By Charlie Wailes | Reporter
One of the many study abroad programs that will be offered next summer is Baylor in Great Britain — a five-week program that takes students to the South Kensington district of London.
Dr. Charles Weaver, one of the professors who teaches classes with Baylor in Great Britain, said the program began in the 1970s. Until 2001, it was housed at Westminster School, located next to Westminster Abbey.
Charles said he teaches two courses during the program: a forensic psychology course and a course on memory.
“For forensic psychology, we retrace Jack the Ripper’s steps while in London,” Charles said.
Charles said he first attended as a faculty member in 1993 and has been a co-director of Baylor in Great Britain since 2007.
“I think my favorite thing about the program is introducing students to all the things in London and the UK that I have come to love,” Charles said. “I think it’s the most remarkable city in the world.”
Like any study abroad program, Charles said he has hopes that it will provide students with a new life experience.
“I hope students have an appreciation for a view larger than the one they had before traveling,” Charles said. “Students do things they have never done before and interact with an incredible diversity of people and cultures.”
Charles has co-directed the program with Dr. James Henderson since 2007.
Henderson said they partner with Imperial College for this program.
“We have partnered with them for the last 20 years, starting in the summer of 2002,” Henderson said. “Everything we do is using that as your home base and then exploring different aspects of the British Isles.”
Henderson said they will also have two optional weekend trips next summer.
“They are outside the UK, in Southern Ireland and in Paris,” Henderson said.
Henderson said the courses aim to better students’ understanding of Great Britain.
“Most of the courses are geared toward the location, cross-cultural issues like Brexit in the EU,” Henderson said. “We also have a course in comparative health care systems and British literature.”
Henderson said he thinks London is the most diverse city in the world.
“In the neighborhood we are in, you can walk down the street from our dormitory to the underground station and hear a half dozen languages being spoken as you walk down the street,” Henderson said.
Henderson said he hopes students grow as individuals from the experience.
“I think it’s a big confidence builder, and I think it’s an incredible opportunity for students to be in a new environment,” Henderson said. “You never run out of things to do.”
Waco senior Molly Weaver participated in Baylor in Great Britain last summer, which she said was the first time she left the country.
“Going into it, I had never left America before, and it was exciting to see something that wasn’t Texas,” Molly said.
Studying abroad is designed to provide students with memorable experiences, and Molly said she got one from her time overseas.
“We did small trips, like going to Paris and Scotland, but my top memory is going to Harry Styles concert in Manchester,” Molly said.
Molly also said this offered a life-changing perspective for her.
“I think not being able to see the world, you don’t know what it’s like,” Molly said. “Being able to travel and see how other cultures are was very interesting. Paris was more of a shock than England though.”
Baylor in Great Britain also has a Wintermester, which is a three-week program in London starting Dec. 26 and ending Jan. 14. Some of the courses offered during the Wintermester include economics, history and psychology.
According to Henderson, this is the first year Baylor in Great Britain has been able to travel to London during winter break.
“We tried to go last winter, and four days before, we got shut down because of omicron,” Henderson said. “We had 31 students scheduled to go.”
Molly offered some advice for students looking to study abroad for the first time.
“I would tell people to go to every opportunity, and don’t worry about the cost,” Molly said. “Just do it. You’re going to remember those things forever.”
