A Blackfriars Opportunity for Salve's Spencer O’Reilly

Oxford accepted Spencer O'Reilly, as a "Registered Visiting Student for Michaelmas Term 2023.  As a Registered Visiting Student of Oxford University, he will have access to University lectures, libraries and other facilities, as well as those at Blackfriars."   A sophomore Political Science major at Salve Class of 2025, Spencer is the first Pol Sci major at Salve to be awarded this prestigious opportunity.   He is a two year member of the Salve Regina men's lacrosse team.  A native of Manhasset, NY, Spencer attended St. Mary's High School. 

"The St Clare's Scholars Programme at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford annually invites applications for their Scholars Programme from highly motivated students who would particularly enjoy an academic challenge in the fields of Philosophy, Religious Studies, Theology, Psychology, English Literature and British History.  The Scholars Programme, nearly 30 years old, is a joint initiative between St Clare's and Blackfriars' Hall, a Permanent Private Hall of Oxford University governed by the English Dominican Friars who first came to the University in 1221.  The Hall accepts a maximum of 10 visiting students each year. The majority come from American partner universities or colleges, but we welcome applications from other suitably qualified students, undergraduate and postgraduate, from major universities globally, who share an affinity with our ethos. The academic workload means that Blackfriars does not normally permit students to have parttime employment during term time. Permission is granted only in exceptional circumstances for reasons of financial hardship, if the student is able to satisfy the necessary visa conditions. Candidates may be of any religious affiliation or none. They must, however, be sensitive to the Catholic religious setting of the Hall in a Dominican Priory and should be open to the Dominican intellectual tradition in Philosophy and Theology. At the same time, candidates should not expect all tutors to be Dominicans or to belong to any particular religious tradition. As candidates are not interviewed by Blackfriars, we rely heavily on the home universities to select suitable applicants. Undergraduate applicants should be able to demonstrate a minimum GPA of 3.7 or its equivalent, and must obtain permission from their home university to spend a year abroad at Blackfriars."   

From O'Reilly 

I am thankful to Salve Regina for giving me the opportunity to participate in such a competitive scholarship and I accredit much of my success to my excellent professors. Most importantly, however,  I would like to thank the Salve Regina Men's Lacrosse team and Coach Cooney for giving me the drive and discipline to achieve my goal. Since I arrived in my freshman year, the lacrosse team has been essential in forming a solid foundation of hard work, perseverance, and familial support necessary to set me on the course toward success academically, physically, and mentally. I hope that I can serve as a role model for younger teammates just as my older teammates have for me. I hope to continue as Coach Cooney would say, "Getting after it" in Oxford next fall.