The start of the fall semester is looking very different for some of the School of Theatre and Dance (SOTAD) students. A group of 21 students will be kicking off their semester nearly 3,500 miles away from home, in London.
Jefferson Farber is a professor at the School of Theatre and Dance and the advisor for the London Semester Program. This will be his 3rd trip to London.
“The London Semester Program is a bespoke program—it was created in-house here at Millikin… it was built to fit seamlessly with all our degree programs within SOTAD,” he said. “Last fall would have been the 20th anniversary [of] the first time we went on the trip as it is now.”
The London Semester Program includes specialized acting classes, career development, and other experiential learning courses offered both by Farber and guest faculty based in London.
“I teach a class that I created called Performing the Tourist, where we learn how to analyze and interrogate narratives of national identity that are offered by the major museums across the country,” Farber said. “I also created a new course for this fall called the Entrepreneurial Mindset and Career Development. It’s designed to encourage the students to go out and network and engage with people.”
Lydia Dutton is a junior studying theater and performance studies. She will be attending the London Semester Program this fall. “Hearing about the London Program when I was looking at colleges was actually one of the things that made me want to go to Millikin,” she said. “So not going to London was sort of never an option for me, because it’s what made Millikin stand out for me in terms of theater programs.”
Students attending the semester are completely immersed in the theatrical world in London, with over 20 plays and musicals on the agenda for this year’s trip, as well as opportunities to work in and explore the world’s most famous theaters.
“I’m really excited to study at the Globe Theatre,” Dutton said. “I think that’s a big-ticket item for a lot of people going. I’m also very excited to see a lot of the shows we’re seeing. They’re included as part of our tuition for the semester, and that’s not something that is usually included in your education in any theater program.”
While there’s much to look forward to when it comes to theater in London, attendees are also exposed to other unique and exciting cultural experiences during their trip.
“We get to do the Fall Equinox Celebration at Stonehenge, so we’ll be inside the stone circle when the sun rises on the Fall Equinox, in a ceremony that’s led by modern-day Druids,” Farber said.
When asked what he was most excited about this semester, Farber spoke about a museum tour that specially accompanies a course about the history of museums and the advent of museums as private institutions.
“Historically, museums started as private collections of wealthy people,” Farber said. “There’s this one guy who was a very famous and wealthy architect in the 1700s. When he died, he willed his house and entire collection as a public institution. Since, it’s been a museum. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I booked a private reception and a candlelit tour. So now we’re going to experience the museum as his friends and his guests would have experienced it during a night out at his house.”
The program also encourages students to step outside of the curriculum, giving them the opportunity to network with artists in the city or even travel on their own throughout Europe. For many, this is what makes the London Semester Program a transformative experience.
“I encourage the students to engage intentionally with the limits of their comfort zone and intentionally stretch themselves in their experiences,” Farber said. “That allows for growth—emotional growth, psychological growth, physical growth, artistic growth. It’s self-confidence. They’re walking taller, [and] they’re engaging with the world more. It’s, ‘Now I want to come back to Decatur and make art that is powerful and world-class here,’ and that’s something that I’m really proud of.”
Beyond career development and challenging new experiences, students attending the London Semester Program will be introduced to new perspectives and interpersonal skills.
“I’m hoping to gain more perspective on the world, both as a theater creator and as a global citizen,” Dutton said. “I think it will be super interesting seeing how people’s lived experiences translate into their art.”
Overall, the London Semester Program and study abroad trips like it are packed with vital learning opportunities and chances for students to take initiative in their own personal growth.
“One of Millikin’s missions is preparing students for democratic citizenship in a global environment,” Farber said. “I really hope that all of our students avail themselves of the opportunity to go study abroad somewhere. One of the best ways to learn about yourself as a person, as a citizen, is to leave where you are and to go experience somewhere else.”
