Madison Rubino
Staff Writer
While some students plan to return home for a relaxing January, or take a needed general education class, others will participate in various study abroad tours.
Study abroad programs are offered for fall, January and spring semesters, as well as trips over spring break for undergraduate students who are interested in exploring the world through education.
“These technically aren’t study abroad activities, they are more like field trips for classes,” Al Clark, professor of humanities and study abroad adviser, said.
“These are La Verne courses that travel and participate in the same activities with their professors. I don’t like to call these trips study abroad, but rather the term: study tours abroad.”
January term trips are different from semester or year long study abroad programs because they are created entirely by faculty members and approved by their respective departments as an actual University of La Verne course.
Only undergraduate students can go on the January term trips, and those attending a January term trip register for the course as a part of their January and spring class registration.
“The best part about the study abroad tours in January are that the students don’t really have to think about anything,” Clark said.
“The courses are automatically ULV credit and there are no worries about units transferring back once you finish your time abroad. Also, everything is taken care of. You don’t have to worry about where you are going to eat or how you will get to place to place, and you still get a taste of another country.”
When participating in a study abroad program, students attend universities in different countries and transfer those credits back to ULV.
In January 2018, ULV will take students to four cities in different countries, including Paris, and Barcelona with Professor of French Gerard Lavatori; Spain, France and Italy with Professor of Management Janat Yousof; Spain with Professor of Sociology Roy Kwon and Assistant Professor of Sociology Joseph Cabrera; and to Rome and Florence, Italy, with retired Professor of English Ken Scambray.
“I’m excited to explore new cultures and see all the cool architecture,” Madison Maynes, sophomore psychology major said.
“I picked the trip to Spain, Italy and France with Professor Yousof because it seemed like I would get the most out of it. I wanted to go on a fun trip with my friends as well.”
Groups that are on these trips met throughout the fall semester to prepare for their January tours. Most trips last for about 10 to 20 days.
Although January trips are for a short period of time, professors have designed the courses to include significant educational information and cultural experiences.
“I heard about this trip through an email to sociology students and I thought to myself that it would be better late than never to have an experience abroad since I will be graduating in February,” Kheanna Mosley, senior sociology major said.
“I’m excited to go out of the country for the first time, especially to go to Spain where there is such a rich culture and history. I can’t think of a better way to end my undergraduate career,” she said.
Just as other study abroad programs, professors for January term trips partner up with a third-party company who helps book flights, hotels and transportation and arranges the cost and payments for the trips.
Students can also use financial aid and apply for outside scholarships to pay for these trips.
“I decided to do this trip because we will be visiting three countries whose cultures I find very interesting: Italy, France, and Spain,” said Darrah Jones, sophomore biology major.
“I’m most looking forward to visiting Rome so I can see the Trevi Fountain in person. I’m also excited to eat authentic Italian food.”
Madison Rubino can be reached at madison.rubino@laverne.edu.
Madison Rubino
