for doing so was simple; UGA at Oxford was by far the most impactful part of our collegiate experience.

In the winter of 2011, I was contacted by Dr. Trivedi and asked whether I might be interested in working with the program in their mission to obtain greater financial buy-in from the community of UGA at Oxford Alumni. I agreed, but with the caveat that, instead of trying to secure huge donations from wealthy benefactors, we employ a strategy of obtaining small donations from relatively recent graduates of UGA.

Shortly after our meeting, I used classic middle school peer pressure to get my sister, Ashley Edmonds, and friends Eric Rogers and Mary Webb, all UGA at Oxford Alumni, to form an initial committee. With their invaluable help, we were able to hold UGA at Oxford’s first Young Alumni Fundraiser on June 30, 2011.

Last year’s event was a great success and was attended by approximately 50 alums, but this year we hope to more than double that number. Early planning for the event is underway. If you are interested in being a member of the host committee, please contact Dr. Trivedi.

I suspect that many of you, like me, have few memories fonder, and possibly foggier, than those of your time spent in Oxford. So, even if you can’t attend the 2012 UGA at Oxford Alumni Happy Hour, I strongly encourage you to consider making a financial gift to the UGA at Oxford Program.

forgotten the story behind the bell, but I was very, very excited to ring it because I’ve never rung a bell before, and it was all part of the strange magic of that day. I’m sure ringing the bell must have one of those ‘if you do this while you’re visiting you’re sure to return’ myths attached to it. I certainly hope so.

Development News: Young Alumni Raise a Glass, Eric Teusink, Franklin Summer 2002

Dr. Dutton enjoys a chat at the tailgate with Assistant Director, Maggie Perry, and program Alumna Claire Foggin.

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Plant(e)ing Roots in OxfordDr. Mark LaPlante, Terry College of Business

The Psychology of Oxford LivingDr. Adam Goodie, UGA Department of Psychology

What’s a psychology professor doing in the UGA at Oxford program? Teaching psychology, of course,

and having a blast! His students learned psychology, English literature, art and history – and what it means to explore the world and live overseas. Okay, it’s true that stodgy Oxford has only had psychology since 1947. The United States got its first psychology professor 58 years before Oxford did, and UGA was a quarter century quicker than Oxford to enter the field. In short, there’s only been psychology at Oxford for eight percent of its history. Still, those Oxonians are quick learners, and they’re doing some of the best psychology in the world right now, especially in the area of neuroscience. In Oxford, you can learn plenty of psychology, and a lot of other fields that don’t have the words “English,” “history” or “Shakespeare” in their names.

Teaching in the UGA at Oxford program over the summer of 2011 was easily one of the top three teaching experiences in my career. It was particularly rewarding for

me as a faculty member because not only was I able to immerse myself in the culture, the academics, and interactions with my students but I was able to bring my family along for the ride as well. It was awesome.

From top to bottom the program and experience was top notch. It would be very easy to go on and on about the amazing students, the incredible staff, and the best facilities in the world. But for me, Oxford was about discovery. The joy of travel and study abroad is the unexpected. My family drove around the U.K. for a week before ultimately arriving in Oxford. Unlike U.S. highways, there are no police anywhere monitoring traffic. None, zero, zilch, nada—a veritable wild west of traffic laws with one terrifying exception: They’ve substituted cameras for police in the entire country. I am not exaggerating one iota to say that in 951 miles we saw 500 traffic cameras. It struck me as ironic that a country which produced George

Orwell and 1984 should have blank soulless cameras staring at you around every damn corner where you want to hit the gas to get around the tottering old bloke going 30 in a 50. Oh and by the way, there are essentially no speed limit signs anywhere. You are supposed to know when you can go 30, 50, or 70 mph. Frankly, cameras everywhere and no posted speed limits is a fiscal strategy every state in the U.S. could use to move from the red to the black.

