When somebody travels to another country, they’re doing so much more than setting foot on the soil of a place they’ve never been—they’re opening their hearts and minds to new experiences. For some, it will be their first venture outside of the U.S. Indeed, some students will be flying for the first time.
During the middle of March, spring break means “wheels up” for several Anderson University students who will be traveling to distant lands to learn about them in the best way possible—firsthand.
Anderson University College of Business Professor Scott Whitaker and a group of students are traveling to Greece over the break, visiting ancient sites around the country considered to be the Cradle of Civilization. They will explore the Parthenon and also follow the Apostle Paul’s footsteps at Corinth and Mars Hill.
Whitaker said he and his group will also get to observe the Greek economy firsthand, visiting the Corinthian canal, a major economic waterway in Greece and learning about olives, Greece’s homegrown contribution to the world. They will also fly to Crete and see the original/oldest settlement in Europe in Knossos. They’ll also learn about culture and life on a Greek island and possibly walk on the pink sands of Elaffonisi Beach.
Another group is traveling to a world-renowned cradle of classical music. Anderson University Music Professor Howard Kim and another group of students will together follow in the footsteps of composers Ludwig von Beethoven and Wolfgang A. Mozart, visiting their birth cities of Bonn, Germany and Salzburg, Austria. They will travel to Vienna, the city where they rose to cultural prominence, ultimately gifting the world with their timeless compositions.
According to Kim, Vienna at the time was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire. The students will tour the composers’ homes, go to operas and concerts in each city, and see other sites including museums of composers influenced by the legacy of Beethoven and Mozart.
Professors James Duncan and Lindsay Privette will be traveling with students to experience the history and culture of Germany, visiting Mainz, Worms, Eisanach and the Wartburg (castle), Erfurt, Wittenberg, and Berlin. They will also travel to Geneva, Switzerland. The trip’s focus will be on Gutenberg, Martin Luther and Calvin. They’ll be exploring the relationship between Gutenberg’s invention, the printing press, and the Protestant Reformation, ushered in by Martin Luther a little more than 500 years ago.
The AU Abroad classes are reviewed by faculty on the Global Engagement Committee and approved by Academic Affairs. They are coordinated with the assistance and support of Dr. Ann-Margaret J. Themistocleous, director for the Center for Global Engagement and their staff. If you are interested in studying abroad, please contact a study abroad advisor at studyabroad@andersonuniversity.edu to explore your options. Anderson University offers a broad range of programs including short-term, summer and semester programs.
