Background. Founded in Britain in 1918 by Sir Evelyn Wrench, the English-Speaking Union is a non-profit, non-political, educational organization whose mission is to promote scholarship, advance learning, and link people through the effective use of English in an expanding global community. He believed that friendships made through a common language overcame differences in nationality and background and promoted peace. In order to achieve its goals the 78 branches in the United States and 50 branches abroad sponsor such activities as lectureships, seminars, a Shakespeare competition, the teaching of English as a second language, and social events.

Of particular interest to Centre students is the English-Speaking Union Scholarship Program, which sends college students and high school teachers to attend summer studies in Britain’s most prestigious universities (most recently, ESU Scholars were at Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh). The classes are three weeks in length and are taught by renowned authors, actors, and lecturers. The Kentucky branch offers more scholarships than any other. Centre students have won 13 ESU scholarships since 1988.

Requirements. Juniors who have a 3.3 GPA, who will be continuing at their home institutions for their senior year, and who have not previously studied at a foreign institution of higher education are eligible to apply. Students who are naturalized citizens or who have green cards are eligible. Some preference is given to those persons born in Kentucky.

Campus Advisor. Dr. Philip White (whitep@centre.edu).

Links. More information is available at the following links:

www.english-speakingunion.org (United States office)
www.esuky.org (Kentucky branch)
www.conted.ox.ac.uk/international-programmes (Oxford summer courses)
www.cont-ed.cam.ac.uk/IntSummer (Cambridge summer courses)
www.arts.ed.ac.uk/suiss (Scottish Universities’ summer courses)