Pre College Enrichment Excel Oxford/Tuscany
Description
Join us for a month of cultural and intellectual exploration in three of Europe’s most evocative and historic cities on this pre college summer program for high school students in Oxford, Paris, and Florence. Choose two fun, field-based seminars as your focus. Build a photography or design portfolio, learn about the complexities of European integration, hone your creative writing skills, and much more! Spend three days in Paris, and take day trips to the vibrant cities of London, Venice, and Rome, as well as the seaside villages of Cinque Terre.
Experience university life at Oxford and the cultural treasures of Italy from our Renaissance-era villa in the hills of Tuscany, and immerse yourself in the rich history and modern life of Europe. Emerge from your summer with a new appreciation of the cultures you have explored, and the desire to deepen your knowledge of Europe’s past and present. This pre-college enrichment program in Oxford and Tuscany gives motivated and intellectually curious high school students the opportunity to see Europe in ways unavailable to tourists. It helps them prepare for college with in-depth, hands-on seminars on a number of fascinating topics taught by our staff of dynamic, highly qualified leaders.
The rich historical, architectural, and cultural centers of Oxford, Paris, and Florence are ideal settings for our traveling seminars. Chose a major and a minor seminar to follow throughout the program. Seminars are limited to twelve students or fewer to encourage thoughtful discussion and hands-on, field-based learning. Join your instructor and fellow participants to head out into the field. Take advantage of some of the world’s finest art collections, architectural and archeological treasures, and historical monuments and museums to explore topics of special interest to you. You might find yourself sketching the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, discussing social responsibility with protesters in Parliament Square, joining in a critique of your short story draft at a Parisian café, following in the footsteps of Michelangelo and the Medicis to see the artistic and architectural wonders of Florence, or rehearsing a scene from Romeo and Juliet in an atmospheric Italian courtyard.
Afternoons, Evenings, and Excursions: Afternoons are a time to relax, have fun, and explore your surroundings in ways that go beyond what you are studying in your courses. Activities may include a Shakespeare comedy in an Oxford park, a pick-up game of soccer or frisbee, an opera in the ancient amphitheater at Fiesole, a punting trip on the Cherwell River, or a discussion of current events at a traditional tea house.
The entire group gathers for a daily Community Meeting before dinner. After dinner, venture out again in the company of your instructors to experience the nightlife of Oxford, Paris, and Florence. In addition to concerts, comedy shows, movie nights, sports games, and theatre and dance performances, evening “coffeehouses” showcase the unique musical, artistic, and comedic talents of both students and staff.
Throughout the month, you have the opportunity to visit an even greater range of Europe’s incredible historic and cultural landmarks. While day trips vary from year to year, excursions may include a day exploring the ancient monuments of Rome or discovering the winding canals of Venice by gondola, a visit to London, Stonehenge, or the Aquae Sulis of Bath, biking in the Cotswolds, or trekking in Cinque Terre.
Accommodations: For two weeks, stay in single rooms on the beautiful campus of St. Hilda’s College at Oxford University, ideally situated on the banks of the Cherwell River in the center of Oxford. From this base, embark on numerous field trips to explore the awe-inspiring sights of this magnificent English city. While in Paris, stay at a student residence on a quiet street in the center of the trendy Marais District. Rooms here are dormitory style, with sinks and showers in the rooms and shared toilets on the hall. Our residence has the unusual Parisian luxury of a quiet courtyard and garden, and is within walking distance of the Latin Quarter, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Pompidou Center, and the Musée d’Orsay. In Italy, our campus is a beautiful 16th century villa perched high on a hill in the small town of San Domenico, just outside of Florence. Rooms here are singles and doubles. The villa is just a short walk or bus ride from the beautiful hilltop village of Fiesole and the vibrant renaissance city of Florence.
Final Presentation: The program culminates with a final day of presentations and performances, during which each seminar group showcases its accomplishments for the entire Excel community. Debut your photography portfolio or display your artwork at an open gallery, perform adapted works of Shakespearean theatre, conduct an architectural tour of the city, or hold a poetry reading of your original work.