SCIO is delighted to announce the Hilary Term 2026 Prize winners. The prizes are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence in their research essays, British Culture seminars, or overall academic performance throughout the term.
Hilary’s awardees include:
Alumni Prize
- Sophia Breeding (Wheaton College)
Academic Prizes
- Elizabeth Bryce (Azusa Pacific University)
- Mathis Neuhaus (Bethel University, IN)
- Joy Schmus (Biola University)
- Simcha Verhoef (Westmont College)
Prize winners share a bit about their time in Oxford and their work…
- Sophia Breeding
“Oxford will always hold a dear place in my heart because of the people I have met, the places I traveled, and the rewarding work I accomplished. My studies were focused on English literature and political science. I took Charles Dickens as my primary tutorial, China Since the 1930s as my secondary tutorial, and British Culture, History, and Politics as my British Culture Course. The tutorials not only challenged me academically, but also stimulated my further growth as a writer and researcher, helping me to better articulate thoughts and questions as well as ideas and discoveries. My favorite part of my term was using the many libraries we had access to and spending the most time at my favorites: Taylor Library and the Humanities Library. I will always be grateful to the community I was surrounded by, the students I met (and who diligently proofread my essays), and the valuable skills I acquired to better equip me for the work God has called me to later in life. Thank you, SCIO!”
- Elizabeth Bryce
“While studying with SCIO, I grew academically in scholarly voice, research, and writing. It was amazing to study with tutors who respect undergraduates enough to expect great things. They challenged me to do my best, providing constructive criticism, and giving me footholds to concepts and abilities I could not reach before. Through tutorials in cognitive neuroscience, personality theories and individual differences, and C.S. Lewis and the classics, I expanded my ability to critically engage with academic sources instead of blindly trusting what scholars say. I grew in my receptivity to feedback and efficiency in writing and research. However, my favorite academic accomplishment of the term is my research project, in which I proposed further psychological research on whether imagination increases goal-directed hope and decreases depression. After identifying a gap in modern literature, my research advisor and I are now conducting research beyond the term with an end goal of publication. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to study in Oxford with so many bright-minded students and tutors. I made many lifelong connections and friendships and greatly enjoyed studying in such a beautiful city devoted to the pursuit of knowledge.”
- Mathis Neuhaus
“Oxford was truly an amazing experience, and I learned an incredible amount. I took Sustainable Finance as my primary tutorial and Geography of Finance as my secondary tutorial. I also researched the question: How Applicable Is Dewey’s Model of Reflective Thinking for Today’s Executive Decision-Making?
Those few months were very special, giving me the opportunity to experience so much, from hours of studying and conducting research to participating in field trips and making lifelong friends. The program was demanding, but it was also a lot of fun.
I met many people through the German Society, the program itself, and the running club. It was very easy to meet new people in the city and get involved in a wide range of activities. I also traveled throughout the UK and had the chance to discover many new places.
The city of Oxford is beautiful, with countless charming cafés, shops, and historic buildings. The academic facilities are outstanding. There are numerous libraries, study spaces, and university buildings that create an inspiring environment for learning. Attending formal dinners and university events was one of the highlights of my experience.
Academically, the program exceeded my expectations as well. All of my tutors were very supportive, approachable, and intellectually challenging at the same time. I learned a great deal and broadened my horizons in many different ways.”
- Simcha Verhoef
My time studying in Oxford was quite different from almost all of my prior academic experience. I say ‘almost’ because, as a musician and composer of musician, my experience in violin and composition lessons gave me perhaps a bit more preparation for the one-on-one, weekly format of the tutorials. Still, the application of said format to poetry and poetic theory in my primary tutorial, and to western music history in my secondary tutorial, alongside the access I had to an almost unbelievable wealth of resources in the Bodleian Libraries, ignited the dormant curiosity and love for academic study in me. The same goes for my research project: I had written research projects before, but with the independence (and library access) that SCIO granted me, I made the realisation that scholarship is not merely the act of writing to fit set requirements, but the act of searching for truth: studying and appreciating the beauty of the patterns of the universe. Here was freedom, here was adventure, here was scholarship as a means of praising God.
SCIO wishes the prize winners a very happy and successful future!