Georgetown University

Georgetown University Visiting Researchers at Campion Hall, Oxford

Members of the ordinary faculty are encouraged to apply to be Georgetown-at-Campion-Hall visiting researchers. This unique arrangement has been established to encourage the global reach of Georgetown faculty research and collaboration with scholars in the network of Jesuit educational centers around the globe. The visiting researcher will have use of one office and one two-bedroom apartment. He or she will be a member of the small and cohesive collegiate household and community that is Campion Hall, and as an Academic Visitor in the University, will have access to Oxford’s incomparable Bodleian Libraries and other resources. Membership of Campion Hall provides an excellent base for collaborative work with academic colleagues across the whole University of Oxford.

Campion Hall is a Permanent Private Hall, effectively a small College, of Oxford.¹ There is a strong sense of College identity, sustained by eating together in “Hall” among other ways. The "PPHs" differ from the Colleges in that they are not totally independent corporations, and they all have some Christian affiliation: in addition to the Jesuit Campion Hall, there are two Anglican halls, and one each for the Benedictines, the Dominicans, and English Baptists. Campion Hall is the smallest and oldest of the PPHs, but also has the most diverse student body - all doctoral level and working across various subject areas from Astrophysics to African History. There are currently ten student members and seven faculty members. A number of sabbatical scholars and other academic visitors are also in residence. In 2010, with a Jesuit Community of 22, the house numbers about 30. Campion Hall welcomes faculty, students, Jesuits, other priests, and a few lay people of various religious commitments, including non-Christians. 

Campion Hall has opened-up its membership in a new way to the Georgetown faculty. The hope is that the Georgetown-at-Campion-Hall faculty will feel part of the household and community, while being free to live a self-contained life to the extent that they wish. The office is in the heart of the main wing of Campion Hall to encourage this participation. The Georgetown faculty will be able to sign-in to eat at cost in the common dining room, to bring guests into meals on the same terms, and to participate in the Formal Guest Nights when the Hall entertains its guests with a little more ceremony. The Library and the Common Room will be available for use, as well.

The apartment has its own kitchen, dining space and sitting room, in addition to a bathroom and two bedrooms (one twin bedroom, one single bedroom), making possible what measure of private living best suits the faculty members and any partners/spouses/other family who might be with them. So, for example, a single man or woman might wish to be more involved with the collegiate life than a couple with a child. (Photos of the apartment and facilities available at Campion Hall are available here.)

It is the shared vision of Georgetown and Campion Hall that the visiting researchers will be people who can enjoy participating in the collegiate life of Campion Hall, while maintaining whatever degree of separate living suits them. Living both with and alongside a Jesuit-and-academic community such as forms the core of Campion Hall will be a stimulating and enjoyable experience for the right people.

Application Process

To apply for the Georgetown-at-Campion Hall residency, please first confirm there is space available by contacting Mr. Philip Thomas at pt73@georgetown.edu. (N.B. The next full semester with available space is Fall 2013.)

If space is available, please submit the following:

1. Letter containing:

1. Proposed dates of residency. While short visits may be possible priority will be given to extended stays, as this allows for greater involvement in the life of the Campion Hall community.
2. Proposed research project(s)², and how residency at Campion Hall and the University of Oxford would contribute to it (e.g. availability of unique archives or equipment, proximity to collaborators). If your research interests coincide with those of a current resident of the Hall, please note this. (See list of residents below). Limit 750 words.
3. Indication of how you might contribute to the Campion Hall community during your stay. Prior to submitting an application, you are encouraged to speak with a previous resident regarding life alongside a Jesuit community. (For an introduction to a previous resident, please contact Mr. Thomas.) Limit 500 words.
4. List of any persons who would accompany you and your relationship.

2. Curriculum vitae.

3. Letter from your department chair or dean in support of your application, including, as appropriate, confirmation of any required leave.

Applications should be addressed to the Faculty Committee for International Initiatives, c/o Mr. Philip Thomas, Office of the Provost, Car Barn 210 or pt73@georgetown.edu. The Committee will review applications and nominate candidates to Campion Hall for consideration on a rolling basis.

Frequently asked questions

1. Is this opportunity restricted to Catholics or to Christians more generally?

No. Guests of the Hall are by no means only Jesuits, or priests, or Catholics, or indeed Christians. Applicants should, however, be comfortable living alongside a Jesuit community.

2. Are women eligible?

Yes. The arrangement was set up so that men or women could participate. The apartment is self-contained, and the Georgetown faculty (men or women) are welcome to join the rest of the collegiate community of the Hall. The rest of the community is men - mostly Jesuits – but there are frequently women in for meals in the dining room.

3. Do I need a visa?

Maybe. Depending on your nationality, you may require a visa to enter the UK. US citizens require a visa for stays in excess of six months. Applicants are personally responsible for compliance with UK immigration regulations.

4. Is it possible for my spouse/partner, and/or child to accompany me?

Yes. The apartment is set up to allow for this. If anyone would be accompanying you, please note this in your application. You are responsible for ensuring that those accompanying you obtain the appropriate UK visas.

5. Is the apartment furnished?

Yes. The apartment is fully furnished and includes linens, as well as kitchen equipment and laundry facilities. The office will also be fully furnished with a desk, chairs, cabinets, etc. Internet service is available. Housekeeping services may be available for a fee.

6. I am a full-time research fellow, lecturer, or other non-ordinary faculty member at Georgetown. Am I eligible for this opportunity?

No. At this time, Campion Hall residencies are only available to members of the Ordinary Faculty at Georgetown University. This group includes all full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty. If you are unsure of your status, please contact your Dean’s Office to confirm before submitting an application. 

Campion Hall residents

The current residents of Campion Hall include:

“Senior Members” (i.e. faculty level)
Brendan Callaghan SJ  - Psychology of Religion
Peter Edmonds SJ – New Testament Studies
Philip Endean SJ – Systematic Theology – Rahner & Ignatian Studies
Mr Richard Haavisto – Arrupe Tutor in Refugee Studies/Forced Migration
William Hewett SJ – Ignatian Spirituality
Gerard J Hughes SJ – Philosophy of Religion & Ethics
Nicholas King SJ – New Testament Studies
Anthony Ucerler SJ – Japanese Studies

Research Students preparing doctoral theses in development studies, Christian spirituality, English literature, Old Testament studies, policy studies, Latin American history, and theology.

Photo gallery

A photo gallery of the apartment and facilities available at Campion Hall is available here.