Students offered experiences abroad

Faculty members at Marshall University are offering students various study abroad opportunities which include trips to Florence, Italy, Beijing, China and Brazil this summer.

The College of Fine Arts and College of Liberal Arts are collaborating to offer a program set in Florence, Italy for three weeks this May. This is the third summer for the program, which includes the option of enrolling in the three-credit hour fine arts course, a three-credit hour English course or both.

Both classes will be taught in English by fine arts assistant professor Ian Hagarty and English professor Kateryna Schray. The program coordinators emphasize the advantages of learning in a specific environment.

"The goal is not to study just medieval literature and art, but to study medieval literature and art in the context of their setting," Schray said. "While literature and art are in themselves valuable, their value is enriched when we can connect it to a culture's daily life. That's largely what this course is about."

Students will live in apartments and interact with the city on a daily basis.

"Assignments will send students to museums, churches, markets, restaurants, local clothing shops and even soccer matches," Schray said.

The deadline to apply is the second week of February.

"Interested students will need to act fast," Hagarty said. "Students will need to obtain a passport, fill out an application and scholarship forms and schedule a meeting with the Financial Aid Office. They will also need to register and fill out application forms on the Centers for Academic Programs Abroad website."

Ryan Warner of the Study Abroad Office is coordinating a trip to Beijing, China in June. While students will earn three credits for the course of Chinese economic development, they will also take excursions to the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

Finance and economics professor Michael Newsome is planning an 11-day study tour to Brazil this May. The trip includes three days in Foz do Iguacu, three days in Curitiba and five days in Rio de Janeiro. Newsome said this program should draw several types of students.

"A student will find it attractive if they are interested in Brazil or South America in general, environmental issues, natural resource management or sustainable development," Newsome said.

The trip offers a three-hour credit in economics, sustainable development and microfinance attempts.

Additional information about these programs is available in the GlobalStudy Lounge located in Old Main room 321.

Brittanee Barton can be contacted at barton35@marshall.edu.