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NEWS
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Apply for Study Abroad 2022-2023 By Libby Bullinger
Copy editor
This semester, Mercyhurst began the first round of study abroad trips for students since 2020. Since the pandemic eliminated any option of traveling out of the country, plans for students to travel were put on hold until these trips could be conducted safely. This semester, Spring 2022, students from Mercyhurst have been thrilled to resume study abroad trips. There are currently students enrolled in study abroad courses that will travel following the end of the semester and some that are already in other countries. That being said, the Study Abroad office has announced travel options for the 2022-2023 academic year. One of the most popular study abroad options for Mercyhurst students is the 8-week long trip to Dungarvan, Ireland.
Given the school’s roots with the Sisters of Mercy originating in Ireland, there is a sister campus in Dungarvan to which students and faculty can easily travel. The Ireland study abroad option will take place in the Spring 2023 semester with travel planned for early March and the return is planned for early May. One of the advantages of doing the Ireland program is that there are many different options for REACH courses that students can take, meaning it is accessible to a wider range of the student population. For this upcoming trip, students can register for Ireland classes that cover the A, C and H areas of the general education curriculum. In addition, there are classes that can apply to History, Physics, and Political Science majors and minors. Students also have the opportunity to secure their Beyond the Gates credit on this trip
if they have not already done so. Students who choose to study abroad in Ireland take 2-3 classes in the Mini B course timeframe and live in university-leased accommodations. Given the length of this program, students are also able to travel around to other countries in the area on their weekends and breaks if they choose to do so. The other option for students to engage in a study abroad experience is through a Faculty-Student Academic Travel, or FSAT, class. Students enrolled in these study abroad programs will register for a course on the Erie campus during the semester and take a 10-12 day trip following the end of the semester in which they took the class. The professor teaching the course will be the one leading the students through their travels, which allows students to bond with their professor and peers be-
fore taking a trip abroad. According to the Study Abroad office, FSAT courses are “Mercyhurst courses enhanced by travel and designed to engage students deeply in course content in the context of global awareness.” FSAT courses for the 20222023 academic year are as follows: Art and Mind in Portugal and Spain including Sport Psychology International Context taught by Matt Weaver, Ph.D. (Reach H or major/minor Psychology course) and Performing Spain and Portugal taught by Brett Johnson, Ph.D. (Reach E or minor Theatre course) traveling in January 2023; Food and Culture in France including France: People, History and Food taught by Doug Boudreau, Ph.D. (Reach E or major/minor French course) and Farm to Table: Food & Wine in France taught by Peter Zohos, Ph.D. (Reach H or major/minor Hospitality course) traveling in
May 2023; Fashion and Fiction in the UK including International French Trends taught by Amy Weaver (major/minor Fashion Merchandising course) and Fiction of the Capital Cities taught by Brian Reed, Ph.D. (Reach E or major/minor English course) traveling in May 2023; Art, Culture and Service in Italy including Italy: Art, Culture and Service taught by Jodi Staniunas Hopper and Heather Denning (Reach E or major/minor Art course) traveling in May 2023. Students interested in studying abroad in the upcoming academic year should submit their application by April 1 and are welcome to attend the open house on March 24 in Preston 102 to pick up application and ask questions about the programs.
