2023-2024 Nottingham group, photo courtesy of Dr. Spencer Martin.
Greetings from the United Kingdom! I am Bao Nguyen, a sophomore currently studying politics & international relations at the University of Nottingham and a part of Luther College’s Nottingham batch. This year, I am very excited to be the writer of the Study Away Blog, where I will talk about all things study away, including study abroad programs, J-Terms, tips and tricks and so much more. In the very first blog, I would like to introduce you to the Nottingham program — one of the best things Luther has to offer!
Since 1972, the Nottingham program has been an integral part of Luther College. It is the longest-running study abroad program at Luther (recently celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021), sending students to the United Kingdom to study and immerse themselves in British culture. The Nottingham program began when a group of Luther students, along with the program directors’ family, packed up their bags and moved into a large home in a working-class English neighborhood. The Luther program was originally sponsored by and is still associated with a German Lutheran Church, whose congregation was originally started by German prisoners of war who decided not to return to East Germany after the war ended. The congregation is small and close-knit, and the members enjoy any contact they are able to have with students and directors of the program.
The Nottingham program is academically tied to the University of Nottingham. Studying at the university gives students a chance to take a wide range of courses, experience the British higher education system and meet both British and other international students. Another significant part of the Nottingham year is the International Studies 135 course, which includes five or six house course field trips. Each year, the destinations change but the trips are always a highlight for both students and faculty.
Luther College has sent batches of students to Nottingham every year, except for the 2020-2021 academic year due to COVID-19. After the pandemic passed, the program resumed with even more students, offering students different ways to discover Nottingham in particular and the UK in general.
The 2023-2024 batch has been the most diverse group of Luther students so far. With 10 students representing 7 countries, students are also learning ways to celebrate the multiculturalism of the city of Nottingham. Before the academic year starts in October, the group spent a few weeks discovering the United Kingdom, with trips to Salisbury, Plymouth and Bath. We also had a conversation with Kendra Korte (‘03), a Luther alum and Nottingham alum who’s currently residing in Nottingham! Generations of Nottingham students have developed a strong sense of community and attachment to the country and they are now traveling around the world or even back to Nottingham to pursue their careers.
If you are interested in the Nottingham program, feel free to go to the CGL to learn more. A gentle reminder: the application for the program has opened and the deadline is November 15, so sophomores, don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!