Students Spend Spring Break in Italy During New Study Abroad Program
By Olivia Slack, ’22, International Programs Coordinator
Students Spend Spring Break in Italy During New Study Abroad Program
By Olivia Slack, ’22, International Programs Coordinator
The Office of International Programs sponsored its first spring break study abroad opportunity in the College’s Italian home in Sansepolcro, Italy, this year.
“Intersections: Math, Art, and Italy” was taught by Professor Emerita Rebecca Bailey, Director of General Education and Associate Professor of Mathematics Tim Hendrix, and Professor Julie Kolb from the Mathematics faculty. This innovative program offered students the opportunity to take a class during the spring semester and then travel to Italy for 10 days over spring break with their professors to continue their learning outside the classroom.
While the 2023 program combined math and art, future spring break programs will focus on other disciplines and majors, allowing more students to study abroad in a way that works for them.
“The new spring break in Italy programs are designed to help students who may be too busy to study abroad in the summer or fall because of internships, extracurriculars, or coursework participate in a study abroad experience while at Meredith,” said Director of International Programs Brooke Shurer.
In this year’s spring break in Italy program, students learned how math and art are connected by studying how artists and mathematicians like Piero della Francesca, a Sansepolcro native, made advancements in both fields. Because of Italy’s rich historical background in pioneering concepts like mathematics and art, professors were able to lead students on excursions to museums and historical sites in cities like Florence, Rome, and Deruta.
The 2024 Italy spring break program will focus on intercultural leadership and will be open to all Meredith students.