Summer Scholars Program UK
An Immersive learning experience for high school students using London as a living laboratory
Explore London!
Art, Architecture, Theater Arts, Literature, History
2026 will be our fifth Summer Scholars Program to London! Using London as our base and laboratory for learning, we will explore the grandeur, sophistication and complexity of this beautiful, world class city.
Program Dates: 19-26JUNE 2026
Amazing Educators and Innovative Programming
This faculty-led, one-week immersive experience allows high school students to engage their interests and expand their understanding in a fun and creative way. Enrollment is open to high school students from current freshmen to current seniors.
Session Information
Music, Drama and Language Arts
Music, Drama and Language Arts
From behind the scenes at a West End theatre, to exploring themes and places in literature, these sessions offer students unique opportunities to understand theme and place through the language of music, performance and literature.
Fine Art and Humanities
Music, Drama and Language Arts
Sessions ranging from art history to art making, including photo/video-themed sessions, provide students with opportunities to explore this rich city. Sessions include trips to world-class museums, as well as exploration of public art, both mainstream and underground.
History and Social Studies
Science, Architecture and Engineering
In these sessions, we will explore themes ranging from the Roman origins of London, Medieval England, the banking system and finance, parliamentary government, the monarchy, universal suffrage, and Britain during the World Wars.
Science, Architecture and Engineering
Science, Architecture and Engineering
Science themes include sessions based on both basic sciences (physics, chemistry, biology and earth sciences) and applied sciences, engineering and architecture. Field trips to prominent works of the built environment, major London museums and off the beaten path science locales will be explored.
Cultural Core Sessions
These field sessions combine all students and faculty in visits to major cultural institutions in and out of London in order to better understand cultural and historical context.
London Evening Enrichment
Evening enrichment events each night include theatre excursions, cultural walks, and exploration of London's diverse cuisine and neighborhoods.
Program Cost
Our Goal is Affordability
Our program fee for 2026 is $2970 + airfare. Students are welcome from anywhere in the US. We anticipate having students from different gateways, including Chicago O'Hare. Accordingly, we will reserve a block of airline seats from O'Hare, so you when you enroll, you will see an option to add the air cost if you wish. The prices for air shown above are offered at cost, without any markup. You are also welcome to obtain your own air, provided that your arrangements are coordinated with the group arrival and departure times.
Past and Present Faculty Team Members
Faculty Profiles
Ashley Alcorn is an Art History, Creative Writing, and British literature teacher with over a decade of teaching experience in the classroom, at the museum, and on the stage. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Art History and English from the University of Chicago, she obtained a Master's degree from Harvard in Arts Education, while working as a docent and teaching artist in performative poetry. When she entered the classroom, she obtained a further Master's degree in Literature from DePaul, focusing her studies on British Literature. Clearly, she is passionate about integrating the visual, literary, musical, and dramatic arts together. Ashley was fortunate enough to learn more about creative arts integration during her time working with Project Zero at Harvard University and dive deeply into the literature of the United Kingdom while studying at Oxford University. Currently, she teaches at Benet Academy and works within the Drama department, the literary magazine, a Shakespeare performance group, with the Senior retreat program, and with an all-female student band and feminist group called Estro. She has previously led service, retreat, and academic trips with students to Guatemala, Israel, Italy, and southwestern Virginia. Ashley is an avid traveler, with a goal of reaching 60 countries in the next five years, but her favourite location is London! Her biggest passion as an educator is experiential learning--whether it is standing in front of an art piece in a museum with her Advanced Humanities students, conversing with host families when living in Antigua, sitting in small groups on Benet's Logos retreat, or learning how to pray at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. She looks forward to sharing her love of London's incredible museum scene, vibrant food culture, literary and dramatic history, and stunning scenery with students. Ms. Alcorn is a veteran of the 2025 Summer Scholars UK Program
Colleen Aufderheide is a studio artist and art educator with over 25 years of teaching experience. As a working artist, Colleen most enjoys nurturing creative thinking and a love of the artistic process with students through art making and art history. Currently, she is teaching visual arts at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois where she has taught introductory through advanced classes including Advanced Placement Art and Design and Advanced Placement Art History. Her range of artistic experience with students includes history, drawing, painting, printmaking and photography as well as a service learning art course in which students examine and respond to social justice issues through contemporary art and art making. Colleen earned a BFA from Miami University, Ohio and a MA in Education from North Park University in Chicago. Colleen exhibits her own artwork in the Chicago area and volunteers with the Illinois High School Art Exhibition (IHSAE) to provide exhibition opportunities for the state’s youth. Ms. Aufderheide is a veteran of the 2018 and 2019 Summer Scholars UK Programs.
