McNair Research Abroad
The five-week London/Cambridge venture during the 2010 summer allowed McNair Fellows to investigate issues of access to higher education in the United Kingdom. Students had the opportunity to interact with and learn from educational and political leaders in the UK. The students also enrolled in two courses: Introduction to McNair Research, which facilitated the execution of the research agenda; and Introduction to College Teaching, which focused on similarities and differences between college instruction in the US and the UK. Fellows also had the opportunity to visit various attractions, including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abby, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tate Modern Art Gallery. In addition, students were able to participate in a conference sponsored by the Forum for Access and Continuing Education (FACE) in Southampton. FACE includes a UK-wide network of practitioners and policy-makers involved in the expansion of learning for all. Altogether, the study abroad program challenged students to think critically about the dynamics of and solutions to the perplexing problems of higher education access and completion.
