For the second year, Lipscomb Academy grads enrolled in Lipscomb travel to England for first course

Janel Shoun-Smith | 08/03/2012

Twenty-three incoming Lipscomb freshmen got the best first college class ever July 21- July 29 on an international trip to England with Lipscomb professors, staff and Lipscomb President Randy Lowry and Mrs. Rhonda Lowry.

Beginning last year, Lipscomb University began offering a unique opportunity to Lipscomb Academy graduates who choose to enroll at the university. Last year’s “Lipscomb to London” trip provided 21 incoming freshmen a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit London and Oxford along with President Lowry and his wife.

This year (with the Olympics hogging all the space in London), a group of 23 Lipscomb newbies experienced “The British Isles with the President,” visiting Oxford and York, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland.

The trip included many experiences designed to introduce the students to college life. The group got to have the first lecture of their college career in Oxford, by Michael Ward, an expert on C.S. Lewis. Lipscomb Bible Professor Lee Camp served as faculty for the trip and each participant earned three credits toward their Bible requirements. They also were allowed to check out iPads from the university to use on the trip.

The British Isles travel course was titled Rhythm & Roots and explored how the rhythms of life are shaped by history, especially the facets of our life which have shaped our Christian faith.

The students toured Windsor and Edinburgh Castles, Oxford by bike, York Minster and St. Giles Cathedrals, John Knox’s House and Sherwood Forest.

The entire trip was divided into themes: monarchy, evangelicalism, Constantinianism, Reformation, Restoration and monasticism.

“Each year I think about how it might be difficult for the campus school seniors to imagine the college experience being much different from their high school because, after all, it is only across the parking lot,” said Lowry of Lipscomb Academy graduates. “However, each year the Lipscomb Academy graduates who choose Lipscomb for their college tell me how different the experience really is. Yet, attending here may not always be perceived as exciting as going away to college.

“So we developed a special experience we believe will start college for our high school graduates in an unforgettable way,” he said.

To learn more about Lipscomb Global Learning Programs, click here.