An Educational Pilgrimage: Chancellor Visits Students Studying Abroad in Canterbury
It’s not unusual for Donna P. Henry, Chancellor of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA Wise), to travel on behalf of the College. But recently Chancellor Henry crossed over 4,000 miles to visit UVA Wise students taking part in a unique experiential learning opportunity.
The students were part of a study abroad trip in Canterbury, England, arranged by UVA Wise Professor of English John Mark Adrian. During their time abroad, students from the College are able to attend Canterbury’s Christ Church University (CCCU), visit historical sites and take in the culture of the United Kingdom.
“UVA Wise students can study humanities, sciences, computer science and even gaming while in Canterbury,” said Chancellor Henry. “It was great to see the impact of the trip on our students. Most students had not traveled before, several had families go visit them and they were able to experience a university with 15,000 students which is on a UNESCO world heritage site.”
As part of the course Sights and Sites offered by CCCU, students visited a different place in the U.K. with other international students each Friday. With the Chancellor, they pilgrimaged to Greenwich, where they saw the prime meridian and learned about its origin. They also visited the restored Cutty Sark British clipper Ship, one of the fastest tea clippers to be built.
Henry also went with students to visit a Christmas market in Canterbury, which was being held for the first time in 120 years. And, Professor Adrian lead a ghost tour and students read stories about haunted spaces and events that are said to have occurred.
The students took the Chancellor of a tour of the Canterbury Cathedral where she joined students studying medieval stained glass and saw the site where Thomas Beckett was murdered at which miracles are said to occur. The group celebrated Evening Song and heard the female choir voices resonate in the cathedral space!
“The Chancellor did many things with us and I think that the students showed her just how much we've been able to do and experience outside of our normal classes,” said Max Turner, who spent the fall 2024 semester in Canterbury.
“I very much enjoyed discussing Chancellor Henry's time studying and traveling abroad with her when she was a student. It really put into perspective for me how impactful these experiences can be, due to how they impacted her life,” Turner added. “The Chancellor coming all the way to Canterbury from Wise showed me just how much she cares about each individual student's education and experience at UVA Wise.”
Henry would like to thank the students, who hosted a potluck dinner for her during the visit abroad.
UVA Wise is continually introducing new options for experiential learning including internships, community engagement, undergraduate research and international study. The College has added to its spring study abroad offerings for 2025 and will offer trips to Paris and Southern France, Scotland and the Borderlands, and South Africa for spring break 2025. Summer trips will also include Greece, Iceland, London, United Kingdom and Paris, France in May.