Graduate students from Samford University’s Orlean Beeson School of Education traveled to England this summer for the school’s first graduate international trip, where they gained global perspective on character education through research, school visits and cultural experiences.
The group included students from the Master of Science in Education and Doctor of Educational & Organizational Leadership programs, accompanied by School of Education faculty members Jane Cobia, EdD; Clara Gerhardt, PhD and Kara Chism, EdD ’12. While oversees they visited Birmingham, Oxford and London, engaging with researchers and educators who are advancing character education in schools and communities.
At the center of the experience was a visit to the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, located at the University of Birmingham. A global leader in character education research, the Jubilee Centre hosted the Samford group for its first in-person version of a certificate program typically offered online.
Centre staff guided the group through training based on the “caught, taught and sought” framework, which examines how character is modeled, intentionally taught and independently pursued. Researchers also introduced students to recent and emerging work in areas such as character in sports and the relationship between artificial intelligence and character education.
“Because the Jubilee Centre is such a leader in character education, we wanted our students to have the experience of hearing and learning from them,” said Chism, associate professor and chair of educational leadership.
The presentations prompted several students to reconsider or refine the research paths they were pursuing in their courses. The experience also allowed master’s and doctoral students to learn alongside one another.
“It was excellent to have both master’s and doctoral students with us because they were able to learn from each other and build relationships,” Chism said. “The doctoral students were even encouraging the master’s students to continue to push forward to the educational specialist and doctoral degrees.”
For Heather Henak, MSE ’26, a fifth-grade teacher at Leeds Elementary School, the experience reinforced the role educators play in preparing students for more than academic achievement.
“Hearing from educators and researchers and seeing how these schools intentionally develop qualities like integrity, resilience, respect and responsibility reminded me that education is about so much more than academics,” Henak said. “It reinforced my belief that while helping students grow intellectually is important, helping them become compassionate, responsible and resilient people is what truly prepares them for success in school and in life.”
The group saw those principles in practice during visits to the University of Birmingham School and Northampton School. Although the schools differed in setting, both demonstrated how character can be embedded throughout a school’s culture.
“The two school visits showcased character education virtues in action,” said Cobia, professor and director of Samford’s educational specialist in instructional leadership (EdS) and doctoral programs. “I saw principles of character embedded in the daily routines of teachers, staff, administrators and students.”
At the University of Birmingham School, student tour guides described teachers who cared for, challenged and encouraged them. One student said the school’s high expectations made him want “to be a better person in life.” At Northampton School, visual displays featuring art, classical readings, athletes and other cultural references served as reminders of the importance of character education.
“The schools were different in setting, environment, administrative leadership, student population and demographics,” Cobia said. “Both served as reminders to us that character education varies even though the same basic tenets had been used when establishing the schools.”
Gerhardt, Distinguished Beeson Professor and character scholar in residence, emphasized the importance of approaching character education with purpose.
“With an intentional approach to character, a lot of ambiguity gets removed,” she said. “Without the ambiguity, there are values, direction and meaning. All layer together to give an individual child a better future.”
The group traveled to Oxford to learn about the Oxford Character Project. In London, students visited Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Shakespeare’s Globe, where they attended a performance of “Much Ado About Nothing.”
For current EdS student Isaiah Jackson, MSE ’26, the experience provided ideas he can carry into his own school community.
“This experience reinforced that character education is most effective when it is intentionally woven into every aspect of school culture rather than taught as a standalone lesson,” Jackson said. “Studying at the Jubilee Centre gave me practical strategies and a global perspective that will help me build stronger relationships, develop student character and lead with greater purpose in my school.”
The experience complemented Samford’s commitment to developing leaders of character. The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 rankings placed Samford #2 in the nation for character development.
