SANTA BARBARA — SBCC Study Abroad will be holding several informational meetings about its summer 2017 programs suited for community members and eligible high school students who are interested in personal development or earning college units. The programs do not have a major or language requirement and last 3-4 weeks, making them a great fit not only for College students who want to fill their summer with an academic adventure, but also for High School students interested in earning college credit as well as community members interested in a more organized and structured learning trip.
The informational meetings will allow attendees to learn about the program destinations, fields of study, cost, included excursions and program highlights, and how they can apply by the application deadline of April 14, 2017. The programs include housing and, depending on the specific program, may include transportation to and from the many excursions, entry fees, public transportation passes, lectures, and more.
SBCC Study Abroad programs are available to current SBCC students, and anyone holding a high school diploma or 18 years of age or older at the time of departure. Financial aid and scholarships are available for all programs, and support to navigate through the process is available.
One of the summer 2017 programs, which has been popular with community members, is SBCC’s summer trip to Rome, Italy, where participants will learn about and experience Italian Cuisine and Culture under the leadership of Chef and Professor Randy Bublitz, who directed SBCC’s first culinary arts program to Paris, France in 2015. The Rome summer program lasts four weeks from June 9 to July 29 and includes excursions to Agricoltura Nuova and Lake Albano, Castel Gandolfo, Bologna, Parma, Venice and walking tours of Rome, a tour of the Roman Ghetto, Testaccio food market, pastificio or pasta demonstrations, a gelato tour, cooking classes and more.
Another program getting a lot of interest from SBCC and local high school students is the Shakespeare and Narrative in Film program to London, England. Co-Directors Barbara Bell and Curtis Bieber accompany students to London from June 24 – July 23, 2017. The program includes excursions to the House of Parliament, Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, a day trip to Cambridge and more. Participants can also add an optional four-day/three-night trip to Paris, France, for an additional fee.
SBCC’s third summer program, which is led by Dina Castillo, Department Chair of SBCC’s School of Modern Languages, allows program participants to study Spanish in Havana, Cuba from July 2 – 22. Participants can look forward to many program highlights including sightseeing tours of Havana, the San Carlos de la Cabana nine o’clock canon ceremony, Salsa lessons and performances, trips to Vinales, Varadero, and community volunteer activities such as painting an elementary school, visiting a senior center or children’s home, or a park or beach clean-up day.
Info meeting dates and locations can be found on the SBCC Study Abroad website by clicking on the desired program and then choosing “Additional Information” or by following SBCC Study Abroad on Facebook (facebook.com/StudyAbroadSBCC/) where events are posted. To receive a campus parking pass or for any other questions about the program, please contact Senior Program Assistant Nicole Walther at 805-730-4294 or nwalther@pipeline.sbcc.edu.
More about SBCC Study Abroad: Throughout the past 44 years, more than 6,000 Santa Barbara City College students from multiple disciplines have participated in study abroad programs in approximately 20 different countries, including the former Soviet Union, New Zealand, Australia, India, Rwanda, Cuba, Thailand, China and Vietnam. Santa Barbara City College was one of the first community colleges in California to develop comprehensive study abroad programs and the College has been a pioneer in offering non-traditional programs by bringing students to locations where experience and learning extends beyond the traditional European tour and by providing students with innovative learning experiences of the highest quality. Find out more on the website at https://www.sbcc.edu/studyabroad/website/