--by Julie Armstrong
Some students with the CAS 140 interim in London received more than three credit hours; they brushed elbows with royalty. While at a production of Henry VIII at The Swan theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, a rare opportunity arose. During the performance, Prince Charles was spotted in the audience. Excited students discovered that the Prince’s entourage and car was parked behind the theatre after the show. A group of about 15 including Calvin students waited for the arrival of the prince until Jane Vanderveen, a Calvin senior, confidently coaxed a security guard into letting the Calvin students meet the Prince.
Vanderveen’s boldness paid off when Prince Charles and Rown Atkinson, the well-known English comedian Mr. Bean, arrived to greet the crowd. Prince Charles shook hands, exchanged polite words, and asked where the students were from and what brought them to London.
When asked if a picture could be taken, the Prince comically responded that a group photo would be better since he was not terribly popular at that time. Within a few minutes of his arrival, Prince Charles entered his automobile and left.
While seeing Jessica Lang on stage was a highlight for Jason Coleman, the encounter with the Prince was more monumental because "Jessica and I didn’t click like Chuck and I did."
Not only did some students meet Prince Charles, but others spotted Tom Hanks at the premiere of his movie That Thing You Do and actor Val Kilmer who was filming in Oxford.
In addition to star gazing, CAS 140 students studied communication and culture while overseas. Each morning they went to classes, and in the afternoons, they toured attractions such as Globe Theater, Museum of Moving Images, and National Gallery.
Debra Freeburg, a professor for the course, recalled the London trip as "an excellent interim, with a great group of students... a time enjoyed by all."