Blackburn Fellow John Richardson (left) was an Eisenhower Global Scholar at the University of Oxford in 2024-2025, where he pursued a Masters of Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government (BSG). Here, he reflects on his time abroad and the lessons learned through the program.
On Academics
The academic experience deepened in both substance and range. Alongside core courses in Evidence and Public Policy, International Law, and the Politics of Policymaking, I enrolled in How to Lead in a Polarized World, and China and the World Economy. These classes built on the foundations laid in Michaelmas and pushed me to think in sharper, more comparative ways about China’s growing influence and leadership across an ever more polarized world. I also completed four applied policy modules over the past few months: Private Finance, Crisis Communications, Public Budgeting, and International Organization Management. President Iván Duque of Colombia led part of the polarization module, offering a rare chance to hear directly from a former head of state. During class introductions, he gave me a Roll Tide when he heard I was from Alabama. President Duque’ insights on leadership and democratic resilience were among the term’s highlights.
Extra-Curricular Learning
In addition to the required coursework, I volunteered to audit the APM Ready to Run, a campaign training module designed to prepare students for real-world political work and the class on Transnational Crime. The final class of my semester was a North Korea Crisis Simulation. Over a weeklong intensive war game with more than fifty assigned roles and across six countries, my classmates and I navigated an international standoff. I served as the Foreign Minister of North Korea, and thus a very entertaining assignment. Despite surviving a missile attack from of the team playing the United States, my team died from an internal coup. A great (if unsuccessful) foray into international diplomacy.
Highlights
Outside the formal curriculum, there was no shortage of memorable moments. I gave a speech at our Student Showcase on the place of faith in public life. I’ve helped organize events with the THINK Initiative; a group focused on bringing together students across ideological lines for honest conversation. Alongside a classmate from Mexico, our cohort nominated me to host the American Cultural Night. Every North, Central, and South American country participated, and we put on a lively event for the school community filled with plenty of home cooked food, music, and dancing. After learning how to hand whip crème, I even got to share some banana pudding.
Throughout the term, I grew closer to several professors and classmates and made time for the informal learning that often matters most, spending time in conversations with my classmates.
Throughlines
Travel continued to shape the year. My term included visits to Nice, and Monaco with classmates. During the break, one of my Ukrainian classmates and I even got the chance to tour Morocco before splitting off as I went to Greece to trace the roots of Western political and moral thought through a classics tour and celebrated Easter in Athens. Lastly, I toured Northern Ireland and spent some time in Dublin with my younger brother (Luke Richardson, Blackburn class of 2025). An excellent opportunity to spend time together, catch up, and dive into a new culture. These trips have added historical and human depth to the policy conversations happening back in Oxford.
Current Day
Now back in Alabama, I’m working in Birmingham as a Visiting Fellow at the Alabama Policy Institute and just submitted my graduate thesis this past weekend. I’ve also begun LSAT preparation and am working through my law school applications. A very different pace from Oxford, but a welcome return home.
It’s hard to summarize what this year has meant. My understanding of policy has grown more nuanced but so has my sense of purpose. I feel more prepared, intellectually, personally, and professionally, for whatever comes next. The classroom was excellent, but the relationships and conversations will carry with me.
Without the Blackburn Institute, I would not have gotten to go to Oxford in the first place.