Yesterday I had an opportunity to listen to a talk made by Mr. Paul Wilcox about the Transatlantic Series, a track and field series which was first contested 2 years before the olympic games with contestants from prestigious institutions in England and America. It was quite fortuitous that I stumbled upon this talk as earlier in the day I noticed a group of athletes speaking with English accents and assumed they were at Cornell for a track and field meet. Little did I know that that night I would be able to learn more about and partake in the rich history of this event with a long and rich tradition.

The talk was an interesting exploration about the role sports plays in society and higher education. In particular, I really liked how Mr Wilcox talked about how sports can be used as a tool to bridge the gap between cultural and organizational differences. According to Mr Wilcox, when traveling with a group of people who are passionate about a sport, you often bond because of this shared love in an unfamiliar setting. The series is also a great opportunity for British students to learn more about life in American higher education and vice versa, learning more about the differences in culture through interactions with students and faculty. One observation in particular that I found interesting was how the differences in how people great each other mirrors cultural norms. As Professor Hill put it, in America when you ask people how they are doing, people would often respond with “good” or some similar variation. In England, people instead respond by saying “not to bad”, showing that boastfulness is looked down upon in England much more compared to America.

Another difference that Mr Wilcox pointed out that I found interesting is the spirit of giving. In America, rich alumnus are encouraged and sometimes expected to donate to their Alma Mater after becoming successful. In England, quite the opposite belief is held. Instead, the mere act of donating to your Alma Mater is considered an ostentatious act of bragging and is highly discouraged. While English is the official language in both UK and America, cultural differences is an area that people from both countries can stand to become more educated about. Hence it is important for the Olympics and the Transatlantic Series continue to be held in order to bridge the differences that separate nations in this rich tapestry of the world.