Diane Haleas is an award-winning educator with over 20 years teaching experience at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BA in Government and International Relations and earned a Master’s Degree in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University. She has been the director of the internationally-recognized Saint Ignatius Model United Nations (SIMUN) program for 17 years. Ms. Haleas is renowned for her interactive approach to teaching and learning. She was voted “Teacher of the Year” at Saint Ignatius by the student body. She received Outstanding Educator Awards from the University of Chicago and Stanford University. She has been recognized for her excellence in teaching as a Golden Apple Finalist and as the recipient of the Singer Family Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching from the University of Rochester. Her Advanced Placement Comparative Government and Politics program was recognized by the College Board as the premier program in the country. Ms. Haleas is a veteran of the 2017 Summer Scholars UK Program.
Sarah Johnson is an English teacher at Riverside-Brookfield High School, a position she has held since 2007. Ms. Johnson graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Literature, followed by Master's Degrees in Literacy and Language from the University of Illinois at Chicago (2003), and Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2011). Prior to teaching at Riverside-Brookfield High School, Ms. Johnson taught English at Hinsdale Central High School from 1998-2007. Ms. Johnson is a veteran of the 2018, 2025 and 2026 Summer Scholars UK Program.
Mary Kettering teaches Social Studies at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. She attended the University of Montana - Missoula, majoring in political science and history, while earning her secondary teaching certificate. Ms. Kettering ran track for the Grizzlies. In 2011, she had her first teaching experience abroad, teaching for the summer, through Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree she moved to teach in Tbilisi, the capitol city of the Republic of Georgia. Ms. Kettering then moved to England to teach Humanities, so she is very excited for the London experience! While in England she took students on several trips to the continent to study the battlefields of The Great War and World War II. After completing her time in England she moved home to Chicago teaching at Taft High School. In 2016, she moved to Dublin to attend Trinity College, where she earned her masters in women and gender studies. While in Dublin she lived and worked at Rathdown Junior School for Girls, a private boarding school, taking the girls on various trips throughout Ireland. In addition to teaching Ms. Kettering is the adviser for the Youth and Government program at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, and has coached six seasons of track. She accompanied Mr. Pipal to the Czech Republic and Germany in the summer of 2018 with Saint Ignatius College Prep High School. Ms. Kettering is a veteran of the 2019 Summer Scholars UK Program.
Maureen Lonergan is an educator in the Science Department at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago where she teaches Physics, Chemistry, and Advanced Placement Biology. She graduated from Boston College in 2008 with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and minor in Irish Studies. Maureen stayed at Boston College to earn a Masters in Secondary Education in 2009. Upon graduation, she was hired by Saint Ignatius, her alma mater, and has enjoyed seven years of being a teacher, retreat director, student council moderator, service trip chaperone, and international trip chaperone to France, Italy, and Peru. Maureen values life-long learning and is currently working on a Masters of Arts in Educational Leadership at the University of Notre Dame. She enjoys traveling, serving on the Young Professionals Council at Misericordia, and cheering for Boston College- Go Eagles! Ms. Lonergan is a veteran of the 2017 Summer Scholars UK Program.
Charles Pipal, AIA is a practicing architect, lecturer, architectural historian and award winning professor in Architecture and Historic Preservation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he has taught since 1999. He holds a Bachelors degree in Landscape Architecture and a Masters degree in Architecture, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in Historic Preservation. He is a past board member of Landmarks Illinois, the state’s premier historic preservation advocacy group. His professional projects include the Chicago Historic Resources Survey and the restoration of the Walt Disney Birthplace. Prof. Pipal’s particular professional and academic focus has been on the documentation and rehabilitation of historic buildings and the interpretation of historic sites. In additional to his teaching and architectural practice, he is also co-owner of Blueprint Tours, a destination management company specifically focused on academic and curricular-based learning through travel. Mr. Pipal serves as Program Director of the Summer Scholars UK program and has participated every year since its inception.
