EMS student experiences American liberal arts education

Students in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences are encouraged to participate in international student exchange programmes in order to get exposure to global trends in business education and engage with peers from across the globe. Final-year BCom (Law) student Felix le Roux did just this when he was awarded the John M. Gunn Scholarship for 2017/18 and he tells us about his experience through a Q&A.

 

Question: What does the John M. Gunn Scholarship entail?

 

Answer: The scholarship offers one year of fully paid study at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, USA to an international student in their final year of undergraduate study. The scholarship covers tuition, living costs, dining costs, health insurance and textbooks. Only travel costs are excluded.

 

Q: What was the experience like?

 

A: Studying at W&L was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. W&L is a prestigious and small university with only 2 000 students. It uses the liberal arts system, which means that you have much more freedom regarding your choice of courses and it is mandatory to take courses that fall outside of your selected majors as well.

 

Q: How different was the W&L student life compared to what you were used to?

 

A: For a student that studies according to a fixed curriculum in South Africa, the liberal arts system provides the opportunity to study previously unexplored subjects, while also further strengthening the foundation in your major fields of study back home. The liberal arts system has opened my mind to different academic fields and I look forward to applying what I have learned during the rest of my studies and throughout my career.

 

Q: What stood out the most for you?

 

A: The average class size is only 15 students and this was an interesting experience for me. The most special thing about W&L is the honour system, which engenders honesty and integrity in all aspects of a W&L student’s life. The honour system allows for perks like unsupervised exams, closed book take home assignments and overall academic freedom. Most importantly, a relationship of trust exists between students and professors which make the learning experience enjoyable and valuable. However, it comes with a single sanction policy – one breach of the honour system leads to permanent expulsion from the university.

 

Q: What is your advice to students who are considering applying for scholarships and exchange programmes?

 

A: I strongly encourage any third-year student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences to apply for this scholarship. Not only is it an immensely enriching academic experience, but also a special opportunity for personal growth. You get to live in another country and meet students from all around the world. Furthermore, the liberal arts system and honour system provide a unique experience that cannot be found in South Africa. The university community is small and welcoming and you are guaranteed to make lifelong friends. You will also have plenty of opportunities to travel as part of student groups to other parts of the US at little or no cost.

 

 Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, USA