The Transatlantic Travel Study

Students depart for Europe on April 30 and begin the journey that will connect classroom learning with firsthand experience. The group arrives on May 1 and prepares to begin the academic program in London. This shared travel experience sets the stage for learning across several countries and cultures.

In London and Oxford, students examine how war, intelligence, reconstruction, and democratic institutions shaped the postwar world. Visits to the Churchill War Rooms, Imperial War Museum, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Bletchley Park, and Oxford’s colleges connect history with current global affairs. Meetings with organizations and universities broaden students’ understanding of development, human rights, international policy, and postwar cooperation.

In Paris and Dunkirk, students explore the impact of war, memory, human rights, and European recovery. Visits to Les Invalides and the Mémorial de la Shoah provide historical context for the development of modern human rights institutions. Engagements with organizations and universities deepen students’ understanding of diplomacy, education, economic cooperation, and international advocacy.

In Brussels, Bruges, and Ypres, students study the institutions and ideas that shaped European cooperation after two world wars. Visits to European Union institutions, NATO, the House of European History, Parlamentarium, and the In Flanders Fields Museum connect regional history with contemporary diplomacy, security, migration, and development. Meetings with nongovernmental organizations and universities offer additional perspectives on human rights, democracy, public policy, and international service.

In The Hague and Amsterdam, students focus on international law, criminal justice, human rights, and the development of global institutions. Visits to the Peace Palace, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Anne Frank House, and the Dutch Resistance Museum connect legal principles with the historical experiences that shaped them. Conversations with organizations and academic institutions help students examine the continuing work of justice, accountability, and international cooperation.

Students depart Europe on May 20 and return to the United States after completing the academic tour. The final travel day marks the close of a program centered on history, global affairs, and experiential learning. Students return with new knowledge, professional connections, and a broader perspective on the world.