Lori Rogalski, now retired, was an award winning educator with more than 20 years of teaching experience. In addition to her passion for English Literature, Mrs. Rogalski taught at Benet Academy and was a recipient of the “Outstanding Educator Award” from the University of Chicago. Prior to Benet, Mrs. Rogalski taught at Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio, where she was selected as the “Outstanding Female Teacher” two consecutive years. In 2017, Mrs. Rogalski attended the AP Oxford Academy in England, after being selected as the recipient of Benet’s Career Teacher Grant. At Benet, Mrs. Rogalski taught Advanced Placement English, College Preparatory Literature, junior English (“Brit Lit”), and Advanced Composition. Moderating Benet’s literary/creative writing club and producing the school’s literary magazine, “The Muse,” is also Mrs. Rogalski’s specialty. An enthusiastic teacher and scholar, Lori is eager to share her passion and knowledge of the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare, the memorable Canterbury pilgrims of Geoffrey Chaucer, the powerful reflections of John Milton, the stories of James Joyce, the contemporary poetry of Seamus Heaney, and the beautiful works of the British Romantics Byron, Shelley, Keats and Wordsworth. Making connections between the modern lives of teens and the timeless, universal themes of classic works of literature is her goal. Mrs. Rogalski holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Indiana University and an M.A.T. from Kent State University. Ms. Rogalski is a veteran of the 2017 and 2019 Scholars UK Program.
Matt Sparapani is a Latin and Greek teacher at Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, where he has taught classics and ancient history for the past 21 years. After graduating from Northwestern University with a Bachelor’s degree in History, he set off with a backpack to explore Europe by train. Upon landing in Rome and strolling among its ancient ruins, he decided to go back to school and pursue a Master’s degree in Latin. Cicero said Non nobis solum nati sumus “We are not born for ourselves alone,” and so he decided to take his love of the ancient world into the high school classroom. Mr. Sparapani moderates the Classics Club, helps organize the Illinois Junior Classical League’s state convention, and leads student tours to Greece and Italy to explore the ancient world and gelato. He also coaches boys and girls soccer and directs retreats at Saint Ignatius. Mr. Sparapani was named Latin Teacher of the Year in 2015 by the Illinois Classical Conference and in 2016 by the Illinois Junior Classical League.
When he is not teaching, Mr. Sparapani and his wife love to explore the world. Hiking, bird watching, canoeing and nature photography have taken them in recent years to the jungles of Colombia, the Outback of Australia, the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. When he is home in Chicago you can find him playing pickleball or listening to his favorite bands at concert venues all over the city. Mr. Sparapani is excited to share his intellectual curiosity and passion for learning with students in London. Mr. Spar is a veteran of the 2026 Summer Scholars UK Program.
Brian Wand is the Fine Arts Department Chair at Benet Academy. He conducts four choral ensembles, is moderator of the Benet Theatre Association where he is director of plays and the musical, teaches AP Music Theory, and assists with instrumental music. Mr. Wand earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Eastern Illinois University where he studied French Horn and Voice. He directed Bands and Choirs in Macon, IL and Coal City, IL for twelve years before joining the faculty of Benet Academy in 2002. Mr. Wand earned his Masters in Music Education with an emphasis in Choral Conducting and Voice from VanderCook College of Music in 2007, and specializes in choral music of the Renaissance with Benet’s a cappella group the Madrigal Singers. This group has performed internationally and has been recognized for excellence by the Illinois Music Education Association and won choral compositions. The choirs at Benet have toured Ireland, Italy, Austria, Canada, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, England, Scotland, Spain, Iceland, Denmark, & Sweden. In his 24 years at Benet, Mr. Wand is excited to be part of the Scholars UK faculty team and especially looks forward to immersing the students in London theatre.
Matt Wash is a physics teacher at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois. A Benet graduate, he attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in Engineering Physics along with a minor in German language. As a part of his minor, he spent five weeks in the summer of 2009 in a study-abroad program in Darmstadt, Germany. He graduated from Illinois in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree, and received his educator's credentials concurrently with a Masters degree in Secondary Science Education in 2012. After teaching for one year at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago, he made the move to his alma mater, where he coaches the school's Science Olympiad team, and has chaperoned multiple student service trips to southwestern Virginia. He is fascinated by the role science has played throughout history, which he finds extremely important to incorporate into his teaching of science. His favorite scientists are Sir Isaac Newton, Nikola Tesla, and Albert Einstein. In his free time, he enjoys (very) amateur astronomy, recreational math (yes, that's a real thing!), playing guitar, watching the White Sox, doing crossword puzzles, and is an avid reader of both fiction and nonfiction. He is well-versed in both the metric and Imperial systems of measure. Mr. Wash is a veteran of the 2018 and 2019 Scholars UK Program.
