Yale University ...

New Haven, Connecticut... Home to one of America's best Universities! That being none other than Yale it's self! Being from England I can safely say that Yale was unlike any University I have seen before, the building was truly magnificent and puts all of our building work to shame! American's really do have a talent for creating a masterpiece; something so grand and so elegant that it is down right beautiful! During our short week we spent in New Haven, we made sure we popped down to pay it a lil visit... by hell were we in for a treat!

When we arrived we were greeted by a young bubbly red head, who took us for the grand tour. The young girl was roughly the same age as ourselves, which truly emphasized the degree of opportunities America has to offer. 

The exterior of the University reminded me of Hogwarts Castle from Harry Potter, displaying a very Gothic design. However the buildings are a lot more modern than they appear, the Gothic appearance was actually the goal of the founder. Each building was made from stone complete with thick wooden doors, old fashioned windows and even the occasional castle turret... it truly was magnificent!

Within the grounds of the University stands a statue of Theodore Dwight Woolsey, who was not only an American academic and author but also the president of Yale from 1846 - 1871. The statue was erected due to a tale told, being that Woolsey would kick the boat with his left foot at the regatta to start the race; they said that Yale would always win! Students and tourists who visit the grounds, have been known to rub the statues left foot in the hope of it bringing them good luck. 

In my opinion Yale is incredibly lucky, as it has not one but two stunning libraries. The first being that of the Sterling Memorial Library, which is actually the largest. You'll notice from the photographs that the building it's self is rather unorthodox, resembling that of a Cathedral. This design was actually the goal of James Gamble Rodgers, who'd attended Yale in 1889. The library it's self is made up of a total of 16 floors housing up to 4 million different volumes, the ceilings reach up to approximately 60ft tall. There are a total of 3,300 stained glass windows throughout the library, all designed by artist G. Owen Bonawit.

The second of the two libraries is that of the Beinecke rare books and manuscripts library, containing approximately 600,000 rare volumes. Some of the works range back hundreds of years ago; 1487 being one of them, Beinecke is also lucky enough to house none other than one of the only surviving 21 complete Gutenberg bibles. Within the middle of the staircases stands a six story high bookcase which is encased within a glass cabinet, the volumes are kept within a controlled climate to preserve the quality of each collection. The exterior of the library is made from Marble which is translucent and only 1.25 inches thick, on a sunny day; daylight can still be transmitted through the marble due to it's thinness. Beinecke is one of the largest buildings in America, which is dedicated solely to rare books and manuscripts.

As someone with an absolute deep love and passion for books, being able to see the rarity and antique appearance of some of those volumes was truly breathtaking! Vising Yale was an experience like no other, and something I am beyond lucky enough to have embraced!

The Gothic Campus

The Sterling Memorial Library

The Beinecke Library of Rare Books & Artifacts

The Lucky Foot

 

Dr Henry.C.Lee Institute ...

Have you ever had an experience so incredible, that to this day the fact it actually took place still hasn't sunk in? ... for me the Henry.C.Lee Institute was one of those experiences! 

For those who are not aware Dr Henry Lee is the worlds No.1 Forensic Scientist, having worked on many high profile cases such as JonBenet Ramsay and O.J. Simpson. 

As someone who's recently graduated with a Bsc in Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation, the opportunity to be taught at such a world renowned Institution was an enormous deal for me!  To go one step better ... we were to be taught by none other than Dr Lee himself! 

The whole course lasted for one week and focused on the art of Firearms Reconstructions. We were given a mixture of classroom based tutorials, and practical sessions both in a laboratory setting and on the open firearms range. Not only were we being taught by professionals in the field, but we were also lucky enough to be taking the course alongside individuals of high authority such as the New Haven Police Department. 

In regards to Dr Lee he was actually far from what I expected! Being a man of such high authority within the Forensic's world and having a skill set so highly desired, I expected his demeanor to be somewhat smug and slightly arrogant.  However I was pleasantly surprised and 100% proved wrong! Although he was to be addressed as Dr Lee and his verdict and say stood above that of others, he was also very friendly to all participants of the course! He was able to interact with us and crack jokes rather than always being so serious! We were also given T-shirts from his institute, took photographs with him, received signed postcards and even managed to get some autographed books! The skills learnt and witnessed over that week were something that could never be taught to us within an English University setting, they are highly valuable to all that participated and were a once in a life time opportunity! The things Dr Lee had done and the knowledge he has was incredible, every single person looked up to him and it truly was an experience like no other! 

I feel incredibly lucky to have been selected to seize this opportunity, I want to thank all those who either made it possible or was involved with my experience! It truly was something I will never forget, and there will never be enough words for the Thank You's or to explain truly how amazing it all was ...