Sam Straus
Sam attended Extended Michaelmas Term (MT+).
Sam Straus, a student from Cornell University, writes about his experience of MT+ in the 2023-24 academic year:
“From Formal Halls (weekly dinners in the dining hall where everyone dresses up) to meeting people from all around the world, my Extended Michaelmas Term (MT+) at LMH allowed me to grow as a person. Specially, my time at LMH allowed me to grow academically, professionally, and personally.
Academically, LMH provided me with the opportunity to deepen my studies in Economics and Management. For Economics, I took Intermediate Microeconomics and was grouped with a cohort of ten degree-seeking students. However, my tutorials were typically two-on-one. This allowed me to delve deeper into my fields of interest alongside like-minded, driven students. For Management, I took General Management, a course which allowed for me to research, analyze, and distill strategies for firms. In the United States, a majority of my Management studies have used the ‘case study’ method. However, at LMH, I was able to supplement this methodology with a more theory-based lens.
Professionally, I was able to expand the types of people that I surround myself with. Many of my colleagues in the United States have similar professional interests; however, at LMH, I was pleasantly surprised to connect with people who have wide-ranging goals (e.g., academia, government relations, literature, etc.). I was able to broaden my approach to being a professional, looking past the typical internship-mindset that is common amongst my home institution. I do not consider either mentality ‘better’ or ‘worse,’ and I am incredibly thankful to have been exposed to both prior to entering the professional world. I now feel as though I could pursue a more global career.
Personally, I was able to push myself to connect with not only the incredible community that already exists within LMH but also the cohort of approximately 35 Visiting Students. I joined Lady Margaret Hall’s Boat Club (LMHBC) and attended various talks with distinguished people (e.g., Malala — who is an LMH alumna!). Through these activities, I was able to make many friends who are seeking a degree from Oxford. Outside of these activities for all LMH students, there were many opportunities to get to know other Visiting Students through planned social events (e.g., periodic catered lunches, Thanksgiving Formal Hall, etc.).
Overall, I had an incredible time during MT+ and am thankful to have been able to experience both LMH’s and Oxford’s rich cultures. If you have any questions about my experience of the program, please do feel free to reach out.
Contact:
Email — sis35@cornell.edu
LinkedIn — www.LinkedIn.com/in/Sam-Straus”
Sam also wrote an article for his University newspaper about his experience studying abroad at Oxford and Cambridge (he spent a term at Cambridge University prior to attending LMH). Please click on the link below to read the article: