Posted By: Career Enrichment Network

Photos and content contributed by Rachel Wolfe, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Rachel took part in the Liberal Arts Faculty Led Summer program to Todi, Italy. Read more about her experience below!

I recently participated in the six week Todi study abroad program. The program was based in the small beautiful hill town of Todi, Italy, and was packed with trips to many other notable spots in Italy such as Florence, Venice, Rome, Assisi, Siena, and Urbino. My motivation for going on this program was to earn credit towards my art history minor. The program allowed me to travel to many incredible art sites throughout Italy, from the famous Uffizi gallery in Florence to the more unusual Park of Monsters in Bomarzo. I was able to see firsthand the famous art I’d learned about in class, which was a completely different experience than seeing it on a projector in class. I believe that studying abroad infinitely increased the value of what I’ve learned in my art history classes.

While in Todi I had the pleasure of living with an older Italian woman and her adult son. Her family was one of the oldest in Todi, and I loved learning some of the history of her family in Todi. My host sisters and I received wonderful hospitality and incredible homemade meals from our host family. Todi was a very small town, and our student group got to know the local people and the culture of the town very quickly.  Everyone in our program took classes in Italian, Art History, and Italian Culture. It was incredible to learn Italian for the first time while actually living among Italian people. One of my favorite parts of the day was dinner because we spent hours speaking with our host family. That learning process taught me new communication skills every day I spent in Italy.

I chose to study abroad in the summer because my major in biomedical engineering only offered STEM focused study abroad programs. I wanted to use my study abroad experience to focus on classes in the liberal arts, so I chose a summer program that would allow me to do so. By studying both engineering and liberal arts classes, I have been exposed to completely different types of learning. This has made me a better-rounded student and I highly recommend it to other students. Everything I experienced and learned abroad will be useful in my future, even though I do not plan for a career in the liberal arts. I hope to begin medical school next fall, and I feel that my experience abroad will be invaluable to my future as a doctor. In any field it is important to be open to other perspectives and develop strong communication skills. Study abroad programs are excellent for developing these skills. I would encourage any student considering studying abroad outside of their major. Don’t be afraid to be creative with what you study in college. By being creative I was able to turn my passion for art into a minor and study abroad experience that will undoubtedly impact my abilities as a healthcare provider in the future.

 

Liberal Arts Enrichment Funding from the College, this funding is available to all students with at least one major in the College. To learn more about study abroad, be sure to attend the Education Abroad Fair this Fall, taking place in the HUB on October, 12 from 11am-4pm. You can also schedule an appointment with Jackie Smith (jds54@psu.edu ), Global Experiences Coordinator on Network Symplicity