In Oxford, the discoveries were unending. Whether it was learning the etiquette of grass (no red wine, hot drinks, or sports—less croquet which is civilized), experiencing high table dinner which starts with a procession and Latin then ends with a pint in the college pub (every college has its own pub—now that’s civilization), or soaking in the craziness of the Pitt Rivers Museum, day after day Oxford surprised us. My family and I reveled in discovering new architectural delights as we pedaled about town. Yes, Americans can get along very nicely without an

automobile. Who knew? I learned that Trout, Perch, and Bears aren’t animals but pubs, in many ways the social heart of the city. Imagine sitting down to enjoy a refreshing pint, not one of those 14 oz. U.S. “pints”, in an establishment that’s been serving them up cold and fresh since before Columbus discovered the New World. Chili’s just can’t compete with that. One other thing I discovered: British food is not terrible. They have the world’s best bacon, awesome dairy goods, yummy berries, and the most perfect food—the Scotch egg. It’s a hardboiled egg, wrapped in sausage meat, breaded then deep fried. After discovering their existence, I waited two weeks to try one because I was terrified they might lead to an addiction problem.

The greatest discovery of all was the intellectual richness of the UGA at Oxford experience. It was a truly unique personal experience to be able to engage students of extremely high academic and personal caliber in the classroom then turn around and share the social settings of meals, pubs, or business visits with them. The program is not just an immersion in a foreign country but an immersion in

people. It was a rare gift to get to know my students outside of lecture, to get to know them as individuals. To a large extent, Dr. Trivedi and his exemplary staff are due a great deal of credit for that gift, creating an academic experience that goes beyond academics. As a final testament, upon returning to the spa-like conditions of Athens in mid-August and sitting at a red light behind a Lincoln Navigator I thought, “I wish I were in Oxford.”

Dr. LaPlante and his family show their Oxford allegiance in the Trinity College Founders’ Garden.

Sachio (left) and Sara enjoy some football and fellowship with UGA students and Oxford tutors at the UGA Centre.

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My wife and two kids were with me in Oxford, and we lived in a comfortable flat a mile from the UGA Centre. Like the UGA students on the program, my kids – ages 9 and 11 – were enrolled in local schools. Because of their ages, we were lucky to get to know both the elementary and middle schools, which were a joy. And like most of my students, we took the opportunity to see a lot of London, the UK and Europe. Just in our three months there, we spent seven fantastic days in London, seeing Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, the Tower of London and much more. We saw Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Old Globe theater. (Sure, we had to bribe the kids a bit to get them in the door, but THEY LIKED IT!) There were trips to Stonehenge, Bath, Warwick Castle and Hampton Court. We visited Windsor Castle the week before the Royal Wedding, and saw the Middletons stroll past the changing of the guard to meet their soon-to-be in-laws the Queen and Prince Philip for the first time. We took a few days to visit Prague with our Czech-American friends, and a few more days in Paris to climb the Eiffel Tower and eat snails without going on Fear Factor. Versailles and the Louvre were also amazing.

Study abroad is one of those things in college that makes you a better and smarter person, both in and out of your classes. Back when I was in college, I spent a year at Sussex University, also in England. Thrill of a lifetime. So I was excited to have another study abroad experience, and to share it with my family. They all loved it as much as I did. It might be the oldest cliché in the book, but the kids keep asking when we can have our next study abroad experience.

Communicating AbroadDr. Jay Hamilton, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications

What comes to mind when recalling teaching at Oxford this past summer? An incredible challenge and a fantastic experience. Grady

has offered a course as part of the UGA at Oxford Summer program for close to ten years. I was honored to be this past year’s faculty representative in Oxford, scheduled to teach “International Mass Communication.”

My goals for the class were to help students gain a greater understanding not

only of the ways international mass communication helps constitute the globalized world in which we live, but also to gain a greater appreciation of the place and role of professional communicators in it.

The cultural historian in me had a field day when planning the course. I wanted our time in Oxford to be a way not just to learn about another country but, in doing so, also to learn about ourselves by not only “making strange” our taken-for-granted ways of seeing the world and ourselves (the “cultural” part), but also by understanding the emergence over time of these ways (the “historical” part). And being based in Oxford was perfect. I knew through traveling internationally a number of times that there’s nothing like living in another country to “defamiliarize” everyday knowledge and activities we take for granted. In such a setting, everything that in our own country is as taken for granted as gravity suddenly extrudes as a particular (and often peculiar) way of thinking and acting.

Common approaches to the subject define international mass communication as simply the international transfer of messages, data, and information. While this technological sense is part of what makes this subject so important, it is still only a part. In contrast to the narrow and solely technological view, we explored the cultural production of nations and of identities. Our deepest sense of ourselves and our places in the world derives from such products and the processes in which we’re involved and to which we contribute.

