Getting to Know Hillsdale in England and France

Before starting my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to participate in Hillsdale College’s summer program on Winston Churchill and the Second World War. My admissions counselor had recommended the opportunity as a good introduction to Hillsdale College. I’m so glad I took her advice, benefitting from not only the memories of travel, but new friends and a clear direction for my college search.

We spent the first few days of the program in Hillsdale experiencing life as a student. We lived in a dorm, ate at the dining hall, attended lectures, took quizzes, and turned in essays. I was really impressed by the campus and the quality of the faculty and students. After acquiring some background knowledge, we headed off to Europe with Dr. Conner, a military historian and a great professor. We started our tour visiting Chartwell, which was Winston Churchill’s home. It is still furnished in the same way as when Churchill lived there, which gives you an impression of the man’s personality. We then travelled to Blenheim Palace, Churchill’s birthplace, followed by Oxford University. We saw Christ Church while we were in Oxford, Hertford College’s Bridge of Sighs, the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, and the Ashmolean Museum. As we explored the city, we gained a greater appreciation for the history of the place and the many names who had studied there and gone on to make history of their own. The next day our tour focused on London and such sites as Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, 10 Downing Street, and Buckingham Palace. I especially remember visiting the underground war cabinet rooms, which served as Britain’s command center during World War II. While walking those halls, it is easy to imagine the stress Churchill and others felt as they made decisions that could save (or result in the loss of) their country.

After London, we crossed the English Channel by ferry and arrived in France. We started at Mont Saint-Michel, a spectacularly beautiful abbey on an island just off the coast, but quickly moved on to the beaches of Normandy, where the Allies launched the liberation of the European mainland. We visited places like Pointe du Hoc, Omaha and Utah beaches, and Sainte-Mère-Église. The most emotional moment of the trip was visiting the American Cemetery, with its row upon row of graves, the evening flag lowering ceremony, and the playing of taps. Our tour concluded with a visit to Paris and such famous places as Versailles, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower.

Being a student in a Hillsdale College high school summer travel course is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My admissions counselor was right: it really is the perfect way to get to know Hillsdale, and after the trip, I knew Hillsdale was the only place I wanted to go to college. I applied nowhere else. Moreover, attending one of Hillsdale’s several summer travel programs is a fantastic way to make new friends. I am still in touch with many people from the trip, and I was able to start college with a group of people I already knew, liked, and felt comfortable with. Finally, the trip is a lot of fun! While in Normandy, we were based in Caen, and every evening, my group of friends went to William the Conqueror’s fortress, sat on the massive stone walls, watched the parade of knights and fire dancers go by, and ate overpriced McDonald’s. I will always remember those times, and I cannot recommend the adventure strongly enough.

 

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Logan Woodhouse is a biochemistry major who comes to Hillsdale from Boise, Idaho. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Federalist Society, and the women’s basketball practice squad. You can often find him in the dining hall attempting to sculpt the perfect ice cream cone.