By Andrew Granger, CGC ’26

The Citadel’s new study abroad program at Brasenose College in Oxford outlined the beginnings of a rich relationship between the two great institutions. The trip, led by James Bezjian, Ph.D., set out to improve the scholastic and leadership skills of 13 Citadel cadets and students who underwent the rigors of the Oxford style of learning while they explored a new culture.

The students were housed in the Frewin Annex, one of the on-campus English dormitory-style buildings. They took lectures on international business from various subject matter. Bezjian remarked on the significance of the trip for both the students involved and for future Citadel study abroad programs.

“The experience provided by the Oxford Exchange is invaluable because it offers students the unique opportunity to study in college and work on a passion project that can be turned into a publishable work,” said Bezjian. “We hope that this experience will act as a bridge to other elite graduate programs for our students at The Citadel and to provide exposure, contact and opportunity to learn at some of the world’s top institutions.”

In addition to taking lectures, each student was required to submit and present an Oxford-style essay by the end of the trip that focused on the foundational tenants of international business. While the writing process was challenging, the cadets found immense satisfaction in their work.

Cadet Andrew Palmer, a Political Science major, also fondly remembered the study environment in the Radcliffe Camera, one of the oldest and most famous libraries in Oxford.

“It was something else. You walked in and there’s giant shelves of books that reached all the way to the ceiling, and they had the ladders that slide for you to go up. The Radcliffe Camera almost looks like the Capitol Dome. You walk in underground, you come upstairs and you are just surrounded by books all around in a circle, and then you keep going upstairs and you see out these windows into this beautiful town square. There are these old reading lights and it’s quiet and everybody’s studying. It was an amazing experience just to be in that room,” said Palmer.

While out of class, students explored the surrounding area, took in the English culture and socialized. Cadet Kaitlyn Pruitt, also a Political Science major, enjoyed spending some of her free time discovering the other colleges in Oxford.

“Christ College is the biggest college, it’s where they filmed Harry Potter. That one probably was my favorite because they had lavender fields and everywhere you walked it smelled amazing. Then, if you walked around a corridor or into a classroom, you would see a spot from the Harry Potter movies,” said Pruitt.

Palmer appreciated the history and culture in Oxford while exploring the town.

“We’d go to these pubs that J.R.R. Tolkien and some other famous authors would sit down and write in. We were there when the European championship was happening for soccer, so everybody was very excited at the pubs. It was a very enjoyable time, just gathering together with everybody,” said Palmer.

Cadet Sean Kelly, an Intelligence and Security Studies major, was particularly interested in meeting and speaking with the students at Oxford out of the classroom. His experience was shaped by the connections he made with fellow students. Kelly described spending hours in deep conversations, noting that Oxford teaches you to think and articulate information in a different way that led to some of the best discussions of his life.

“You could really tell that all these students and graduates had a genuine passion for learning, a genuine passion for increasing their worldview, for learning about America, for learning about The Citadel. And in turn, they also embraced my passion to learn about them, about Oxford, about life in the United Kingdom,” said Kelly.

As the cadets looked back on their experiences as a whole, they better saw how they improved throughout their Oxford study.

Kelly found his study abroad essential for his future plans to serve the U.S. in politics, and is already looking for opportunities to go back.

“I’ve always had an interest in public service. There’s a real need for informed leaders who are attuned to the interests of the people, but also have the grounding, knowledge and information that they need to really make things happen,” Kelly reflected. “Coming to Oxford helped me realize that if I go on to receive a master’s degree at a place like Oxford, it’s going to help me to be a more informed leader.”

Palmer found that his writing style has improved after the trip, he is more open-minded and is now more focused on passing down important traditions. He also plans to study in Oxford again.

“I’m much more conscious about the language I use, and the claims I make in my writing and how it’s supported by evidence. Also, this study abroad has given me a broader perspective of what’s outside of here. Being able to interact with other college kids and learn what another college is like, but also learn the way that these institutions, that have been around for 700 or 800 years, continue to hold onto their traditions, is important to me being at The Citadel, with how we inherit our own traditions. Seeing the passing of those traditions along from one generation to the next at Oxford has caused me to think about what I’m going to do here as a senior,” said Palmer.

Pruitt, after thinking back on her trip, shares some advice for people looking for similar experiences during their time in college.

“I think the trip is very helpful and I think it is a growth opportunity everyone needs, but you don’t need a big name to gain a big opportunity. You can go talk to your professors if you want to learn to write better, if you want to learn to communicate, if you want to learn to network — The Citadel can do that for you. I’m a big advocate for studying abroad so I encourage people to go on the trip. Find somewhere that works for you because it’ll change you no matter where you go,” said Pruitt.

The Oxford Exchange program is yet another opportunity provided to students through The Citadel’s Center for International and Special Programs. Whether having a conversation with a teacher or setting off on a trip across the world, The Citadel will continue to provide its cadets and students with remarkable experiences.

Andrew Granger of Atlanta, Georgia earned his bachelor’s degree from The Virginia Military Institute in English, Rhetoric and Humanistic Studies. He is currently working as a graduate assistant in the Office of Communications and Marketing while pursuing a master’s degree in Project Management and competing for The Citadel’s Track and Field program.