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STEPPING OUT Junior Ashley Stockbridge Spends a Semester in London
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shley Stockbridge ’07 of Stoneham, Mass., had just started thinking about packing a suitcase for her semester abroad when a series of bomb attacks on London’s transport network killed more than 37 people and injured close to 700. It was July 7th, and after a flurry of emails with Len Harmon, director of the Fischer Institute, she was reassured that attending the British American College London (BACL) for the Fall 2005 semester would be safe. BACL is located in the center of London at Regent’s College, and Stockbridge had never been away from home for more than a couple of weeks—and never outside the U.S.! “If you had met Ashley before her trip to London, you would be amazed at how she has grown as a student and as a person. She was very motivated to have this experience, but because she hasn’t traveled very much, she was a little uncomfortable about what she was getting herself into and whether she could handle such a dramatic change,” says Harmon. “She’s clearly very bright, and it makes my job so fulfilling to see how the semester in London changed her perspective about the world and about her experience at Nichols College.” Nichols agreement with Regent’s College permits our students to take academic coursework where all credit hours are transferable. Students pay the same fee for their meal plan and tuition, as well as keep all financial aid packages. The only out-of-pocket expenses are the airfare to and from London and spending money. To be eligible, Nichols students must 18
Director Len Harmon and Ashley Stockbridge stand in front of the Currier Center on campus
Time to Adjust
Ashley’s room with a view—it’s the one with the balcony on the left!
have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have earned junior-level status. In addition to completing an application, each candidate must be recommended favorably by two members of the faculty and by the dean of student services. Not everyone can attend Regent’s; it is a competitive program with a limited number of openings. “We also evaluate how the students follow up after the initial meeting,” says Harmon. “Ashley was always well prepared with questions for each meeting.”
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Stockbridge’s father decided that it would be advantageous to accompany his daughter to London one week early to give her time to adjust. Together, they planned to explore the 19th largest city in the world with its population of over 7 million. After flying into the world’s busiest international airport, Heathrow, they stayed at the four-star White House Hotel located next to Regent’s Park. Stockbridge says she spent the next days taking at least four double-decker bus tours so she could better understand London’s layout. A Peaceful Oasis
“In order to fully appreciate the Regent’s College London campus, you need to visit it yourself,” says Stockbridge. “It’s
Roomates Margherita Columbo-Pastorelli (“Mita”) from Monaco and Robin Sheehan from Calif, USA
Ashley runs into an old high school chum, Stonehill College junior Kristen Palermo, as she walks down the Champs Elysées in Paris. Note Arc de Triomphe in background
In Amsterdam, if the shoe fits, you buy it! Ashley purchased a right-sized pair for her Mom
amazing that such a peaceful green place exists in such a busy city.” The campus was built in 1913. A quadrangle of classrooms at its heart is surrounded by green lawns, gardens, tennis and basketball courts, and the beautiful ornamental gardens and lakes of Regent’s Park. When Stockbridge got assigned to a triple student room in Reid Hall, she was pleasantly surprised that one of her roommates had a Boston Red Sox blanket. “It made me feel right at home,” she says. And although the 240-student dorm had communal bathrooms, Stockbridge got one of the few rooms with a balcony overlooking the quad. “I met students from all over the world,” says Stockbridge, who believes that the diversity of Regent’s gave her a unique learning environment. She believes these new relationships have changed her outlook in profound ways. “I’m more open to a different point-ofview and more flexible when dealing with other people and situations.”
In front of the Coliseum in Rome with Fairfield University friend Johanna Duska
A gondola ride around the canals of Venice is a must
Checking Out World Cities
Stockbridge’s coursework included a Women’s Psychology course to satisfy her psychology major requirements. Plus, she took exciting electives that can’t be experienced elsewhere—like watching a Shakespearean play at The Globe Theatre or visiting an AngloSaxon burial ground. She was happiest when out of the classroom experiencing the best London has to offer. Stockbridge also took side trips to Dublin, Ireland; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Venice and Rome, Italy; and Paris, France. As a day trip, she took the Eurostar train which runs under the English Channel to visit the Louvre Museum in Paris. As she walked down the Champs Elysées, someone called out her name, and when Stockbridge turned around, there was her hometown neighbor from Stoneham, Mass.!
It’s evident that international student exchange at the college level plays a critical role in building bridges across cultural differences. One of Stockbridge’s closest friendships was with a Muslim student, Hisham Saif from Yemen, and she’s now trying to talk him into getting a Nichols MBA. “I know I’ve changed,” reflects Stockbridge. “I’m more independent, more motivated, and have this incredible desire to keep traveling and exploring the world. I strongly recommend the Regent’s College experience to other Nichols students…I tell everyone, ‘It’s the best college credit you can earn!’” Q
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