Program Reviews

This program truly goes above and beyond. It exceeded my expectations in so many wonderful ways. We got to go on excursions all over the UK, seeing everything from castles to Scottish countryside to cast footprints that are copies of actual prints left behind by when dinosaurs roamed Britain. We learned about Shakespeare and got to see many of his plays. We even got to stand on stage at the Globe! We learned about British politics and got to attend political gatherings both in London and Edinburgh. We walked in the footsteps of many great writers, including Mary Wollstonecraft and Virginia Woolf. You get a little bit of everything in this program, and it all combines to create a truly amazing, memorable experience.

I also did an internship while I was in London. Doing an internship was an excellent way to meet British folks and get to know British culture. You get the opportunity to learn a lot about a field you are interested in and make connections that will last for years to come. I recommend doing an internship because you get to meet great people and see another side to British culture that you just don't get inside the classroom.

Overall, this program was amazing. I highly recommend it!

I spent this past summer in Dublin, Ireland attending a comprehensive film course at the Institute of Art Design and Technology (IADT). I had never been out of the country prior but I always knew I wanted to go abroad, I just never really imagined it possible. This particular course caught my eye, for one Ireland, I think for many is a dream destination to visit and second, having the opportunity to study film with professionals is a once in a lifetime experience. Aside from attending the course, traveling around Ireland with a new group of about 20 friends is pretty awesome. You meet new people and see new things around every corner. One of the highlights was heading down to the forty-foot after class to swim and bum on the beach, not something you'd picture for a typical day in Ireland!

The Genius of Study Abroad: Revolutionary Imagination program was an enriching and enlightening experience for me. Dr. Mossberg is a master of creating a class that, while applicable to all students, feels unique for each individual student. I enjoyed the setup of one city per week, especially since I had never been to Europe before. If someone is looking for a more immersive, longer stay in one location this is not the program for you. One thing the program could improve is the housing situation — at certain hostels six students would stay in a room built for four people. All in all, the Revolutionary Imagination program was one of the highlights of my college experience.

Never before have I left the country. Ireland was an incredible first destination abroad. The scenery and culture were incredibly beautiful and enlightening. This experience was unique for I experienced it with several close friends; together we made the most of our experiences by exploring the landscape as well as a multitude of intriguing historical sites. Culture shock is often a fear for many before traveling abroad. I can assure potential students that the culture shock was very minimal as Irish culture is extremely welcoming, understanding and accommodating of students studying abroad. This was a life changing experience that I will never forget as it has opened my eyes to the fascinating world beyond the United States.

If you are planning to minor in Italian, this program will be amazing for you. It is fantastic for the language, because you get the opportunity to live with Italian students, so you speak the language in class and at your home. The additional courses that are offered here as well are very immersive, as they include trips to take the classroom outside, which helps you become more immersed in the city and the learning. I took Italian 203, Wine in Italy, Food and Culture, and Cross Cultural Communications. I visited wineries, bakeries, churches and museums, learning hands on making the experience more fun! The city feel safe, for you to explore alone and with friends. The food that you can find is amazing, from great Carbonara to good pizzas. Not only do you see what is in Siena, you will go on bi-weekly excursions that allow you to see a lot of Tuscany, experience their individual cuisine and culture, and learn everyday beyond academics, and how to live the calm Italian lifestyle, to enjoy the trip, day by day.

Overall I had a great time in Segovia. The teachers were great, the material we learned was useful and not too challenging either. My favorite part about my experience was having a host family. My host family welcomed me into their home as if I were a child of their own and that felt great. One con I will say about the program is that Segovia is a small little town, so at times it could get a little bit boring, with that said I definitely took advantage of traveling on weekends.

The program as a whole has been an unreal experience. If I could do it all over again, I would do it in a heartbeat. With that being said, the school aspect is more of a chore rather than an educational experience. Our two professors were often unprepared and didn't keep the students on the same page. In addition, the work load is sometimes unnecessary given the fact that we were often in school for a long period of time throughout the day, or at an excursion for the whole day and then expected to have a presentation to show the day after in class at 9:30am. However, the teaching staff from Siena have been incredible. No complaints about them.

This trip and study abroad was overall amazing. The academics were tedious at times, but overall I feel like I learned a lot about marketing basics. It was nice to have long weekends to travel different places too! My favorite memories are the winery class excursions along with my several weekend trips!
Side note: I have a long PowerPoint about my trip experience and lots of tips and tricks. If you’d like to see it, you can email me at samanthakin7@gmail.com!

Throughout the course of my 8 weeks abroad, there was one sentence I said over and over again: “I could not have picked a better place to study abroad”. Siena is so unique and truly began to feel like a home away from home to me. It’s away from all of the hub cities and feels like such a close knit community. There isn’t a day you won’t see people catching up with one another on your way to class. Not to mention the history of Siena. It is so deep and the passion that the Sienese have for their home is something to admire. While abroad, I was lucky enough to be in Siena during the Palio, and it is an experience I will never forget. We learned about he history and meaning of the event leading up to the race itself, making watching the race and being a part of it that much more meaningful. It has given me even more appreciation for Siena. In regards to academics, there was a lot to do, but we had three day weekends most of the trip, so it made traveling to other destinations very doable. I think our class excursions to the different wineries, the Palio and getting to travel with friends (new and old) were my favorite moments of my trip. In terms of post life, I have gained a new passion for travel. I cannot wait to travel throughout the rest of my life and hope to have the opportunity to travel for work someday. There is so much to see in the world, and I don’t want to miss it. My biggest tips would be, 1) pack light! You can buy more clothes and toiletries as necessary when you’re here. 2) Get comfortable walking shoes, your feet will thank you (chacos or tevas, converse will hurt your feet). 3) bring a small bag for weekend trips, you want to haul the least amount of stuff as possible 4) bring a journal, I don’t think I would be able to remember everything I did without my journal. Plus it’ll be fun to look back at in the future and will make it easy to tell the parentals what you were up to

Spending 8 weeks in Siena, Italy has been amazing. We not only are exploring many wineries and learning about marketing within the wine industry, but also the hidden history within Siena and towns throughout Tuscany. The GEO directors give us many opportunities to explore other parts of Italy. For example, one weekend we were all taken to Florence where we could see the accedemia and the Statue of David all included in the price of the program. The only problem I see with the program is the work load given by the teachers at the beginning of the course, but once they were aware of the problem, they did lighten up on all the reading.