The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 13 May 2013.
US: Student writes essay to explain why he turned down Harvard
Kevin Cao, a high school senior from Virginia in the US, has done what many people would consider the unthinkable – turning down a place not only at Harvard University, but also at Princeton, Brown, and Stanford to take a place at his home state’s flagship University of Virginia (though at 126th in the QS World University Rankings, it’s hardly to be sniffed at). But rather than leave the world mystified at his decision, he wrote a public essay (which has since been made private) explaining it. Harvard, he writes, was his dream school, but a visit there left him feeling disenchanted as he found the atmosphere ‘pretentious’, reports The Fairfax Times. At the University of Virginia, however, he said he felt happy, and that he explained, is what really matters. A thoroughly wise young man, we think. He is attending the university as Jefferson Scholar, meaning that he will receive free tuition and several other perks.
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UK: London Metropolitan University honored for commitment to Tibetan students
London Metropolitan University has been recognized for its commitment to Tibetan students in function attended by a representative of the Dalai Lama, reports The Tibet Post. The university has awarded scholarships to 16 Tibetan students over the past decade, some of whom have gone on to study at the University of Cambridge and work for the British Broadcasting Corporation (the BBC). With a scandal over student visas dominating press coverage of the university last year, those connected with London Metropolitan University will presumably be delighted to see the university receive some positive coverage.
US: PSY participates in discussion at Harvard University
‘Gangnam Style’ artist PSY paid a visit to Harvard University last week, speaking to an audience of hundreds of students at the Ivy League University. PSY – real name, Park Jae-sang – was launched to worldwide fame when the aforementioned song (and accompanying dance) went viral on YouTube, clocking up more than 1.5 billion views. He was invited to the university to participate in a discussion of himself as a modern global digital cultural phenomenon, reports The Huffington Post. This is not the first time the South Korean rapper has been to Boston, with the rapper having previously spent four years studying management at Boston University.
US: University of Alabama to be monitored by drones
Recently we reported on the story that journalism students at the University of Missouri were to be trained in the use of drones – more commonly in the news when used as controversial unmanned killing machines – to help report news in dangerous areas. Well, today we have the story that drones are to be used at the University of Alabama Huntsville to monitor activity on campus, the idea being that they will help to prevent a mass campus shooting. The story has naturally drawn mixed reactions, with concerns over privacy being voiced by many commentators, reports RT.com.
US: Michelle Obama speaks at Eastern Kentucky University graduation ceremony
Graduating students at Eastern Kentucky University were treated to a speech from lawyer, author and US first lady Michelle Obama this weekend, reports The White House Blog. The speech focused on public service, with the graduating class having collectively put in 107,000 hours of volunteer work during their final year. Obama highlighted the need for them to maintain this commitment as graduates. You can see excerpts from the speech in this Washington Post video.