Multimedia project by Sarah Baker | additional reporting by Patrick Henry
published May 12, 2015
Harlaxton College, the British Campus for the University of Evansville and a popular study abroad option for Baker students, recently earned the top spot on a list of "The 50 Best Study Abroad Programs in America.”
Criteria for the list compiled by Best College Reviews included at least a semester study period, fewer than 500 students, faculty involvement abroad, and a specific international campus location.
A typical semester at Harlaxton will include students who hail from 12 to 15 different universities across the United States, with an average of approximately 160 students per full semester.
Harlaxton Manor is a 19th century Neo-Elizabethan manor nestled in the English countryside. It has been a functional study abroad program since 1971. Baker University has sent more than 500 students to study at Harlaxton over the past 26 years.
“It’s a full service campus,” said Earl Kirk, the study abroad director at the University of Evansville who retired at the start of the spring 2015 semester. Kirk said that part of Harlaxton’s success comes from its amenities.
Few study abroad locations can claim a school nurse, student development office, traditional housing and a gymnasium. The fact that this package is wrapped in a 19th century manor house doesn’t hurt either.
The manor quickly becomes a home away from home for many students. By the end of the semester, almost everyone, faculty included, would be more than happy just to visit home and then return to live at Harlaxton.
ACADEMICS
One of many aspects that draws students to Harlaxton is its mandatory British Studies program, which counts for six credit hours and integrates British history as well as culture into the classroom. Although American professors teach other classes at the manor, only British instructors give the British Studies lectures and lead seminars.
"When I first learned that I had to wake up and be mentally prepared for British Studies at 8:30 in the morning I was worried because I am not a morning person in any sense," Sophomore Hali Wimbush said. "However, the class was so interesting and it covered the interest of every student no matter what major. British Studies gave me a greater understanding of how and why we associate ourselves with being 'American' or 'British' and that it holds more value and more context than just the place you were born."
British Studies involves two lectures a week as well as smaller seminar groups that meet after each lecture. The British Studies program prides itself on teaching American students a greater understanding of national identities, both British and American.
“Let me just assure you that this British Studies program is outstanding,” Kirk said. Kirk believes that it is not often that students get excited about a six-credit class that is mandatory, but this is an exception.
“It receives rave reviews at the end of the semester,” he said.
STUDENT LIFE
When students first arrive at the manor they are assigned a room either in the manor or in the carriage house. The carriage house is a much smaller building than the manor itself and is less than two minutes’ walk from the manor.
Each student is also placed into a “house,” like in Harry Potter: Gregory, Newton, Mercia and Pegasus. These “houses” compete throughout the year for points to win a silver trophy at the end of the semester.
The interactive image above shows the house flags and provides more information about each house.
For on-campus activities, the student development office offers intramural sports teams, student government, and various other clubs to help students connect with one another. One of those is the Meet-a-Family program, which gives students the opportunity to interact with members of the Grantham, England, area. Students are assigned a local family for occasional meals and social events, usually at the residence of the host.
The college athletic program features fully functional gym on campus. For the spring 2015 semester, almost half of the Harlaxton Lions basketball team came from Baker.
Junior Kaysha Green studied at Harlaxton in the spring of 2015 and played for the Harlaxton Lions alongside fellow Baker students.
"You can have five people on a basketball court at one time, as a team, and four out of five people who start[ed] for Harlaxton are Baker students," Green said.
Sophomore Keaton Anchors added that the players from Baker were the "most competitive people on the team."
The manor has a bar and social area in the basement, called “The Bistro.” Many social events are hosted in the Bistro, like pub quizzes and pen-mike sessions.
One such event in February 2015, hosted by one of the British faculty members, Professor David Green, was a night dedicated to the famous Scottish Poet, Robert Burns. Students packed into the Bistro to paricipate in a Scottish-themed open mic session, reading poetry, singing and even dancing.
Students and faculty celebrated Burns Night, in honor of Scottish poet Robert Burns, with performances of poetry, music and dancing in the campus bistro
TRAVEL
Travel and bonding with peers are crucial to the study abroad experience, which is where Harlaxton’s student development office comes into play. Kristin Eberman, dean of student development, wants students to build relationships in the manor but also step outside of what she calls the “Harlaxton bubble.”
Student development offers an extensive travel program including smaller day trips around Harlaxton and larger excursions to places such as London, Paris, Scotland, Ireland, and Italy. The majority of trips aren’t mandatory but are recommended and fairly independent if the student chooses them to be. Most school weeks are only four days long, which allows for school trips and independent travel.
"Harlaxton allowed me to venture outside of my comfort zone and has impacted me in a way that no other place ever has," junior Shannon Bond said." It introduced me to so many beautiful people and places."
Harlaxton’s first place rating on Best College Reviews’ seems to come as a pleasant, yet hardly shocking surprise to many students and staff at the college.
“Harlaxton will always be a home away from home," Green said. "Easily one of the best decisions of my life was to come here. The best part of this semester is no Harlaxton experience is the same; everyone has their unique adventures and memories that will stay with us forever.”
Above: Baker students traveled all across Europe and collected many pictures during their studies at Harlaxton.