Internship

Hello,

My name is Mia Holland, and I am trying to raise funds for my upcoming study abroad internship at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, to begin on Tuesday, May 30th and end on Tuesday, June 20th. I am a Biology Science major at Penn State University, and I will be a senior this coming fall, with aspirations of being accepted into medical school after graduation. This opportunity is a dream come true for me because studying abroad has been something I've wanted to do since I was a child.

Participants in the program will engage in intercultural learning experience using the pedagogical method chosen for the course. I will be joining tutorials of small-group meetings between professors ("tutors") and students that are designed to hone critical thinking. The tutorials promise to be different from the traditional class sessions we're used to in the US, and I will be required to complete assignments, readings, along with composing a paper for each tutorial that will be used as a basis from which to generate rigorous discussion. We will then go through the process of proposing and debating an "argument" each session, during which we must convey intimate familiarity with the ideas, details, and nuances in the materials. We will learn to better synthesize meanings in the papers presented to fully immerse ourselves into the quintessentially British spaces and practices that will help provide a rich intercultural experience. We will also study the use of psychedelics in modern psychiatric medicine with an English psychiatrist-neuroscientist, discuss ethical dilemmas that arise in the National Health System (NHS) with a medical ethicist who has been appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire, explore connections between visual art and medicine with an English surgical oncologist/scientist, and talk with and shadow an English general surgeon in clinic. In addition to the curriculum of the Oxford program, I will also be participating in the Primary Care Scholars Program at Penn State while I am there so my days will be busy for sure!

Oxford and London are unique cultural destinations, featuring world-famous museums, gardens, architecture, libraries, theatrical and musical arts, historic sites, etc. In addition to the academic rigor, we will utilize new systems of transportation and conduct transactions with new currency while enjoying accents and customs from all over the world. We'll have opportunities to participate in quintessentially British rituals including high tea and pub nights with locals (as well as plentiful tourists) and to enjoy places they've encountered in books and film--e.g., Christ Church Great Hall (Hogwarts' dining hall in the Harry Potter franchise), Eagle and Child Pub (the former haunt of the writing group "The Inklings" that included J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis), Bridge of Sighs that connects two parts of Hertford College, Dr. George's College! (shown in almost every image of Oxford), reproduction of The Globe Theatre (particularly appealing to literature and drama buffs) to name a few.

As you can see, this opportunity promises to be something special academically, culturally, and personally as it relates to my growth and maturation. I would like to experience as much as I can while I am there and that's why I am asking for your help. Your donation of any amount will go towards my daily expenses and my ability to experience what the program has to offer, as the cost of food and activities is not included in the cost of the program.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, as I am truly happy to share my excitement for this upcoming journey with you!

Wish me well!!

Mia