There are many supporters of the current trip to Florence. International Relations Professor Martin Morales described his trip to Paris, France as unforgettable.
“The student who leaves is not the same person who comes back,” said Study Abroad Director Ellen Arden-Ogle. “Students come back with wonderful experiences.”
Morales said studying abroad is a great professional opportunity and it gave faculty the opportunity to look at everything from the outside.
Professor of Communication Daniel DuBray agreed. “Students are living the global experience while studying the course material,” he said. “It is a wonderful and meaningful experience.”
The trip, which will start January 28, 2012 and conclude April 2012, will consist of 12 weeks of academic study and one week of break. To be eligible for the trip, students must be at least 18-years-old, have 12 academic units, have a grade point average of 2.5, enroll in 12 units while on the trip and attend a mandatory meeting at CRC.
Not only do students get to live and study in another culture, they receive academic credit for the courses taken. All courses taken in Florence will fulfill general education requirements and will transfer to any California State College or State University.
However, studying is not all students do while they’re abroad. Classes are held Monday through Thursday, leaving Friday open for any sightseeing. The American Institute For Foreign Study offers tours of many attractions in the country.
“The tours in Spain were excellent,” DuBray said. Professor of Radio Robert Snowden, who had just returned from Paris, said he was given the opportunity to visit the Louvre and Versailles.
“It was an amazing experience,” Snowden said. “All should take this opportunity.”