NGU meets Oxford University as students study in England
After researching all morning, Emily Gissendanner, a sophomore from NGU, and two students from Louisiana College traveled to London to see Big Ben, London’s clock tower.
Demi Blackmon, Managing Editor
As many college students worked or went on mission trips this summer, North Greenville University Junior Joshua Mulvaney and Sophomore Emily Gissendanner studied in Oxford, England for two weeks.
Jerry A. Johnson, the new President and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters(NRB) took the first group to England to study this past summer at the University of Oxford. NRB was looking for six people with a desire to learn more about broadcasting, film and communication.
NRB sponsored all six of the trip attendees’ transportation, food and lodging. Along with the two NGU students were students from Bob Jones University, Louisiana College and Northwestern University.
While studying at Oxford, Mulvaney and Gissendanner wrote three 10-15 page research papers. Gissendanner’s paper compared the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) to the American Broadcasting Company(ABC) while Mulvaney wrote a paper on neuroscience in cinema. He explained how different films affect our minds.
Gissendanner said, “Each day, we woke up and went to the library or bookstores, but by midday, we all went to tour the city.”
The students were able to tour C.S. Lewis’ house, visit museums, watch cricket games, spend a day in London and ride the London Eye.
Mulvaney and Gissendanner said they learned a great deal during their time in England.
Mulvaney said, “I learned that we expect way too much from American education. The students [at Oxford] are required to study on their own. Here [in America,] we are spoon-fed information. We rely on other people for information.”
While in Oxford, Mulvaney learned how to not rely on other people to learn. He was required to go to libraries and bookstores to research and teach himself.
Gissendanner said going to Oxford helped her to expand her worldview by learning about the different people and the intellectual cultures in the city. She also realized there were churches all over the city, yet very few Christians.
“Church is more of a tradition over there,” said Gissendanner.
NRB is looking for six more media students who want to grow in their faith and learn about broadcasting, film or communication to go on the same trip next summer to Oxford. To go on this trip, you must be an NRB member. You can go to nrb.org to apply.
