OCTOBER 1999
Students transformed in London
By Jennifer Plants
Special to the Florida State Times
If you walk down Great Russell Street in the heart of the Bloomsbury district of London's West End, just one block west of the majestic facade of the British Museum, you will see a small, circular sign at number 103. In the same style as the signs for the antiquarian book shops, cafes and upscale hotels that line the street hangs the official seal of Florida State University.
The building at number 103, which dates from the 1660s, has been home to the FSU London Study Centre for 27 years.
The buildings have dorms and classrooms for up to 130 students. Programs range from a few weeks in the summer to a full year of traditional academic studies taught by FSU faculty and guest instructors. "They (students) learn all their waking hours here," notes Gene Crook, resident director of the London Program. Taking a theatre course?
You'll have tickets to the hottest shows. Studying English? Expect a visit to the former home of a literary great. How about museum studies? The curators of the Tate and National Galleries regularly treat FSU students to a bit of their expertise. And if you're a student in the department of textiles and consumer sciences, be prepared for a whirlwind tour.
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School Seal hangs over
the FSU London Study Centre
"Electric" is how James McLaughlin, associate in
merchandising and intern coordinator for the department, describes
the London experience. "London and Paris are
our classrooms," he says. A brief look at the summer program
proves his assessment.
Students there in 1999 visited the textile and historical fashion collections of Hampton Court Palace, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington Palace and the Museum of London - to name just a few.
At the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, students observed a turn-of-the-century cotton mill in action. They even managed to squeeze in a few trips farther afield, and the program actually began across the Channel in Paris, where students visited French department stores and design houses.
"It's the experience of a lifetime," said Stacey
Adams, a senior merchandising major. "Talk about a global
perspective! Being here, in the heart of the fashion capitals
of the world, all my college experiences are tied together. I'll
definitely have a lot to talk about in an interview."
Maybe Stacey will mention her meeting with Gilles Dufour, head
of Balmain, a leading Parisian fashion house. Dufour spent an
hour with FSU students, sharing his ideas and answering questions.
"I've never had the opportunity to meet with a working
designer face-to-face," said Lisa Merrill, design major.
"He (Dufour) opened up his 'inspiration' sketch book to
us, and I couldn't believe it. We're just students. The whole
fashion world would kill to see that book. His knowledge of the
past and present was amazing, and I thought, 'Hey, I'm on the
right track. I've been learning those things. I could be like
him someday.'"
Michael Vogel, a senior theatre major who studied in London during
the fall 1998 semester, noted a similar experience.
"Our professors encouraged us to go out and use the city to meet someone practicing in our field. I approached one of the cast members of 'Rent,' thinking I'd just ask him a few questions. Wilson Jermaine Heredia - a working actor - became more than someone I interviewed; he became a friend of mine. We hung out in pubs, talked about work, and I was just amazed with his total belief in himself. He believes that you simply bring yourself to your work; that's what makes success. I can do that, I thought. I'm learning to do that."
Meetings like that are priceless for students. "You can
read about something in a book," Merrill said, "but
when you see a professional talk about it, wow! Then it makes
sense."
No surprise then that Crook thinks "students learn more
from a semester in London than a semester at Harvard."
John Roca, also a senior theatre major, who studied with Vogel,
learned a powerful lesson in confidence.
"The experience totally changed my world view and how I think of myself. If I can make it in London, Tallahassee is no problem. Somehow, at the London Centre, the pettiness of everyday college life just fades away. You're there with a small group focused on learning. You create your own village focused on more than just tests and parties, and you keep that feeling when you come back."
Crook describes the transformation that happens to students
who study abroad this way: 'They learn things they never knew
they would - how to be tolerant, cooperative, responsible, loyal,
etc. to their peers. They learn to look to longer goals.
"They come over here 5'8" in height, and they go home
8'5" in height.
"They are looking over the heads of their peers who stayed
home."
For more information about the FSU London Program, visit the International Programs Web site at http://www.fsu.edu/~intprog/