As befits the centuries-old tradition of liberal-arts education in Oxford, we drew upon sociological, anthropological, economic, historical, political, and literary readings, insights, and tools. We considered primary sources and cases as varied as ancient gladiator games (early popular entertainment that bridged many peoples); the intertwining of evangelism and colonialism and its relation to the rise of travel writing; Edward R. Murrow’s WWII radio broadcasts from London; and the global franchising of the reality-TV genre.

To see how professional communicators today operate internationally, we traveled to London to visit the BBC, and on a second day to tour the National Magazine Company (a British subsidiary of The Hearst Corporation) and international advertising agency M&C

Saatchi. Luckily for us, our generous host and guide on the second day was long-time media-visionary Terry Mansfield CBE (the recently retired President and CEO of the company).

Students contributed to a blog titled “On Us,” which served as a means of self-reflection linking the sometimes abstract material in course readings and each student’s own experience. I asked them to post at least once a week about a situation or incident in which they became very aware of being an American and thus very different from the “locals,” and a second situation or incident in which they became aware of a common bond with non-Americans, despite national differences. What became clear (among many other things) was the extent to which common knowledge of global media content (music, films) and common experience of being a young adult formed the core of the bonds people of different nationalities felt with each other. We also had many laughs over the misunderstandings due to differences.

What is even clearer to me now—more than half a year after returning to Athens—is that there is no way to reproduce the richness of my students’ learning experience were I to teach the very same class here in Athens. Living and studying each day surrounded by the history and grandeur of Oxford encouraged us all to raise our expectations and up our game. The heavy reading load, the numerous papers, the many discussions—all my students dug into them with gusto, skill and enthusiasm.

Grady at Oxford in 2011? A win-win for us all.

Dr. Hamilton, on a busy afternoon, out-and-about in Oxford.

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Those who do not learn from history . . .

The UGA at Oxford Program-sponsored UGA v. Oxford Union Debate has become a time-honored tradition in Athens and for the University community. The most recent iteration, held on March 8, 2011, was easily the most exciting yet, and not only because UGA won, bringing the all-time series to a 2-2 tie. The debate, conceived by UGA at Oxford Program founder, Dr. Judith Shaw, has become UGA at Oxford’s premier event, demonstrating the high-level academic interchange that occurs on every UGA at Oxford Program: UGA students engaging with Oxford’s finest in a non-holds-barred intellectual sparring match, the result of which is always a broadening of views, a grander sense of the larger world, and a healthy respect for both our differences and our similarities. The teams have now met a total of four times over the years since the event’s inception, and the Oxford Union had commanded the competition in the previous iterations. Knowing they had a tough task ahead, the UGA debaters set out with victory in mind in late 2010.

The 2011 resolution, “China’s economic and military rise threatens the interests of the United States and Great Britain in the 21st century,” certainly proved to be topical and likely will continue to be an issue of geopolitical concern as we head into 2012 with Congress’s USCC (U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission) having met as recently as January 26th of this year to discuss “China’s Global Quest for Resources and Implications for the United States” [Ed. Note: source, www.uscc.gov]. US and UK foreign policy makers are rife with concern over how best to position the West in relation to the massive nation, which has the potential to become a foe or an ally, and current policy makers are well aware that the decisions they make will likely tip that balance in one direction or the other.

Location, location, location . . .

The very first UGA v. Oxford Union debate took place on North campus, in the heart of the University at the UGA Chapel, icon of our institution. For the second and third iterations, the event moved to the beautiful Hugh Hodgson Performing Arts Center on East Campus, just across from the newly-refurbished Georgia Museum of Art. This year, the Oxford Program felt quite strongly that there was a real need to bring the event back to the heart of the University. UGA at Oxford Associate Director, Dr. James McClung reasoned, “while we’ve very thoroughly enjoyed the Hodgson Hall complex, we [within the UGA at Oxford administration] discussed the situation and simply reasoned that being on North Campus was symbolically important. The UGA at Oxford Program works hard to demonstrate what our institution is all about. At the University of Georgia, intellectual exchange at the highest level is absolutely foundational to our continued mission, both locally and globally. What better way to demonstrate that fact than by showing UGA at its best, at its physical and ideological center?”

There’s no “I” in team . . .

