William Eagle's Scholarship Report

This year I was awarded the Cornell Club of London Summer School Scholarship. I had applied after seeing an advertisement in the University of Sussex campus magazine. Having always hoped to study in the U.S. it was an opportunity I could not miss. I was surprised to be called for an interview, and very happy when I was informed that I had been chosen to study at Cornell for six weeks during the summer. At the time it seemed so far away in the future, especially with second year exams still to come before leaving. Now that it is over, it seems so far in the past. It was like another wonderful world that I had the privilege of experiencing.

I arrived on Friday 23rd June after travelling for approximately twenty hours. For the next month and a half, I would live in Room 111, Founders Hall, West Campus. The hall and the other buildings in the Baker Complex are of a gothic style with stone bricks and slate tiles. Set around a quad system, they are a very pleasant place to live. On the Sunday, many other students began to arrive. I felt lucky to be living with students on the pre-freshman programme, who were at Cornell early to fulfil some course requirements. I met many people from states all over the U.S. including New Jersey, Virginia, Carolina, Miami, and Indiana. I have made some very good friends, and already they have plans to visit me in the U.K. and experience Sussex University.

Cornell is one of the top centres of research in the world, and there are many facilities on the campus. I visited the particle accelerator, built underneath a sports field, as well as the business school, the Johnson Museum of Art and other departments. I even went to the 'Milk Moustache Mobile' -- a special event organised by the Cornell Dairy and the 'Got Milk?' advertising campaign, where I won a 'Got Milk?' t-shirt!

I was keen to visit the Sage School of Philosophy. As a philosophy undergraduate, I was honoured to meet Terence Irwin, one of the Professors at Cornell. I have read several of his books and studied his commentaries on Plato and Aristotle's philosophy. He very kindly signed a copy of his book for me, and took the time to speak with me about my course, University and experiences at Cornell. I was able to attend a lecture, in the Philosophy school, about Foucoult and rhetoric given by the Professor of Rhetoric from University of California Berkely.

My classes were very engaging. I had enrolled in Principles of Public Relations and Advertising, and Mass Communications. Both classes were particularly interesting as they gave me an American perspective on issues in the media and advertising. Often I would be asked by the class to compare or contrast how the issues are in England and Europe. The students were all very friendly. Some were current Cornell students who were taking extra credits, and some were High School students who were taking courses to help their applications process.

I found the University academic system a little difficult at first. There are many more classes than I am used to, and the seminars could be described as smaller and more informal lectures. There is a system of continual assessment, and it seems the students at Cornell are able to pursue a broader education before choosing their major. It was difficult as I have completed two years in the U.K. system now, and I am perhaps a little set in my ways of studying and working. Those in the Cornell Abroad office were very helpful and made sure that I was coping in all different aspects of life at Cornell. I am very grateful to them for their help, especially to Libby, Bea, Dick and Micah. I ate lunch with Libby and Bea, and we discussed the intricacies of the two University systems, including everything from the application procedure to graduation ceremonies.

During the six weeks, my friends and I spent a lot of time exploring the massive and extensive campus. Many sunny afternoons were spent happily hiking around, swimming and diving into Beebe Lake. I visited local landmarks such as Ithaca Falls and Taughannock State Falls. The breathtaking beauty of the Finger Lakes Region makes me envy those who study at Cornell every day.

I was lucky to have the chance to visit Niagara Falls. I went with Timothy Andrews, another student from England. We spent the day at Niagara, taking the 'Maiden of the Mist' boat, and riding the elevator to the top of the Skylon Tower. The Falls were truly remarkable. I brought home some Canadian Maple Syrup for my family. Tim and I will not forget the experience. On our way home, we missed a bus connection as we had been given the wrong information. We did all that we could to get back to Ithaca in time, but found ourselves in Syracuse in the middle of the night. We had no way of getting back to campus, and nowhere to stay. Luckily, we met a man called Mike McCarthy, an Investigator with the Oneida City Police. He had been taking his wife to the bus terminal, and had seen us having problems. He very kindly offered us a place to stay for the night, and the next day drove us back to Ithaca. Mike was a very interesting and kind man. He had many stories to tell and I felt fortunate to hear about his family and life. Tim and I would have spent a very uncomfortable night at the Syracuse Bus Terminal without his help.

One weekend, I visited New York City with two friends. We stayed on 42nd Street and spent the day travelling around the city. I visited Little Italy, the Village, the World Trade Centre. I saw Central Park and the Trump Tower, and much more. We had a lovely short weekend there, and it is a shame that I could not have stayed longer.

At Sussex University, I am a Residential Adviser. David Yeh, the Assistant Vice President and University Registrar at Cornell, put me in contact with Don and Heidi who work in the Community Development programme and who are responsible for the RAs at Cornell. We met and discussed the similarities and differences between RAs in the US and UK, and also the Cornell approach to community development. I learned about the different ways in which programmes are structured to help students cope with their new environment, at the same time giving them freedom.

I had one or two friends in the dorm that belonged to a fraternity, and as a result I learned a lot about the Greek system. It seems to be a key element in the social lives of many students, and also in their approach to their academic and athletic careers. It also made clear how alumni, a very important part of Cornell, could feel a part of their University even after they graduate. Slowly, in the UK, we are seeing an increasing awareness of the importance of alumni, especially with the need for greater funding. Alumni of Cornell continue to help make the University one of the top institutions in the world. A groundbreaking centre for research and development, and a lively community for undergraduates, makes Cornell a truly wonderful place to live and study. Coupled with the astounding landscape, I could not think of a more pleasant place to study in the U.S.

As I hope you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute at Cornell, and I look forward to my next visit. It seems that many people go to Cornell, but no one ever quite leaves.

William Eagle, 2000

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