Normandy Scholar Program on WWII

Testimonials from the Class of 2023

Being a Normandy Scholar has been the greatest joy I've gotten the luck to experience in my college career. I joined to learn more about World War II, and long story short, I got everything I ever wanted and more. Spring 2023 changed my college experience and even though it was my most challenging academic endeavor, it was by far the most special and rewarding. While the course content was uniquely thought-provoking, the classroom discussions ultimately redefined how I evaluated and conversed with worldviews vastly different from mine.  Most of all, this little time capsule brought people who could share this unique journey with me. Amid our mutual laughs, struggles, and more, we grew from classmates to acquaintances to friends (friends that I now cannot go a day without talking to). I hold a special spot for these lifelong friends and professors who have not only seen my growth but have taken part in it. From designing thoughtfully immersive museum exhibits to standing on Omaha together to walking across Mont Saint-Michel, to say that meeting them helped me to meet myself is an understatement.  I wholeheartedly encourage anyone who might be interested to apply. While history was seemingly unrelated to my majors or career goals at first, every aspect of the Normandy program pushed me to become someone who can be confident in challenging assumptions, taking risks, and navigating nuances. The semester’s readings, assignments, lectures, and discussions showed me empathy and sparked creativity in ways that none of my other classes could ever replicate. I love everything about this rare and wonderful program. I will always cherish our beautiful and carefree days together in Europe, and I am proud of the person I became after.
--Gloria Wang, Management Information Systems, Plan II
 
The Normandy Scholar Program is the pinnacle academic experience of my time at The University of Texas at Austin. Let my struggle putting this experience into encapsulating words indicate the blessing and rewarding challenge that it was. I went to intellectual war for four months with seventeen brilliant comrades. We learned in depth together about the intricacies of World War II in five specific countries. We discovered the nuance of human experience during one of the darkest periods in history Finally, we took our common interest and new hard-won knowledge abroad, making the words and maps we studied on paper and our friendships forged in the classrooms, movie nights, and the PCL come alive. The Normandy Scholar Program allowed me to learn from and interact with truly inspiring Professors and fellow students. It gave me the privilege of exploring the world. Ultimately, it changed who I am and how I think about myself. Honestly, I went into the Normandy Scholars Program with a bit of trepidation because rigorous and in-depth international historical study was slightly outside of this English major’s comfort zone. Now, due to the confidence and assurance I gained through this program, I believe I can tackle true challenges with diligence and persistence, and I plan to take on a career related to the aforementioned uncomfortable zone. The challenge was truly worth it and was well rewarded through the relationships we made and our time spent abroad. I will forever be grateful to have experienced so closely the wisdom and knowledge of Normandy’s five professors, the boldness and friendship of my fellow students, and the legacy of World War II. I cannot recommend the Normandy Scholar Program highly enough.
--Kyle Cotter, English, Liberal Arts Honors
 
Before I came to UT, before I applied to college, and even before I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to study abroad, it was just a matter of where and when. When I was recommended the Normandy Scholar Program by one of my professors, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to go to these places; the words London, Paris, and Berlin flashed brightly in my brain. But as I read more, I hesitated and began to second guess myself.  I’m not a history major, I know very little about World War II, and I don’t know if this space is for me, as both a student majoring in English, and as a student of color. I managed to power through these thoughts and apply, after talking to my grandmother who showed me a picture of my great-grandfather, an African American veteran who served in WWII. She reminded me that there is a place in this history for me too. And so I applied, which quickly became the greatest decision I have ever made in my college career. Not only did I get to learn from professors who are experts in their field, who went above and beyond to make the classroom a lively and conscious place for discussion, I was also challenged to dig deeper, think wider, and be curious about a sector of history that has affected so much of what our reality is like today. Getting to go abroad after four months of this amazing learning experience was the cherry on top, and it made what we learned even more special by getting to apply it to what we saw in real life, and so was getting to experience it all alongside people who by the end of the trip became some of the best people I’ve met in college, and friends that I left the program with. Looking at these words on a screen it becomes hard to capture this experience, but if there’s one thing I have learned from this program, it’s that words have the power to change people, to start and end wars, to deeply affect lives, and to leave lasting imprints on history. I hope these words I have shared about an experience that means so much to me lead another student, eager to travel and learn, into a program that will forever stay with them as well.
--Trinity Hawkins, English
 
The Normandy Scholar Program was truly an experience like no other. Throughout the semester, I was surrounded by so many intelligent and dedicated people, all sharing the same experience of this incredible program. The program was academically challenging, but personally rewarding. As my fellow classmates and I struggled, learned, and laughed alongside one another, we shared so many memories before ever making it to Europe. Then, we witnessed our hard work pay off, as we spent an entire month together, travelling, and experiencing first-hand some of the places that we spent the entire semester learning about. Not only was I surrounded by an amazing group of peers, but five phenomenal professors, as well. Each of their classes were rigorous, engaging, and completely eye-opening. After a semester of intense studying, our professors made the European portion of the program the experience of a lifetime. If you are reading this, and considering the program at all, there is no doubt in my mind that you should apply. When I look back on my college experience years later, some of the most incredible memories will be ones that I made during the Normandy Scholar Program. It will be difficult for me to return to normal classes without our amazing professors and the friends that I made along the way, but it is my hope that you will apply and get the chance to experience this remarkable program for yourself.
--Patrick Harper, Government
 
