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| Oxford/Stanford Sophomore College Exchange Programme | |
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Stanford has operated an undergraduate programme for 47 students in Oxford since 1984, since when it has acquired an enviable reputation for academic rigour, alongside the obvious benefits of cultural immersion in one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Students take demanding one-to-one tutorial courses from members of the Oxford academic community, together with a selection of lecture and seminar courses from Stanford and local faculty. They live together at Stanford House, in the heart of the city, but are also automatically given associate membership of one of three nearby colleges: Brasenose, Corpus Christi and Magdalen. This gives them access not only to college libraries and dining facilities, but also to student societies and clubs. Many students point to the opportunities for interaction with local students – notoriously one of the most challenging aspects of American study-abroad programmes – as one of the most valuable aspects of the Oxford programme. The Oxford/Stanford Sophomore College Programme began in 2007, and has operated very successfully for three consecutive years. It enables six Oxford undergraduates who are beginning their second year, two each from the three colleges with which Stanford undergraduates at the Oxford Centre are associated, to spend three weeks at Stanford each September. Sophomore College enables ambitious and talented Stanford students entering their sophomore year to take small, intense and demanding courses, typically numbering about 15 students apiece, from experienced faculty members; the Oxford students are given the opportunity of taking one of these courses alongside their Stanford counterparts, to live amongst them, and to participate in their activities. The three courses so far offered to both Stanford and Oxford students have been: ‘The American Invasion of Britain in the Second World War’ (Prof. Peter Stansky, 2007); ‘The Intellectual Excitement of Computer Science’ (Prof. Eric Roberts, 2008); and ‘The Meaning of Life; Moral and Spiritual Enquiry through Literature’ (Prof. Scotty McLennan, 2009). Each group of students is carefully chosen on a competitive basis, the Oxford students being pre-selected by the senior tutors of their colleges and then interviewed by the Director of the Stanford Programme in Oxford. The Sophomore College exchange programme was initiated to enable some Oxford undergraduates to experience in reverse some of the benefits enjoyed by the Stanford students who spend a term or more in Oxford. The idea of a ‘junior year abroad’ is an alien one in Oxford, largely because most Oxford degree courses last for only three years and it is next to impossible to find the time to spend a term away from the university. Spending three weeks at Stanford alongside Stanford students, in an academically stimulating environment outside the regular academic year, allows Oxford students to get a taste of what Stanford is about, to make contacts among the faculty, and to be personally and intellectually challenged. All the students who have been on the programme have stressed the extent to which their time at Stanford has been a ‘life-changing experience’, forcing them to reconsider their attitudes to the United States and to the methods and purposes of university education in both countries. At a time when universities and societies are becoming increasingly globalized, that is an important achievement. There are also benefits for the Stanford students who come to Oxford. The fact that Stanford is now being seen to offer some tangible reciprocity for the facilities enjoyed (and paid for) by the Stanford students in ‘their’ Oxford colleges sends a message that study-abroad is a two-way process in which Oxford students can participate. Oxford students returning from Sophomore College are expected to help orientate, and to be points of contact for, the incoming Stanford students, easing the sometimes fraught process of assimilation into Oxford student life. One returnee from the 2008 Sophomore College course acted as the undergraduate assistant for a short seminar course for Stanford students taught by a Stanford faculty member in Oxford this past September (2009). This October, all the returnees from the 2009 programme met a group of Stanford alumni, and some of the current group of students, at a reception at Stanford House. Such contacts are likely to increase as the programme continues. The Sophomore College exchange programme helps generate understanding of, and support for, Stanford within Britain, and in particular within Oxford University. Partnerships between universities are common nowadays, but they often mainly benefit academics and researchers; the Sophomore College exchange programme is targeted towards students, in the belief that they will the national and international leaders of the future. A generous gift from two Stanford alumni has paid for the six Oxford students’ tuition and board and lodging while at Stanford, and for their air fares, over the past three years, and has been promised for one more year (2010). Continuation of that funding from the wider Stanford community is now being sought, in order to enable this mutually beneficial exchange programme to continue after that date. Dr Geoffrey Tyack, Director, Stanford Centre in Oxford. Updated 3/3/2010 |
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| Campaign for Undergraduate Education at Stanford | |
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The Campaign for Undergraduate Education builds on the unparalleled renaissance in undergraduate programmes at Stanford during the past decade. New and highly successful programmes have been funded, in part with annual gifts to The Stanford Fund for Undergraduate Education. It is now time to make these innovations an enduring part of the Stanford undergraduate experience. This campaign will raise $1 billion, mostly in endowment, to do just that. This campaign seeks to support undergraduate education at Stanford in two ways: by building an endowment specifically for undergraduate programmes and scholarships and by increasing annual giving to The Stanford Fund for Undergraduate Education. As President John Hennessy stated, “To complete this ambitious renewal of the undergraduate experience, Stanford must earn the support of every student, parent, alumna/us, and friend. Throughout this effort, I hope what you learn will inspire your participation.” If you are interested in making a gift to support the Campaign for Undergraduate Education, or have any questions or comments about making a gift from the United Kingdom, please contact: Mary Ellen Simoni Director of Alumni Relations and Development for Europe 36 chemin des Rollands 38560 Jarrie FRANCE Phone/Fax: (+33) 476.72.07.65; e-mail: mesimoni@stanford.edu You can also make a gift online, using a VISA, Mastercard, or American Express card, by visiting: http://cue.stanford.edu/globals/gift.html The Stanford Trust If you currently pay taxes in the United Kingdom, you may be able to further the effectiveness of your gift by utilizing The Stanford Trust. The Stanford Trust is a charity (#1022726) registered with the UK Charity Commission. Through the Trust, donors of £100 or more may participate in the UK Gift Aid Scheme--a form of tax relief for single cash gifts made to The Stanford Trust and other UK charities by residents in the UK. Example: You send a cheque for £300 to The Stanford Trust. For the purposes of Gift Aid, this is treated as a gift made net of basic tax rate. If the basic rate of tax is 25%, this represents a gross amount of £400. The Stanford Trust will claim back tax of £100 (400 x 25% = 100). Thus, a gift of £400 will cost you only £300. How do I make my gift?
Updated 5/24/2004 |
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| Don’t Forget to Set Up Your Stanford E-mail Address! | |
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Do you have an e-mail address? I know. You are probably thinking – "The last thing I need is another e-mail address" – Or instead, perhaps it’s "What do I need an e-mail address for anyway…." Well, the University is pleased to make many of its services available via the Stanford Alumni Association’s website: http://www.stanfordalumni.org And best of all – the e-mail service is free! Not only will you benefit the University by increasing awareness of Stanford among your contacts, but also you identify yourself as a member of the Stanford community, a very unique group of people, to say the least. Setting up your own Stanford e-mail address is easy! After you log on to the website:
Now that you have your Stanford email address, don’t keep it a secret. Please email Administrator/Events Director, Lesley Anne Hunt, and let her know so we can update our records. Thanks very much, and we look forward to hearing from you using your new Stanford email address. Updated 5/24/2004 |