England
An Oxford World War II Conference
Program No. 21453RJ
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Participant Reviews
Based on 14 Reviews
SHOWING
This was excellent! I enjoyed the lectures and the accommodations immensely. The people were all very lively and knowledgeable. I’m going again!
— Review left October 15, 2025
This was my first Roads Scholar trip. I loved this conference. The intellectual level surprised me but after seeing the educational level of the group leader, Spencer, and the guest speakers…of course it was intellectually interesting.
I have signed up for next year.
Comments:
Maybe some optional field trips
Maybe having dinner at 6pm instead of 7pm.
Thank you to Spencer for leading all of us through 1943 and Kevin who made everything run so smoothly. He was always kind and helpful.
Please please have him back next year.
The staff at Hughes College made our stay there perfect.
And the food was fantastic.
Thanks to everyone. Karen Prinzmetal
— Review left September 14, 2025
Another wonderful WW2 Conference with Spencer Jones and well qualified lecturers. Spencer, Kevin and Robin did a great job in keeping everything running smoothly and on time. Food was outstanding. Good conversation with likeminded fellow Road Scholars over breaks and meals. Looking forward to the Conference next year.
— Review left September 11, 2025
If you love history and want to learn more while being in one of the more scenic parts of England, then this program is for you.
— Review left September 10, 2025
Thank you, Robin, Kevin, and Spencer for an interesting and enjoyable conference. The trip went off without a hitch, and the speakers were first rate. Highly recommended.
— Review left September 9, 2025
If you are interested in an in-depth study of World war II, this is the program for you. Excellent, excellent presenters who are highly knowledgeable in an unbeatable location
— Review left September 9, 2025
excellent overview of the year 1943. As this is a year by year program, it is in attendee's best interest to have a decent working background of WWII in the years 1939 - 1942 if they haven't been to this program before. Great food, convenient accommodations, beautiful campus.
— Review left September 8, 2025
This program was everything I had hoped for and more. Highly recommend it!
— Review left October 20, 2024
An overall superb program with Spencer and John doing a great job. The facilities were excellent.
On the down side there were two issues;
1. As a first time student doing this program, the description of the program given in the roadscholar documents did not match the program. I was, along with other first time attendees were not aware this program concentrated on a specific year.
2. Political jokes were NOT appropriate, due to the polarization in politics in the US, they were not appropriate nor appreciated.
Travel: in my 40 years flying, my seat was changed by what I selected with roadscholar travel, this has never happened before. There was no concern by travel agent when I went to check in. There was not a change in the plane as the agent claimed. This has caused me to reconsider future trips with roadscholar.
— Review left September 20, 2024
This trip was my first Road Scholar outing, and I would say that my experience was mixed. The conference leadership was outstanding—John Harris, Kevin Durgun, and Dr. Spencer Jones could not have been more gracious and helpful. And while the conference content was generally good, the quality of the speakers was mixed.
However, my biggest complaint was the “residence in college” experience.
The rooms were “spartan” to put it mildly. My mattress was barely more than a box spring, and I awoke each morning with considerable back pain. The servicing of the rooms was spotty—clean towels (and a face cloth) and decent toilet paper, please!
My biggest complaint was the food…While generally good, it was too much and too rich. Noon meals should have been a salad and sandwich bar…Set meals twice a day led to poor nutritional choices and too much salt and fat, as well as nodding off during afternoon lectures. More afternoon activities would have helped as well.
While I will do more Road Scholar trips, I am unlikely to repeat this one.
— Review left September 16, 2024
always a fascinating, stimulating week. Dynamic speakers and topics. We learn so much. The faculty is first rate, the dinners a delight and what can beat Oxford? We're becoming experts on all the pubs and the vespers.
— Review left February 29, 2024
2022 syllables explored European WW Ii before December 1941; 2023 we expect the Axis against the world.
— Review left September 21, 2022
If you are interested in history in general or military history specifically, this is an excellent program and I recommend it to you.
— Review left September 13, 2022
All history buffs would enjoy the subjects given by experts in their
field of expertise.
— Review left September 12, 2022



