London
Quote This experience [in London] has shaped and changed me for the better. It has inspired me to travel more and strive to learn more everywhere I go. Quote
London is a capital city where history, government, and global business all operate within a few blocks of each other. In these trips, we’ve spent time inside the Palace of Westminster in conversation with a member of the House of Lords, met with professionals working at the front edge of AI and technology, and visited one of the world’s leading brand consultancies. We've gone behind the scenes in the West End to understand the structure, economics, and scale of its theater industry—then taken our seats and experienced the final product that same night.
A planned visit to Oxford University is a chance to step into a place that has shaped thought and policy across centuries. It remains the most storied and influential university in the English-speaking world, and students have the opportunity to engage with this place and with the ideas it represents.
Quote I learned so much about business, politics, and connection. I think I learned more from this experience than I have from any class I have ever taken in college. Quote
Some of the greatest insights happen outside the formal business visits, in Hyde Park, or while taking in a Premier League game, or at Platform 9¾. Students have found themselves reflecting on power at the British Museum or experiencing insights about themselves and the world around while navigating the Underground. The structure of the trip is meant to give students enough context to engage and enough room to explore, to be agents in this experience—not just passengers. Those who lean in leave thinking more clearly about institutions, expectations, and what it means to move through the world with intent.
Previous students have reflected about their experience in London:
Quote I am so thankful as this was my first time out of the country and I was able to have such a diverse, interesting, and life changing experience. Quote
Quote Learning comes from experience and so this was so perfect and life changing. Quote
Quote I loved going to the different business visits, I loved visiting the different cultural events. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire thing. Quote
Quote Visiting Parliament. I thought it was so interesting hearing a perspective on US politics and people outside of the US. Quote
Quote I loved the play, soccer game, and the Tower of London tour but my favorite was punting on the Cam River. Quote
Some things to do while on the London experience:
Museums and Churches
- Westminister Abbey and surrounding area, such as the iconic Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, and the Royal Parks. It is worth taking in Evensong at this or other ancient houses of worship
- St Paul’s Cathedral, a Christopher Wren masterpiece and the Mother Church of London, at the center of worship for the city for over 1,400 years.
- British Museum, the world’s most renowned repository of archeological and historical artifacts, littered with the detritus of the British Empire, featuring the Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles, the Lewis Chessmen, the Assyrian Lion Hunt Reliefs and Egyptian mummies around the awe-inspiring QEII Great Court.
- Most national museums in the UK have free entry for the main collection. This includes and is not limited to the British Museum, the Tate Modern (world leading institute of modern art with amazing city and river views), the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), and the Tate Britain.
- Oxford Museums, such as the Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers, and Natural History Museum, with its famous stuffed dodo.
Entertainment and Imagination
- West End Shows: we hope to experience the magic of London theater both as a visit and as an audience member.
- From books and movies: too many locations to list, but this might include Kings Cross Platform 9 3/4 and other Harry Potter sites in London and Oxford, the punting on the Isis, just as when Alice and Wonderland was first told, Kensington Gardens, the home of Peter Pan and Neverland, and the Eagle and Child, the gathering place for the Inklings, a writing group from which came the worlds of Middle Earth and Narnia.
- Catch a football match from the founding country of the world’s most sport, with London boasting 16 teams in the top 4 professional divisions, including seven teams in the world’s strongest league, the English Premier League.
Food, Shopping, and Sights
- South Bank Walk (The Queen's Walk from London Eye to Tower Bridge), a scenic riverside route passing the London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, Borough Market, and Tower Bridge with street performers, views, and places to stop and chill.
- Brick Lane (Food and Vintage Shopping), with its curry houses, street food, vintage stores, and graffiti.
- Other well-known markets include Camden Market – alt fashion, food stalls, art. Borough Market – foodie heaven (bring a friend and share). Spitalfields Market – artsy, edgy, fun to browse.
Quote This trip was a phenomenal experience! I have never been outside of the country before so this really helped me break the ice. I loved seeing how businesses operate outside of the US and understanding the different markets. Thank you for this opportunity and thank you for giving this experience to so many students. It is life changing. Quote
Want to learn more about London? Check out these great videos:
