Sunset at Davis Island

The University of Tampa Honors Program hosted a peaceful and scenic evening on Davis Island Beach during our recent Sunset Picnic event. Students met at the UT Bell Tower, where transportation was coordinated. Drivers and passengers were matched into carpools, and the group made its way over together to enjoy the cooler weather and beach atmosphere at Davis Island, close to campus.

Once on the beach, students spread out blankets, unpacked their picnic items, and settled in to relax before sunset. Honors provided a variety of snacks, and many students brought their own food to share with friends. The atmosphere was calm and social, giving everyone a chance to unwind, meet new people, and take a break from a busy semester. The group enjoyed a colorful sky and took advantage of the perfect photo opportunities.

The event offered students the opportunity to earn 10 ACE Engagement points, but more importantly, it gave the Honors community a chance to connect outside the classroom.

We look forward to hosting more relaxing, community-building events like this in the future! Thank you Tenley Mertz for planning this wonderful event!

Oxford Abroad: Lily Fridl

Since I was just a little kid, I have dreamed of studying at Oxford. I imagined walking through cobblestone streets to journey into centuries old buildings with the purpose of absorbing every granule of information I could get my hands on. To be writing this while sitting in my college built all the way back in 1379 feels like a dream come true. 

Oxford is everything I imagined and more. Not only do I get to study in libraries built almost five hundred years ago and gaze out of carefully constructed stained glass windows, but I also have gotten the chance to study topics I never would have imagined possible. My primary tutorial focuses on the philosophies found in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works like The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. This week I am examining Tolkien’s philosophies regarding fate and free will while contextualizing them within the prominent beliefs regarding those topics during his lifetime. I have gotten the chance to sit at a lecture led by one of the leading Tolkien scholars in the world today and will have the privilege to experience one led by J.R.R. Tolkien’s grandson later this term. My secondary tutorial examines different women’s historical movements within then United Kingdom, specifically focusing on the suffragettes of the early twentieth century. While the workload may be hefty, it has been immensely rewarding and endlessly enjoyable. 

But Oxford goes beyond just the academics. The city itself is gorgeous and there are always endless things to do whenever you have free time. As a member of the rowing team back at Tampa, I knew I wanted to join my college’s boat club to have the experience of rowing at Oxford. The club has been truly wonderful and welcoming beyond my imagination. This past Sunday I was able to participate in a race against other Oxford colleges. I never imagined I would be able to say I had the experience of rowing for Oxford, let alone racing for them. It has truly made my wildest dreams come true. The opportunities I have had to travel have been incredible as well. Bath was absolutely stunning, and London is filled to the brim with things to do. I have more travel planned in the future I truly can’t wait for. 

Oxford has truly been the experience of a lifetime; one I wish could go on forever. Thank you to the Honors Program for this incredible opportunity. If anyone has even the slightest interest in Oxford, I highly recommend applying. It is an experience you will never forget. -Lily Fridl

Oxford Abroad: Gabriela Amador

Here are a few pictures from my experience so far! I am absolutely ecstatic to see where else this will take me, but I am incredibly grateful either way. I recall how eager I was when I was applying to the Oxford Study Abroad Program, and now that I’m actually writing this from Oxford, it feels imagined. So far, I have gone to London, Bath (which has ancient Roman baths and springs), and Oxfordshire, with plans to go to other places like Cambridge and Windsor Castle. The scenery is spectacular, especially Christ Church College and my college, New College.

As far as the academics go, my primary tutorial focuses on criminal psychology. My secondary tutorial is about social behavior. Both are subjects I proposed and tweaked with my amazing tutor (Dr. Anna Scarna) week by week. Most of my writing so far has been completed in a section of Oxford called Jericho, where there are plenty of cafes, restaurants,  and activities. 

One of the main things I love to do is visit the Phoenix Picturehouse in Jericho. It is a smaller local movie theater that not only plays new movies, but also has reruns of movies matching the season. They hold trivia and early screenings as well, which is how I was able to view the newest Frankenstein weeks before regular release.

Another great thing about Oxford- and the UK in general- is that several museums are free. Through this, I have seen the writings of Einstein, Mary Shelley, and Jane Austen. Seeing historical sites daily while doing menial tasks like running errands is definitely a bonus to all this. This has been my favorite part so far, besides being able to allocate way more time into researching and writing about my dream subject concentration. The number of cafes that are ever-present in the city also never fails to disappoint. Almost everything here has a student discount, so if you are hungry at any time, delicious cafes are at every turn. The Bodlein Library is also a site I frequent often, as well as the New College library and the Life and Mind Building of experimental psychology. – Gabriela Amador