Scots in the highlands: Monmouth College group enjoys nine-day UK adventure

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (06/12/2026) — Two years ago, Monmouth College professors Audra Goach and David Wright joined forces to provide a memorable experience for the annual summer SOFIA program, creating an interdisciplinary escape room that blended chemistry and English through forensic science and creative writing.

That interdisciplinary angle was featured in their latest collaboration, as well, a nine-day, 10-student trip they led to Scotland and England at the end of May. Prior to the trip, students took one of two 200-level courses for which they received credit - "History of Forensic Science" and "Travel Writing."

"But in truth," said Wright, "both groups worked across academic boundaries, producing varied and wonderful logs of the trip that represented a meaningful engagement with the places and people we encountered. There was also a real sense of community among our travelers."

Students had a choice of assignments for chronicling their experience, ranging from pen and ink drawings, poems and forensic travel notebooks, to maps, videos and photo diaries, which the professors said will populate their presentations about the trip in the coming semester. Another assignment was reporting back to an anonymous donor who helped make the trip possible. The students wrote thank you notes on postcards picturing art from the National Gallery in London. "One after another," said Wright, "they described the trip as 'life-changing,' which speaks to the unique and deep importance of studying abroad as part of their Monmouth education."

Highlands, big horses and CSI: Glencoe

One of those students was Kyra Bivins '27 of Esmond, Illinois. "My most memorable moment was our time in the highlands," she said. "I've been to the mountains and north woods in the U.S., but the highlands managed to be a combination of both in such a stunning way. Our winding bus trips through the hills and forests were honestly the most gorgeous. Everything about northern Scotland was simply awe-inspiring and just so cool to experience physically."

Her classmate, Abby Zayas of Bloomington, Illinois, agreed about the highlands and also commented on the bus, noting, "We had a lot of time on the bus between places, but it was never a boring ride, and the first time we really got to see the Scottish highlands was magical."

The bus itself - driven by a story-telling Scot named Henry - was a highlight, as the group traveled in comfort in a vehicle complete with a kitchen and bathroom that could've seated another couple dozen passengers.

With a focus on forensic science, a Jack the Ripper tour and an investigation of the Sherlock Holmes Museum were to be expected. But the students also learned about the Massacre of Glencoe, which took place in Scotland in 1692. Wright said the question, "If they had the methods we do today, could they have solved it?" was a forensic science talking point about both historical crimes.

On the lighter side, there were plenty of laughs along the way or, as Goach phrased it, "things that you can't manufacture." Ask any of the travelers to elaborate on salty ham, their 82-year-old dagger-wielding tour guide Ken, or a mad dash with fish and chips, and the funny stories will flow.

"Ken told us the reason there are only five million people in Scotland compared to 50 million in England is that it takes 10 good Englishmen to beat a Scot," said Ethan Wright '27, Professor Wright's son, who said Stirling Castle was a favorite stop on the tour, complete with a ceremonial presentation of banners and colors.

"The most memorable moment from the trip for me was exploring Stirling Castle with Kyra Bivins and Abby Zayas," said Earle. "The experience felt so surreal, and along with learning about the deep history of the castle and Stirling, I learned so much about these two women I went with. The castle was an amazingly calm and serene area that truly made me feel as if I was in another time altogether."

Another favorite place was an unscheduled stop at the Kelpies, two 100-foot steel sculptures of horse heads. Goach appreciated the tour's willingness to break from the itinerary and called the free stop "one of the best things from the trip." Leaving Scotland for London provided its own set of memories, she noted, with the Monmouth group needing to "push and shove" its way through a crowd of hundreds of people to catch their train. "The students got to experience what it's like to travel in different places. No one has to ride the train to County Market. But they were such troopers."

She added, "The trip was so packed with destinations and things to do that we decided to give the students some free time on our final day in London. We went to the National Gallery, then split up and met back at The Eye," an observation wheel along the River Thames.

In summary

In a word, Zayas said the trip was "thrilling. We were just constantly going somewhere new, seeing something new, and as much as the whole trip felt like an adventure, each individual day did, too, because they were so packed with beautiful and interesting experiences. Going from the quiet beauty of places like the highlands and the towns we explored there to the bustle of cities like Edinburgh and London, we got a very wide range of exploration that made one week feel like many."

Added Bivins: "Everywhere we went was filled with history older than what we can begin to comprehend - it's truly amazing. To think civilization from BCE was touching the land we were on at some point is pretty crazy. All the old architecture, the cool accents, and the stunning culture was a privilege to experience. I would absolutely recommend taking this trip to anyone if they can."

"The trip was a whirlwind of knowledge, amazing experiences, and joy through the highlands of Scotland, into castles older than I can fathom, museums that made me think about things in a new way, into the bustling historic streets of Edinburgh and the high-energy deep city of London," said Earle. "These places made me feel so small in such a good way and forced me to broaden my horizons completely. There are parts of Scotland and London that will be with me forever."

"The faculty go to oversee the learning by the students, but we're really part of the learning, too," concluded Wright. "We're really grateful for the support of the donor who helped make this all possible."

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