Three Spartan student-athletes were chosen to represent St. Thomas Aquinas College in a study trip to London where they experienced the work environment and culture of Virgin Media for one week. Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field runners Lisa Brevogel and Sarah Callagy and Men’s Basketball player Flynn McFadden were three of the five students chosen for the prestigious all-expenses paid trip. Upon their return, Callagy summed up the value of the learning experience. “I truly enjoyed my time in London; the people at Virgin Media worked hard to give us the greatest amount of insight into a very successful corporation. We can take this knowledge with us as we graduate and translate it into pursuing our careers.”
For the second year, STAC offered a unique course which included a weeklong stay in London, closely examining the corporate environment s and working with professionals at Virgin Media. This three-credit case study course was designed specifically for Business, Marketing or Communication Arts majors, involved meetings on campus prior to and following the study-trip to London. Students also made a formal presentation to the Chairman of the company on campus, subsequent to preliminary research, the London experience, and follow-up meetings. “My London trip was an amazing experience. London was a great city to spend the week in. Being able to see a company like Virgin Media operate, I really got a sense of what the real world is like. Overall, it was a unique opportunity that I feel fortunate to have been able to be a part of. I know that I, and the group with me, thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat,” commented McFadden regarding the experience.
Prior to the trip, Brevogel spoke about her growing excitement for this interactive class; “This experience is an excellent opportunity to utilize the skills and knowledge that i have learned during my Classes at St. Thomas Aquinas College. This is an excellent opportunity and I am thankful to be able to participate and to experience it in London." Dr. John Durney, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, spoke of the competitive field of applicants for the trip. He said it was a credit to these student-athletes to be chosen for the trip. It is their hard work in the classroom and their commitment and dedication to success that helped them to stand out as applicants. The athletic department was very proud to have not one, but three representatives selected for the Virgin Media experience.
Enrollment in this course was limited to only 5 students. All candidates that applied had to meet stringent standards including having junior or senior status with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students had to submit a formal application form, including one faculty recommendation, and a substantive essay about Virgin Media and how such a study-trip would impact academic goals. The travel week to London was the week of April 15th. Professor Mike Murphy accompanied the group helping them to experience not only the work environment of Virgin Media, but also the sights of London.
Virgin Media carries 35% of the UK’s broadband traffic, and nearly 40% of its mobile traffic. They handle 70,000 calls a minute! Virgin Media is one company in the family of businesses in the Virgin Group, chaired by Richard Branson.
Pictured above from left to right: Candice Rivera, Ashley Finan, Flynn McFadden, Sarah Callagy, Lisa Brevogel