On the twentieth anniversary of themed semester, Missouri Southern will cover the country of Great Britain. The themed semester is chosen by the faculty and many have pushed for Britain. Nine separate faculty members are schedule for speaking events.

“Even though our country began with a rebellion against Britain, the history of our two countries is closely intertwined,” said Paul Teverow, professor of history at Southern.

The Southern Symphony Orchestra is scheduled for four events. Southern Theatre will be performing a comedy called Blithe Spirit. Eleven British films

Including The 39 Steps, A Hard Day’s Night, and Bend it Like Beckham will also benshown.

“Britain is so important to us as Americans that it will be challenging to do it justice in only 16 weeks,” Dr. William Kumbier, associate professor of English at Southern.

Guests will also be included in the festivities.  The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra will open the Great Britain Semester on August 22nd with the British Invasion Concert that they performed in February. 

Gregory Jones from Indiana University will speak on the same British Invasion on September 2. Dr. James Williams from National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Mo. is scheduled to speak on Churchill and the London Blitz of 1940.

David Gutzke from Missouri State University is scheduled for a lecture on the survival of the British pub throughout many economic hardships and more are being scheduled.

Great Britain is composed of England, Scotland, and Wales. This is not to benconfused with the United Kingdom, which is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Also, Great Britain is only part of the British Islands, which are composed of the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey, and Guernsey. 

All of which falls under the umbrella geographical term British Isles that also contains the politically separate Ireland.

“I think Americans just have a lot of inherent interest in Great Britain,” said Chad Stebbins Director of the institute of international studies, “I think it will be one of our most anticipated themed semesters.”