Two Virginia State University Honors College Students Are Spending The Semester Abroad At Oxford University (467 hits)
Virginia State University has built a reputation for providing students with once-in-a-lifetime opportunities—such as spending an entire semester at one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. That dream is a reality for VSU political science majors Camille Hall and Kristina Piercy, who are spending the Fall 2025 semester at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.
Hall and Piercy are attending Hertford College at Oxford, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, founded in the 13th century. According to their website, Hertford College has a long tradition of hosting visiting students from partner institutions around the world, giving them the chance to live, study, and fully immerse themselves in Oxford life. Before departing, Hall and Piercy said they were looking forward to working with Oxford professors, connecting with new students, trying new foods, and taking in the unique architecture.
“I definitely want to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge of the professors at Oxford and learn from a different perspective than an American university,” said Hall.
Hall, a senior at VSU, plans to attend law school after graduation and will use her firsthand experience to consider Oxford as an option. She also expressed how her time at VSU has helped prepare her for the experience. “I feel like I have a familial relationship with many of my VSU professors, and those close relationships and mentorships have prepared me academically,” Hall said.
Piercy, a VSU junior, also plans to attend law school one day and focus on legislation or the judicial part of government. She is looking forward to connecting with students from different backgrounds who may not know much about what it means to be an HBCU student.
“I am really looking forward to meeting some of the other scholars from different universities,” said Piercy. “I definitely want to share my perspective as an HBCU student to people who may not be familiar with our rich and vibrant culture.”
Hall and Piercy jumped at the opportunity to study at Oxford after first being presented with the idea during a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) prep course taught by Dr. Daniel Roberts, Dean of the Honors College. Dr. Roberts was confident that both Honors students would benefit immensely from the experience and represent VSU with distinction.
“I am proud of Camille and Kristina, two of our top Honors scholars, for taking full advantage of this unique opportunity for Honors College members at Oxford,” Dr. Roberts said. “They are representing the ‘Greater Happens Here’ spirit abroad while preparing to return with experiences that will enrich our VSU community.”
While at Oxford, Hall and Piercy are enrolled in courses aligned with their Political Science majors at VSU. Completing each course will count toward their VSU degree.
Virginia State University looks forward to welcoming Hall and Piercy back to campus at the end of the Fall semester in early December. Both exemplify the transformative educational experiences at Virginia State University that foster academic, professional, and personal growth.