There would not be a UGA v. Oxford Union Debate without the inimitable Dr. Ed Panetta, and the fourth iteration is no exception. Dr. Panetta, Associate Professor in the Department of Speech Communications, and Director of the Georgia Debate Union for over 23 years, has been unflagging in his support for the event and what it brings to the University community. He worked tirelessly to help select and prepare the team of UGA debating all-stars for this event. As a result of his hard work, arguing for the resolution and representing The University of Georgia, were some of the best minds our University can boast.

Elizabeth Allen, third-year student in UGA’s dual Bachelor’s/Master’s program, is pursuing degrees in both International Affairs and in International Policy, with a minor in Arabic. She joined Rob Mullholland, a graduate assistant coach for the University of Georgia Debate Team and M.A. candidate in Communication Studies at UGA; Bobby Rosenbleeth, a fourth-year student studying Economics and International Affairs; and John Turner, also a graduate assistant for the University of Georgia Debate Team and an M.A. candidate in Communication Studies: together, this group stood up for UGA and defeated an impressive Oxford Union squad.

Making up that group and arguing against the resolution was an Oxford team led by Stuart Cullen, who competed in the last debate between Oxford and UGA as a freshman. A former President of the Oxford Union, Stuart assembled an impressive company from among the membership of that world-famous debate society. Joanna Farmer, completing her final year of a History and Politics degree at Christ Church; Andrew Rhodes, a second-year History and Politics student at Mansfield College; and Laura Winwood, who also served as a President of The Oxford

A UGA Victory Ties the All-Time Series

Dr. Trivedi welcomes the evening’s attendees as judges Wyche Fowler, Jr. Annabelle Malins, Jere Morehead and Cecil Staton look on.

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Union and was responsible for hosting such guest speakers as General Petraeus, Richard Dawkins and Roger Moore.

Of course, it was not all verbal sparring between the teams. The Oxford Union students arrived in Athens a few days before the event and were able to enjoy many aspects of campus and local Athens culture before the war of words began, much of it with their UGA counterparts, who also took a break from preparations long enough to act as very gracious hosts. With visits to UGA’s Athletics facilities, tours of campus and downtown, a visit to R.E.M.’s corporate offices, and meals at staples like The Last Resort, La Dolce Vita, and The Royal Peasant, all of the competitors may certainly have found it hard to focus on the task at hand. Still, both teams – well-fed to be sure – came prepared for quite a show on the night.

Here come the judges . . .

Apart from world-class debating talent, the UGA v. Oxford Union Debate has always enjoyed participation in the judges’ chairs from some of the University’s highest administrators, as well as public and political figures from both the US and UK. The 2011 debate is certainly no exception. Ultimately returning a decision in favor of the UGA team were UGA President, Michael F. Adams; Dr. Ian Archer, Fellow and Tutor in Modern History and Sub-Warden of Keble College, Oxford University; The Honorable Annabelle Malins, Her Majesty’s Consul General in the Southeastern US; Colleen McEdwards, anchor for CNN International; Professor Jere W. Morehead, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of UGA; State Senator Cecil Staton, himself an Oxford graduate and Chairman of the Senate Science and Technology Committee; Dr. Steve Wrigley, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at UGA; and perhaps most august amongst an already impressive company, Sen. Wyche Fowler, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, recipient of The Jefferson Cup for his assistance in combating terrorism and for helping solve the terrorism crimes against our military in Saudi Arabia as well as a former member of the Senate Appropriations, Budget, Energy, and Agriculture Committees.

This grand company was not sparing in its praise for the members of each team. As is often the case, the judges remarked almost universally that the disparate styles, common to each nation’s formal debate practices, were on full display. The American group focused heavily on statistical preparation and case study, delving deeply into the economic data, population, and military statistics in order to make their powerful and compelling case. On the other side of the aisle, the Oxford Union team, not lacking in data of their own, focused rather keenly on the practical and social implications of certain attitudes that the West might adopt toward the Chinese government and its people.

All things in moderation . . .

Overseeing the entire evening from his position (now for the third time) as the moderator for the Debate, was UGA School of Law Professor Peter A. Appel. In addition to his teaching at UGA, Appel has also served as an instructor to senior members of federal agencies. He has been invited to train federal wilderness managers at the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center, a facility in Missoula, MT, run jointly by all federal agencies responsible for wilderness management. He also taught environmental laws and regulations to employees of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Professor Appel earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from Yale University, where he served on the notes editing committee of the Yale Law Journal and was a member of the Yale

...continued on inside back cover

Director of UGA Debate Union and faculty member Ed Panetta, chats with team members (from left) Elizabeth Allen, John Turner, Rob Mullholland, and Bobby Rosenbleeth.