Suzanne Zimmerman is a studio artist, potter, illustrator, and educator. She has worked with young artists at Riverside-Brookfield High School, and several other area high schools, for over a decade and loves it a little more each year. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in Art Education and studied abroad in Florence, Italy, to learn from local designers and historians amidst the cultural mecca of the west. That experience has forever sparked her interest in travel and exploring different cultures. After several years of teaching art and starting a girls varsity soccer program at Elmwood Park High School, she went on to complete her Masters of Fine Art in Interdisciplinary Arts & Media from Columbia College Chicago and is now pursuing her National Board Teaching Certification. Aside from working as a potter at a local studio, a lifelong friendship with an author has led to her most recent adventures illustrating a children’s book carried by Amazon, titled Make Way for Mitchell, A Kindergarten Story. Through this eclectic journey, Suzanne fully embraces the ever evolving digital era while continuing to champion traditional studio processes and art history in her practice and instruction. She currently teaches ceramics and sculpture, drawing and painting, digital art, and Advanced Placement Studio Art. She also has two tiny daughters who love to be outside hiking, biking, camping, boating, and playing with their dad and dog, Griffin. Suzanne adores working with high school students and lives to try new things right alongside them as a joint learning experience, adding a touch of humble expertise along the way. Ms. Zimmerman is a veteran of the 2017 Summer Scholars UK Program.
FAQ's
1. Who is eligible to participate?
- Any high school student, from current freshman to graduated senior, is eligible to participate. The program fee is listed without airfare. This allows for students from various parts of the US to participate and potentially utilize gifted miles for their flights. Students traveling from Chicago may have an option to include the air price. Please contact us for further details, as we will need to coordinate arrival and departure times from Heathrow Airport.
2. Why is the program so unique?
- Unlike other travel programs, students have the ability to select from a wide variety of sessions, making the experience entirely customizable. Students can essentially design their own week, based on their interests.
3. What if I am the only person from my high school?
- No problem! Frequently, we have had students who knew no one before the trip and made life-long friends.
4. I've participated before. Can I go again?
- Yes! Students have participated more than once! Since the week is entirely customizable to your selections, you have the ability to make a unique experience each time you participate. The faculty team also go to great lengths to include new sessions each year.
5. Is there homework, testing or assignments?
- No, the program is immersive in nature and students learn by experiencing and participating.
6. How much does the program cost and what is included?
- The full program cost is available on the enrollment page. The cost includes a fully staffed, faculty led experience, central area hotel accommodations based on twin occupancy, all ground transportation, all breakfasts, tickets to theater performances, all program fees and admissions, and a farewell group dinner. Studnets departing from Chicago may have the ability to add their air portion. Students who wish to participate from a departure city other than Chicago are most welcome. Students who wish to utilize air miles for the flight portion are also welcome.
7. What if my family would like to come over and meet me at the end of the session. Is this possible?
- Yes, this is common. There are several options available to discuss if you want to extend your stay. Please contact us for further information.
8. What schools have participated in the past?
- We have been fortunate to have had participants from a number of schools. They include (alphabetically) Altamont School, (Brimingham, AL), Barrington High School (Barrington, IL), Benet Academy (Lisle, IL), Deerfield High School (Deerfield, IL), DePaul College Prep (Chicago, IL), Fenwick High School (Oak Park, IL), Loyola Academy (Wilmette, IL), Neuqua Valley High School (Naperville, IL), New Canaan High School (New Canaan, CT), New Trier High School (Wilmette, IL), Riverside-Brookfield High School (Riverside, IL), Saint Ignatius College Prep (Chicago, IL), St. Laurence High School (Burbank, IL), and St. Michael's High School, (Santa Fe, NM). Any student from any high school is most welcome!
9. Is there any financial assistance available?
- There may be the possibility of grant assistance, based on your school. In the past, some schools offer partial or even full assistance for applicants through internal grants or outside funders. Please contact us for further information and we will direct you to someone who might help.
Potential Funding Opportunities
Potential Funding Sources
We fully understand that this program, although very reasonably priced, still might not be attainable to those who wish to attend due to financial challenges. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer direct financial assistance, but periodically parents, educators, friends and students share information with us about potential funding sources. Most of these funds are specific to students from certain schools, interests or geographic areas. Please contact us if you are interested in additional information about grant funding.
