- October 17, 2017
- 12:12 pm
- Palak Shukla
First Study Abroad Program: A Success!
This summer was the launch of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) Study Abroad Program. A group of enthusiastic students and their guests spent 12 wonderful days in Rome, Italy, soaking in the culture while receiving a Loyola education.
The students had the option of selecting between a core philosophy class (PHIL 190) or Fine Arts 201 with a focus on Renaissance era art. To keep with the Loyola tradition of providing affordable, real-world education, students could also apply for a summer semester and a ‘study abroad’ scholarship, making the trip that much more feasible.
Both classes visited numerous historical sites, museums and Jesuit churches, making it a unique and interactive learning experience. As part of their syllabus, the Fine Arts group also visited Florence for a day.
Accompanying them were SCPS professors Stefano Giacchetti and Bill McGuire, both experts in their teaching fields; with the former a native of Rome and the latter a seasoned visitor to the historic city. Also on the trip was Assistant Dean Natasha Teetsov, who acted as program coordinator – overseeing the logistics and ensuring the smooth running of the sessions.
Perhaps the best part about the trip was that students were allowed to bring guests. This was a unique opportunity for the guests to see the students’ learning in action, as well as a fantastic way for faculty and staff to connect with the people who are the primary support system for our adult learners.
During the trip, the group bonded outside of class over various tourist site visits and authentic Italian meals. The feeling of a strong and close-knit SCPS community solidified over the course of this program.
In the anonymous evaluations that followed, students had nothing but praises for their experience.
“In my opinion, the major strengths of the program were the size of the classes, the close interaction with the professor, and the location, Rome. I learned as much about Roman culture as I did about Philosophy, which intensely increased the benefit of the experience for me.”
“It was amazing experience to see the art in person instead of seeing pictures of the pieces in a text book. I don’t think one can truly understand the significance of some of the pieces until seeing them.”
“I really enjoyed the hours we were able to spend with our Professor. Smaller class, he had more one on one interaction with each of us.”
We could not have asked for a more successful launch of our study abroad program, and we will take the learnings of this summer to continue to create streamlined, value-based and immersive education experiences for our students. We look forward to another great trip in Summer 2018!
If you are interested in learning more about the SCPS Study Abroad Program, register for our free information session.