Oxford Union team members Andrew Rhodes and Stuart Cullen, flanked by some of their UGA Franklin Residential College hosts.

(from left) Associate Director, James McClung, pausing for a moment at the reception with judges Ian Archer, Colleen McEdwards, Michael Adams, and Annabelle Malins.

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The summer of 2011 saw the inaugural group of UGA at Oxford’s venture with the Washington Semester Program. UGA’s WSP is a hugely successful internship program, directed by the urbane and irrepressible Don DeMaria, that

gives University of Georgia students the opportunity to spend a semester in the nation’s capital working in a wide variety of professional settings from Congressional offices and legal firms to consultancies, think-tanks, not-for-profit organizations, and even the National Geographic Magazine, all the while earning semester study credit towards their degree program.

In 2011, the first seven-week cooperative program, split evenly between the two locations, concentrated on the study of International Conflict and public policy. In D.C., DeMaria lined up a series of stimulating visits and seminars, including exclusive access to the Pentagon, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and the Nuclear Threat Reduction Initiative, in addition to discussions with Congressional staffers, and visits to the CIA, CBP, and the Voice of America. One of the more unique opportunities was the chance for students to attend a seminar on the relationship between the legislative and executive branches of government and Congress’s response in the aftermath of 9/11 at the National Archives with former members of the Congress and members of the Bush administration.

In Oxford, students were challenged to put their exposure to public policy and their knowledge of current events into a rigorous theoretical and academic context under the able tutelage of Dr. Marc Stears (University College) and Dr. Christine Cheng (Exeter College). Seminars and tutorials were supplemented by visits to Parliament and talks by Sam Daws, Director of the Oxford Project on UN Governance and Reform, and Brigadier John Keeling (retired), former Director of Defence Technology at the UK National Defence Academy (NDA). One of the most memorable moments of the Program, and indeed of the year, was an exclusive personalized visit to the NDA, complete with a flyover by the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, the closest formation flying aerobatics display team in the world!

UGA at Oxford and Washington Semester Launch a Joint Effort

For more information on the summer 2012 program, see dcsemester.uga.edu or oxford.uga.edu

Kalpen Trivedi, Associate Provost Kavita Pandit, James McClung, and Director of the WSP, Don DeMaria pause before going into the Wash/Ox welcome dinner at Trinity College, Oxford.

The Program participants line up to await entry into the US Department of State Harry S Truman Building in Washington, DC.

An opening dinner in the Old Bursary at Trinity College, Oxford, helped to set the tone for the second half of the Wash/Ox Program.

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UGA at Oxford & Franklin College

n a truly beautiful fall November morning in Athens, alumni, friends, and family of both the UGA at Oxford Programs and Franklin College gathered once again on the patio in front of Park Hall for the annual

homecoming tailgate. As guests arrived, many talked about the past week’s impressive win against the much-hated Florida Gators, a win that many did not deem possible after the Bulldogs’ slow start to the season. Once the delicious goodies by Hallie Jane’s catering were ready, guests began indulging on BBQ, chicken fingers, and of course, the famous squash casserole.

The guest of honor this year was Dr. Elisabeth Dutton, former Oxford University tutor who has been teaching classes on Shakespeare Topics and Shakespeare and Performance for the UGA at Oxford Program since 2007. Although Dr. Dutton has taken a new position at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, she still plans on continuing to teach our students on summer programs. This was Dr. Dutton’s first visit to the University of Georgia as well as her first American football tailgate, so please read her article on page 1 where she discusses her experiences regarding this epic first trip to Athens.

With over 250 folks in attendance, this proved to be our most successful alumni tailgate yet. We look forward to seeing you all at the next iteration where we will host another one of our Oxford tutors for a weekend of good ol’ Southern fun. Please mark your calendars for this event, which will take place Homecoming Saturday on the patio in front of Park Hall. We would love to see you all there!

(from top to bottom)

Graduate Assistant Jenn Sonenberg enjoyedsome family time on the sunny Park Hall patio.

Honored guest, Elisabeth Dutton spoke briefly with UGA at Oxford Development Board Member Nechelle Stamm, her husband, John, and daughter, Olivia.

Alumnus Eric Teusink and James McClung chatted about the UGA at Oxford Young Alumni group.

