London director visits TCU
By Robyn Kriel
Staff Reporter

TCU London Centre Director Lisa Thompson left her life of double-decker buses, museums and pigeons for one week to return to American soil and reunite with students and faculty.

“We are delighted to have Lisa visiting us,” said Director of International Education Luis Canales at Thompson’s reception in Sadler Hall Thursday. “We are so pleased with her performance at our center in London. She is a pleasure to work with.”

The TCU London Center is a study abroad opportunity offering courses in the spring, fall and summer semesters. Thompson has been with the program since it began in 1998.

“London is home to me now,” Thompson said. “I am back this week to be part of the orientation for the spring students, to spend time with my colleagues and ex-students and friends and to talk about possible expansion programs.”

The center offers courses in theater, history, media, English literature, political science, journalism, nursing, leadership, art and British studies.

“It is the flagship of our study abroad programs, and Lisa plays a key role in it,” Canales said.

As well as teaching art classes during the spring semester, Thompson coordinates the other faculty members, organizes housing, acts as the liaison between TCU and the center and a surrogate mother for the students who visit the center, Canales said.

Thompson said she coordinates details from the London side for students, and her colleague Susan Layne, the London director based at TCU, handles details from the American side.

Layne, who joined the program at the same time as Thompson, said the two of them have to work closely together and have developed a strong friendship.

“We keep in touch every day through e-mails and phone calls,” she said. “Lisa makes incredible connections with the students over there; that is why there is such a good turn out here at her reception.”

Canales said about 40 students go to London every semester and about 100 go every summer.

“I think that students are realizing just how important it is to have some sort of international background and cross-cultural skill,” he said. “It gives students such self-confidence and they begin to know themselves so much better.”

Thompson said about 30 former students came to see her at the reception.

Julie Westerman, a senior sociology major who came to the reception, said it was lovely to see Lisa again. Westerman said she attended the London Centre in fall 2002.

“London was crazy and wild and fun,” she said. “But still very educational.”

Patrick Thompson, a senior political science major, said his London experience was incredible and that everyone who went on the trip formed solid friendships.

“I am totally different as a result,” he said. “I have a much deeper perspective, not only of other cultures but of my own.”