My Experience Abroad

By: David H. Morgan

In reflecting how to bet summarize my overseas scholarship experience at the Polytechnic of Central London in 1976—77, a host of powerful thoughts and feelings still resound. So, perhaps the most salient is to express my profound and innate gratitude for this most powerful experience is via a nautical metaphor, an anchor in the waters of life. I use this same metaphor with my current retirement and estate planning firm, for it undergirds a powerful mantra for and to others, its words hopefully illuminating vestiges of hope and impact, to current and future students as well as for alumni. The triad of words are powerful, today as they were then, so to expound upon its words:

1. “Your Beacon of Light for Comfort:” The professors, staff, and fellow students were most inviting and accepting of me, thereby providing much comfort in a totally new environment to me. In fact, several at the College often opined to me several times over the year that I “was not the typical American that they had expected to be.” As part of my acceptance process, I had expressed to the selection committee that my goal–should I be chosen as one of the few select students to be a part of Indiana University’s inaugural Overseas Scholarship Program–was to be a meritorious ambassador of my country, of my university, and to my family lineage. The comfort Based on the feedback of my new community there, I believe that I carried this torch notably.

2. “Your Anchor of Hope for Strength:” The various courses that I enrolled in at the College were able to offer me a tremendous added reservoir of knowledge, strength, and insights in many different disciplines. The vast array of courses was extremely educational, informative, and enlightening. My ability to accrue a perfect A average in all of the courses serves a wonderful manifestation of the superiority and excellence of the professors and curriculum there.

3. “Your Compass of Knowledge for Guidance”: The greatly enhanced, colorful experiences at the College were able to facilitate my various sojourns to other parts of the United Kingdom and Europe during my year abroad. I was able to visit many historic and exciting venues, and the combination of interpersonal relationships fused with the excellent curriculum helped me navigate so much of this geography over this period of time.

4. “…in these most volatile currents, most tumultuous waters.” In sum, with all of the vicissitudes and uncertainty pervading our entire globe, I am proud to attest that my overseas scholarship experience has been a most integral element in navigating and in understanding such pervasive uncertainty.

An important accompaniment on my journeys, both in London to other parts of my travels there, was the soundtrack to Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Neil Diamond. In fact, one of my close friends at my dorm there also loved it as a travelling elixir. As I summarize my experience in London, I am admonished to quote one of the most powerful lines from those soundtrack lyrics, “Be: As a page that aches for a word, Which speaks on a theme that is timeless.”

As potential students, current students, and alumni all reflect on these formative college years, I am proud to say that the Polytechnic of Central London fulfilled the word, spoke on a theme, and has proven timeless. It is now my sincere hope that this powerful legacy left to me can also be experienced and savored by others, timelessly….

David H. Morgan, MSFS, CEP
REAP LLC & REAP in Wealth Management, LLC
A Registered Investment Advisor

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