The Tailgate is always a good time to catch up, even if you’ve just returned; Summer ’11 participants did just that.

Dr. Mark LaPlante, and his wife Dr. Stacie LaPlante, caught up with James Yost to discuss their summer experiences.

These summer participants enjoyed the sun and shade before heading off to watch the Dawgs add another to the win column for the season.

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Honors student [and UGA at Oxford Alumnus] Becomes UGA’s Sixth Marshall ScholarBy Joelle Walls – Originally Published in Columns, December 5, 2011

“ H onors student Matthew Sellers of Perry has been named one of 36 national recipients of the 2012 Marshall Scholarship to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom. He is the fifth

UGA student to earn the award in the past decade and the sixth overall from the university. Sellers, who is a UGA Foundation Fellow, plans to pursue a master of studies program in modern literature followed by a doctor of philosophy program in English language and literature at England’s Oxford University. He will graduate from UGA in May with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in history.

“The Marshall Scholarship furthers America’s bond with its oldest and most faithful ally, Great Britain, while also advancing UGA’s goal of internationalizing the student experience,” said UGA President Michael F. Adams. “It is a mark of quality that Matthew is the fifth UGA student to earn this opportunity in the past several years. I am very proud of him, and I know that he will represent UGA well.”

“The Marshall Scholarship program helps to ensure an enduring and close relationship between the future leaders of the U.K. and the U.S.,” said British Consul General Annabelle Malins. “The roster of former Marshall Scholars reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of leaders from all walks of American life-from the top levels of the U.S. government to leading innovators such as Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn.”

While at UGA, Sellers has taken advantage of research, internship and travel opportunities to prepare for a teaching and research career in academia. He became interested in studying literature after completing a research project as a 2009 summer fellow with UGA’s Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities. Sellers’ summer project eventually evolved into his Honors thesis that he presented at this spring’s CURO undergraduate research symposium at UGA.

“I am very pleased that Matt has earned this level of recognition of his talents and promise,” said David S. Williams, associate provost and director of UGA’s Honors Program, who serves as the UGA faculty representative for the Marshall Scholarship. “He is one of the most erudite students I have ever met. More importantly, his past work and his level of dedication strongly suggest that he is destined to be a force for positive change in society. Oxford will be the perfect place for him to study postcolonial literature and pursue his professional goals.”

Matthew chats with fellow Fall 2010 participant Lydia Craig among the ruins of Tintern Abbey, in Wales, during a program excursion.

I’m going back!”  Such was my first, rather ineloquent thought after the British Consul-General of Atlanta informed me I received a Marshall Scholarship.  Though the Marshall is tenable for two years of study at any UK university, I knew I wanted to read for a Master’s in modern literature at Oxford after I spent fall 2010 punting on the Thames, strolling through college gardens, and defending my arguments in demanding tutorials.  Indeed, I chose UGA at Oxford for its reputation for rigor—I left not only challenged, but with a confidence one can only achieve after crossing verbal swords with an Oxford don.  The tutorial style afforded an opportunity to explore my broad literary interests very deeply, and I grappled with diverse arguments, from Virginia Woolf and the visual arts to Geoffrey Chaucer’s dream visions.  In fact, it was in David Bradshaw’s seminar on late nineteenth-century British literature, “Tales of Unrest,” that I realized my interest in the literatures and histories of empire, the subject I intend to study when I return to Oxford this September.  Listening to Dr. Bradshaw challenge Chinua Achebe’s famous critique of Heart of Darkness, I knew that understanding the literary heritage of colonial and postcolonial history would be vital to understanding our globalized world of increasing connectivity across racial, cultural, national, and linguistic boundaries.  What a privilege it will be to return to the “city of dreaming spires,” to dine in hall with friends, and engage with world-renowned faculty.  I look forward to the opportunities for intellectual, professional, and personal growth the Marshall Scholarship presents, and I credit the UGA at Oxford program with preparing me to take full advantage of them.

—Matthew Sellers

8 Oxford Bulldog

The UK Welcomes the World in 2012

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Unless you have been living on the moon (and perhaps not even then) you know that London is preparing to host the

Summer games of the 30th Modern Olympiad in late-July through mid-August of this year. UGA at Oxford is particularly excited for the opportunity to place students in what will undoubtedly be a prime position to experience a world-class competitive athletic environment as part of the larger cultural experience afforded to students participating on one of UGA’s most valued study abroad programs.

