Last Wednesday, Paul Willcox, president of the Transatlantic Organization came to gave a talk about the track and field legacy that exists among the Ivy League universities, Cambridge University, and Oxford University. And having a passion for sports, I think it was a great talk overall. I remember used to having watched documentaries about my favorite players in basketball and the feats they achieved, and much of my enjoyment was reflected in Mr. Willcox’s presentation about the history and the players that dominated the game. But beyond the joys of hosting the games, Mr. Willcox denoted the taxing schedules their athletes have at hand. Right after the games, these students have to go back to London to take their exams and this talk has made me more appreciative of the effort that athletes put into their work. Not only do they have to balance training and competing, but they also have to balance their studies. After all, they are students just like us.

Though I really wished we could have talked to some of the students that attended Cambridge or Oxford. I personally have seen them in the dining halls, but have not had the opportunity to talk to them. I think it would have been a great way to learn more about other cultures and what life is like in London! A fellow Rose Scholar did also bring this up and I’m glad that plans may potentially be made in the coming years for us to mingle with the athletes.

But beyond the sports gatherings, I also learned about subtle cultural details that separate the US and the UK. For instance, Assistant Dean Hill told us that it was frowned upon when universities asked alumni to donate money as means of showing gratitude. Here, in the US, on the other hand, school organizations frequently send out mail asking for alumni to give back for future development of the school. In fact, even my middle school and high school send e-mails once in a while telling me to participate in alumni affairs, one of which is to give back to the community. All in all, Mr. Willcox gave an insightful talk about track and field development over the years while keeping things engaging.