By Piper Gallagher, Senior Reporter
Five months alone in a foreign country would intimidate even the most outgoing people, but that’s exactly how John Cloud spent his spring semester.
In fall 2024, Cloud applied for the Brad Henry International Scholar financial aid award that allowed him to go study abroad for the 2025 spring semester. He arrived at Swansea University in Wales in January, and stayed until May while he studied political philosophy and history.
Cloud is a senior at NWOSU getting ready to graduate this December with his degree in computer science.
One of his psychology professors, Mistie Kline, originally approached him about it and encouraged him to apply. After speaking with his family and learning more information about the opportunity, he decided to jump on the opportunity.
“I heard that I received the scholarship in like the first week of October. And I got the email in the middle of class and I dropped my phone,” Cloud said.
He arrived in Swansea on January 20th, and he lived in on campus housing which was covered by the Brad Henry Scholarship, along with his tuition and travel.
Dr. Leslie Collins said Cloud was a standout applicant from the beginning. Collins is on Northwestern’s study abroad committee that assists students going through the process of studying abroad.
“He was a great student to work with,” Collins said. “”He is very organized and wanted to get the most out of the experience, which is I think the ideal student to apply for an opportunity like this.”
Leaving home for 5 months can be a bit daunting at first, but with the help from the committee, Cloud’s experience was one that he’d never forget.
Studying political philosophy was something that Cloud really enjoyed.
“I learned about a bunch of different political thinkers throughout history, how they affected modern day politics, and where a lot of political ideas that we are very familiar with come from, and so that was probably the most interesting thing,” he said.
Cloud also said that the class was structured differently. They were more lecture and discussion based, and he only had two assignments for each of his classes for the whole semester.
“For me, I am someone who values critical thinking,” Cloud said. And that is exactly what this program fosters in students looking to study abroad and experience new cultures. During his time abroad, Cloud got to travel throughout Europe on his breaks and during holidays. He got to see parts of Germany and Ireland in addition to the sites he experienced in Wales during school sponsored hiking and sight seeing trips.
“You get to spend a significant amount of time at this university in Wales surrounded by other students from all over the world,” Dr. Wayne McMillin said. McMillin is also on the study abroad committee here at Northwestern.
Not only was Cloud surrounded by a number of international students, but he was also able to connect with other Oklahoma students from colleges across the state that were on the same program and scholarship he was.
“I’m glad I got that experience. I’ve always wanted to know what it’s like to live away from everyone that I know and kind of see what I could do on my own and with God,” Cloud said.