It may be hard to believe, but many of the students who have already applied for the Program this summer are not old enough to have experienced much about the 1996 Atlanta Olympics – many of them were just two years old! While the city of London has been hard at work for many years, there is still much left to do, and the Brits will be busy in the next few months, completing final preparations on dozens of new venues all over the UK, most within the London metropolitan area. One thing is for certain, our students will have a chance to see these games and remember them well, long after the summer is over and the athletes have returned home.

The city of Oxford, too, is getting in on the Olympic act. During a 70-day, 8,000-mile tour around the UK, the Olympic torch will pass through Oxford on July 9th, nearly a week after the students of the combined Franklin, Grady, and Terry College Summer Programs will have arrived in town for their six-week stay. The Program will be hosting an Olympic Torch celebration on the day, with many local and international friends, alumni, and administrators on hand alongside the students to view the symbol of the Olympic games pass directly in front of the UGA Centre on Banbury Road.

If you or someone you know in the UGA community would like to attend this celebration, please contact us directly at oxford@uga.edu. We’d love to see you in Oxford for the torch relay!

Law and Policy Review. No stranger to debate himself, Peter has become an invaluable part of the UGA v. Oxford Union debate throughout its various reiterations these many years.

To the victors . . .

In the end, among those who attended, there was a definite feeling that both in the short term and in the future, the Western world must develop and maintain a solid position relative to the East in what is an ever-shrinking world. UGA prevailed on the evening by arguing that China does represent a threat, but even they were cautiously optimistic about the potential for this liability to become an asset with the right political and social action.

Far from grim pronouncements about a new ‘red’ threat rising on the other side of the globe, there was a clear sense on both sides of the argument that Sino-American and Sino-British relations are at a moment of great opportunity, not crisis. With continued dialogue and the efforts of reasoned, informed and intelligent individuals like those competing in this event, there is much yet for which we can all be hopeful and optimistic. Oxford Union team captain, Stuart Cullen, chats

with some young debate fans during the event’s intermission.

Love them or hate them, Wenlock and Mandeville, the London Olympics mascots said to have been formed from droplets of the steel used to build the stadium, will be

everywhere in the UK this summer.

Calling All Alums!If you haven’t already done so, please update your contact information on our website at oxford.uga.edu/Update.php.

This quick electronic form allows us to have your most current mailing and email addresses so that our Program staff can best communicate upcoming events, such as our annual Alumni Homecoming Tailgate every Fall semester. If you have already updated your information using this form, thank you! Also, if you have any suggestions as to how we might improve the form, please contact our Graduate Assistant Jennifer Sonenberg at jls@uga.edu.

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UGA at Oxford Program CalendarEarly Admit Deadlines available for 2012 programs.

Please see the UGA at Oxford website: http://oxford.uga.edu

UGA at OxfordThe University of Georgia326A Park HallAthens, GA 30602

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

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Athens, Georgia

2 0 1 3SPIA at Oxford Spring 2013Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 – Sat., March 9

UGA Law at Oxford Spring 2013 Saturday, January 5 – Sunday, April 21

Franklin at Oxford Spring 2013 Thursday, March 21 – Sunday, June 16

Foundation Fellows Maymester 2013 Saturday, May 11 – Sunday, June 9

Oxford/Washington Summer 2013TBA

Franklin at Oxford Junemester 2013Wednesday, June 12 – Thursday, June 27

Franklin, Grady & Terry at Oxford Summer 2013 Sunday, 30 June – Friday, August 9

Franklin at Oxford Fall 2013Thursday, Sept. 12 – Saturday, Dec. 7

2 0 1 2SPIA at Oxford Spring 2012 Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 – Sat., March 10 UGA/OSU Law at Oxford Spring 2012 Saturday, January 7 – Sunday, April 22

Franklin at Oxford Spring 2012 Thursday, March 22 – Saturday, June 16 Foundation Fellows Maymester 2012 Friday, May 11 – Saturday, June 9 Oxford/Washington Summer 2012 Washington DC: Thu., June 7 – Fri., July 6 Oxford, England: Sat., July 7 – Wed., August 1 Franklin at Oxford Junemester 2012 Wednesday, June 13 – Thursday, June 28 Franklin, Grady & Terry at Oxford Summer 2012 Sunday, July 1 – Friday, August 10 Franklin at Oxford Fall 2012 Thursday, September 6 – Saturday, December 1