The Normandy Scholar Program was a major reason I came to the University of Texas. I have been interested in World War Two since I was young, so this opportunity was a dream come true. Beyond immersing myself in an interesting topic, the program proved to be so much more than I was expecting. Sharing every class with the same group of people was an awesome experience. I came to know my classmates very well and I learned so much from each of them. The opportunity to create relationships with each of my professors and spend time with them in class and in Europe was invaluable and I am excited to keep in touch with each of them. While I learned a lot about the Second World War, the writing, research, and thinking skills I gained are the biggest take aways for me and have prepared me for whatever comes next in school and life. Of course, the trip was phenomenal. Each city had its own personality, but all shared a connection to WWII. I experienced each city and visited so many museums and monuments I would have otherwise never known about thanks to the great guides in my professors. I highly recommend anyone thinking about applying for the Normandy Scholars Program to do so, regardless of their major or current understanding of WWII.
--Nicholas Chandler, History Honors
 
My time in the Normandy Scholar Program challenged my understanding of the human condition. As a biochemistry major, this program transported me directly into the war through emotional primary literature and film interpretations. Analyzing historical situations and writing about insightful diaries and memoirs brought me closer to personal suffering and loss during the war. These learning moments showed me the difference between knowing what happened and attempting to understand these tragedies. Further, writing about these nuanced stories from multiple perspectives challenged me to analyze situations and context critically. My exposure to these intimate, shocking conditions motivates me to pursue a comprehensive understanding of others’ situations and comfort them in their times of need. Having the same group of talented peers around helped me overcome obstacles unfamiliar to me as a STEM major. My five amazing professors also guided me toward becoming a better historian. Finally, touring through Europe and visiting the history discussed in class and their aftermath showed me how cultures are affected by these events. I got so much closer to my peers and formed many strong friendships along the way. After returning home from Berlin, I had a chance to reflect on my experiences and learning. My conception that medicine connected little to a WWII program aside from its historical advances and practices was gone. In its place, I saw the power of empathizing, understanding, and analyzing a fellow human’s situation. As a pre-medical student, I gained so much from this experience, personally and academically. Being one of the most stimulating times in my college career, I highly recommend this program to all students considering applying.
--Bruce Mang, Biochemistry
 
I am incredibly grateful to the Normandy Scholar Program and its faculty for the experience of a lifetime. Ever since I was little, I was interested in history and World War II. As a finance major, I never thought that I would be able to explore this passion in college. After learning about the program in the fall of my Junior year, I realized this was the perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge of World War II, grow as a writer, and academically challenge myself.  The Normandy program exceeded all my expectations. The program has a heavy emphasis on improving every student’s writing. Writing is such an important skill no matter what career. Each of the five classes is broken into a different country's experience during one of the most pivotal periods in modern history. The unique seminar classroom environment promoted thought-provoking discussions that challenged any preconceived knowledge of World War II. It is also important to mention how impactful it was to learn from the most brilliant and passionate professors on campus. Another surprise of the program was the strong relationships that I built and being able to take all the courses together. This allowed us to not only learn and grow individually but collectively. The Europe component of the program was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Being able to learn in the classroom and travel to the actual locations of history was truly one-of-a-kind. I will never forget walking on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, and feeling the history and sacrifice of the ground I was standing on. If this program interests you, please seek out more information and apply. I cannot recommend this program highly enough.
--Brendan Corcoran, Finance

 Being part of the Normandy Scholar Program has been one of my most excellent academic career decisions. I applied to the Normandy Scholar Program out of pure passion. I am a Biochemistry major on the Pre-med track and saw an opportunity to explore my love for history in just one semester. The program takes you into an extensive account of World War II, focusing on the United States, France, Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union. All of the professors are just fantastic at what they do and highly passionate about their content, a passion that will carry onto you as Normandy Scholars. The program is not easy and will require you to get outside your comfort zone, especially for me as a STEM major, but the workload, in my opinion, was very manageable. It is difficult to complain about something you are genuinely passionate about, and I enjoyed all my late nights doing readings and writing essays. The people you meet also add a beautiful aspect to the program. You will share every class, every weekday, and eventually every day in Europe with the same people. At the end of the program, you will visit in Europe the exact locations that you spent weeks studying, and it will feel rewarding like a dream come true. The experiences in Europe were absolutely fantastic. There is an overwhelming feeling visiting historical sights and sharing a bit of your life with them, paying tribute to fallen heroes and victims of our history. But sharing them with those around you makes it ever so meaningful. To say the least, I am now double majoring in Biochemistry and History due to the Normandy Scholar Program. I hope that reassures those interested that the program is not only fantastic but life-changing. I have grown as a person and student because of the Normandy Scholar Program, some of the most valuable qualities any individual should strive for. My experiences in this program, the faculty, and my classmates shall forever hold a special place in my heart.
--Miguel Cepeda, Biochemistry, History

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